Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has secured £1.4 million to deliver Skills Bootcamps across the county until 31^st March 2024. The programme will support some of Hertfordshire’s priority sectors including Film and TV, Digital, and Net-Zero/Green, as well as Health, Construction and Management.

Skills Bootcamps are flexible courses of up to 16 weeks that give people the opportunity to build sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with an employer. These courses are fully funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and free for learners as part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee. They are open to all adults over 19, whether they are in full time employment, self-employed, recently unemployed or returning to work after a break. 

Employers can also put forward their own employees to attend Skills Bootcamps to develop new skills that their business needs by making a small contribution to the cost of the programme (10% if they have less than 250 employees and 30% if they have more than 250 employees).

Caroline Cartwright, Head of Skills, Employment & Apprenticeships at Hertfordshire LEP, said: “We are delighted to have been approached by DfE to tailor a programme for Hertfordshire that meets the needs of our local employers, while addressing the challenges highlighted in our Local Skills Reports, Skills & Employment Strategy and Sector Action Plans, as well as the Local Skills Improvement Plan led by Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce.

“Skills Bootcamps are unique in that they provide a wholly accessible and barrier-free route to skills training, giving adults from all walks of life the chance to improve their career prospects. Crucially, they will enable us to bridge the skills gaps that may inhibit the development of our key growth sectors, enabling local people to fulfil job roles that are rapidly growing in demand within the county.”

Skills Bootcamps are delivered in partnership with a supply chain of training providers. All programmes offered are aligned with local skills needs, with all participants guaranteed to be offered a job interview upon completing the training or supported to progress in the workplace.

Hertfordshire LEP’s initial supply chain includes:

• The Retrofit Academy – delivering Retrofit qualifications from level 3 to level 5
• Oaklands College – focused on Green Technologies and Power, Green Skills, Land Management, Construction, Software Development, Mental Health Peer Support and Digital Leadership
• ESTU – supporting Net Zero Reporting Managers and Sustainable Business Management
• iSales Academy – supporting Digital Marketing Assistants, Technical Sales Associates and IT Support Technicians
• JGA Limited – specialising in Film and TV and supporting Production Assistants, Assistant Production Accountants, Sustainability Co-ordinators and Junior Production Staff
• All Spring Media – supporting Production Assistants in partnership with Sky Studios Elstree
• Academy of Live Technology Ltd – focused on Event Production, Stage and Screen Rigging and Virtual Production

Adam Morley, Creative Sector Lead at Hertfordshire LEP, said: “Hertfordshire is at the epicentre of UK film and TV production and its incredible contribution to the industry globally has attracted multi-billion pound investment, with thousands of jobs in the pipeline. Talent is vital to the growth of any industry and with the influx of new studios to the county, from Sky Studios Elstree to Sunset Studios in Broxbourne, we must ensure our labour market is equipped to meet their needs.

“The Skills Bootcamps are launching at an opportune moment in Hertfordshire and I encourage any person with aspirations to work or progress within this most exciting and dynamic of industries to apply!”

Helen Pollock, Clean Growth Manager at Hertfordshire LEP, said: “Our latest research shows that Hertfordshire’s low carbon environmental industries account for an impressive 12.4% of the county’s GDP, with huge potential for jobs and business growth. Hertfordshire also has a burgeoning retrofit sector, with over £100m secured locally to make homes greener over the next two years, creating new opportunities for tradespeople and SMEs in the supply chain.

“It’s hugely encouraging to see training providers championing skills like green technologies and retrofit to support the growth of our priority sectors – but also net zero reporting and sustainable management, which are skills applicable to all businesses regardless of size or sector, and which will become increasingly vital as we work to combat climate change.”

The first cohorts of Hertfordshire’s Skills Bootcamps will start in October. If you would like to get involved, please email caroline.cartwright@hertfordshirelep.co.uk.

More information is available on Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal (HOP). To be alerted to when Skills Bootcamps launch, please follow HOP’s social media channels, or if you are an employer, sign-up to HOP’s monthly skills e-alert.