Step2Skills service is to transfer from Hertfordshire County Council’s Adult Care Services (ACS) Directorate to the Growth & Environment Directorate, under the management of Hertfordshire Futures. This transition, effective from January 2025, aims to better align the service with the county’s future growth agenda.

Step2Skills, formerly known as the Hertfordshire Adult and Family Learning Service (HAFLS), provides adult community learning and employment support across Hertfordshire. The service supports around 3,500 adult learners and 700 residents in need of employment assistance annually.

Earlier this year, Hertfordshire Futures, formerly Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, became part of Hertfordshire County Council. It is responsible for developing a new economic strategy and is the lead organisation within the council for skills.

This transition will align Step2Skills with Hertfordshire Futures’ focus on skills, employment, business support and economic growth. It will integrate with the Hertfordshire’s Skills and Employment Strategy, the Adult Learning Strategy, and Apprenticeship Strategy, strengthening relationships with local employers and stakeholders.

Cllr Caroline Clapper, Executive Member, Education, Libraries & Lifelong Learning, Hertfordshire County Council, said: “The transfer of Step2Skills to Hertfordshire Futures is a great opportunity for the service to work more closely with the Growth and Environment Directorate, and more specifically with Hertfordshire Futures, Hertfordshire Growth Board, and Planning teams. Ensuring opportunities are made available to all our Hertfordshire residents to upskill themselves and gain employment, regardless of their starting point in their career, needs to continue to be Step2Skills’ central objective to its mission.

“Stronger links with Growth and Environment will ensure that the service is at the heart of conversations regarding the skills and employment agenda for people with barriers to learning and employment. Step2Skills will review its future strategy to ensure it aligns itself fully with the future Herts Economic Growth strategy and make stronger links to the missions of the Hertfordshire Growth Board. These are exciting times for Step2Skills!”

Adrian Hawkins OBE, Chair, Hertfordshire Futures, added: “The transfer of Step2Skills to Hertfordshire Futures presents an opportunity to further enhance the service’s impact on the local economy and community. By aligning with Hertfordshire Futures’ strategic goals, Step2Skills can continue to provide vital support to residents, helping them overcome barriers to learning and employment and contributing to the overall growth and prosperity of Hertfordshire. We look forward to welcoming this well-respected and managed service into both the Growth and Enterprise Directorate and the Hertfordshire Futures team.”