Skills for Work

Partner Case Study with Terry Davis, Skills for Work Manager, Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council

Skills For Life

About Skills for Work

Skills for Work have worked in partnership with BEST to deliver high quality training programmes for a number of years. As part of Bradford Council, the 200 strong Skills for Work team run innovative training programmes for individuals and employers in the Bradford area. Over 3000 learners go through their doors every year with learners ranging anywhere between 14-64 years of age. Skills for Work deliver the New Deal training programme to local people in partnership with BEST.

An Inspirational Partnership

Terry Davis, Skills for Work Manager said: "We work closely with BEST both strategically and operationally. We, like BEST, aspire to excellence and work well together as we share the same ethos of delivering training to the highest standard. Working in partnership opens up many opportunities for both organisations: we benefit from each other's experience and regularly share ideas. Equally we maximise each other's networks: should we hear about a vacancy that we know might suit one of BEST's learners we will share the opportunity and vice versa. The partnership has been really beneficial in that way."

What is New Deal?

The New Deal training programme aims to help people into sustained employment and provides a variety of individually tailored advice, training and support. The programme aims to give unemployed people new opportunities to study, train and gain work experience so that they have the skills that employers want and are able to find lasting, worthwhile jobs.

Why is Training so Important?

"We believe that training is crucial." says Terry, "For employers, an investment in staff training today is an investment in the future: training gives people the skills they need to keep the business competitive. For individuals, training can mean the difference between working and unemployment. People come to us with barriers that prevent them from finding work and we work closely with them to identify and overcome them. Our aim is to match them to a sector or job that suits their particular skills and where there is a need for a person to up skill themselves we support them through the process. We help bridge the gap between their qualifications and aspirations. The training experience can be life changing."