Recruit, inspire and develop your workforce

Developing Suffolk Talent newsletter

The new Developing Suffolk Talent newsletter was relaunched in July 2024. This keeps you up to date with the work of the Suffolk County Council Skills Team as well as related policies and funding opportunities.

If you would like to give us feedback on what you would find useful or wish to sign up to the e-bulletin send an E-Mail to skills@suffolk.gov.uk and ask to be added to the distribution list.

Previous issues

• Developing Suffolk Talent, Issue No 90, (PDF, 565KB)
• Developing Suffolk Talent | Issue No 89 (PDF 579KB) 
• Adult Learning engagement event poster (PDF 82KB)
• Adult Learning engagement event agenda (PDF 61KB)
• Developing Suffolk Talent Issue number 88, 21 June 2022 (PDF 624KB)
• Developing Suffolk Talent Issue number 87, 10 May 2022 (PDF 640KB)

Inspiring young people and promoting your business

Organisations and services helping businesses support young people they employ.

Icanbea

Icanbea is the local website helping young people discover for themselves the range of job and career opportunities open to them across Suffolk and Norfolk. 

You can find out about important employment industries in the East and view company profiles to hear about their businesses and who they recruit, including opportunities they are currently offering.

If you’re an organisation, company or educational establishment in the Norfolk and Suffolk region and want to get involved with this council-backed charity project, please email team@icanbea.org.uk.

Apprenticeships Suffolk 

An impartial service supporting SME businesses to engage with apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships Suffolk aim to promote the growth of apprenticeships by supporting the engagement of all interested parties through information and guidance on subjects such as:

• funding, including the apprenticeship levy
• finding the right training
• how the 20% off the job works
• guidance on End Point Assessment
• understanding expectations and apprenticeships in general and
• up to date information about both national and local incentives. 

We have a team on hand to provide as little or as much support that you or your organisation require to successfully recruit and retain your apprentice across Suffolk.

To find out more and to contact the team please visit Apprenticeships Suffolk

Multiply Suffolk

The UK Government identified adult numeracy as the first priority to be allocated funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This meant that up to £559 million in funding was allocated to creating a ‘Multiply’ programme across the country which aims to help people improve their ability to understand and use maths in daily life, home, and work.

The local Suffolk response for Multiply is to deliver an integrated system of wellbeing, skills, and employability, embedding numeracy initiatives to create a three-step model with clear pathways of support pre- and post-employment.

For more information: Multiply - Learn Suffolk

Thrive: Suffolk Skills & Employment Service

Thrive is led by Suffolk New College. Thrive for Young People offers a triage and personal development service led by Inspire Suffolk, with additional activity packages from Lofty Heights.

The Thrive for Adults triage and personal development service is led by Access Community Trust in East Suffolk and West Suffolk, and by Anglia Care Trust in Ipswich and Babergh and Mid Suffolk.

Suffolk New College, East Coast College and West Suffolk College offer follow-on Progression Coach services for those who are ready to explore employment and training opportunities.

The Thrive project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It is delivered on behalf of the Suffolk Local Authorities: Babergh and Mid Suffolk Councils, East Suffolk Council, Ipswich Borough Council, West Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council.

For information about the delivery of the programme, contact thrive@suffolk.ac.uk

Investing in Skills and Training

Skills Boot Camps

Free training for learners in Suffolk and Norfolk

Skills Bootcamps are part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee strategy.  Their aim is to: 

• Aid businesses to hire people with the skills required, help fill their skills vacancies
• Support individuals who are currently un-employed or returning to work access funded course to develop skills and assist them to find local work
• Provide the self-employed to gain additional skills to help them develop & grow their business
• Provide businesses with targeted training to develop and progress their own employees within the business

Detailed information on Eligibility, Delivery and Outcomes can be found on the Norfolk and Suffolk Skills Bootcamps webpage.

If you would like to discuss your needs with our Skills Broker Bev Wallman, please contact SkillsBootCamp@suffolk.gov.uk

Social Care and Health Sector Skills Plan

Skills development in social care and health plays a crucial role in recruitment and retention in the sector and ensuring high quality care is delivered by confident and capable professionals who enjoy their work. 

The Social Care and Health Sector Skills Plan outlines our dynamic approach to partnership working to ensure that the skills needs of the sector are identified and addressed.

Read the full details of the skills plan and appendices in these documents:

For more information, or if you would like to become involved in the Social Care and Health Sector Skills Partnership which oversees the plan, please contact: Amy.Ryan@suffolk.gov.uk

The New Anglia Careers Hub 

The New Anglia Careers Hub is part of a national initiative that aims to raise the quality of careers provision in secondary schools and colleges, form lasting connections with employers and education and inspire young people to make informed decisions about future career choices.

The New Anglia Careers Hub is managed nationally by the Careers and Enterprise Company, tailored locally in partnership with New Anglia LEP, where you can find out more about how the programmes are delivered locally.

Find out more about national initiatives to raise the quality of careers provision in schools and colleges on The Careers and Enterprise Company website.

End Point Assessment

Suffolk County Council have been approved and recognised by Ofqual to act as the End Point Assessor Organisation for the Careers Development Professional Apprenticeship (ST0694).

For more information  please look at CPD for careers professionals | Suffolk County Council  or contact EPA@suffolk.gov.uk  or Jacqui.phipps@suffolk.gov.uk

Adult Learning Service

The Service is led by Suffolk County Council, and provides a wide range of free Health and Wellbeing, Learning in Families, English and maths courses (up to Level 2 - GCSE equivalent) for adults 19 years+ living in Suffolk.  The Service particularly targets those adults who have missed out on previous educational opportunities or who come from groups with the highest levels of need.  Many of our learners start from very low educational levels, often overcoming many barriers in order to achieve success. 

Find out more on the Learn Suffolk website.