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Recruit, inspire and develop your workforce

Promote your business, inspire young people and invest in skills and training with support provided by the Skills Team at Suffolk County Council.

Developing Suffolk Talent e-bulletin

This monthly e-bulletin is designed to give employers timely updates on the work of the Skills Team and key developments across the region and nationally.

If you would like to give us feedback on what you would find useful or if you would like further information on any of the projects or issues raised please feel free to contact the relevant member of the team or email skills@suffolk.gov.uk.

  • To sign up to the bulletin please email skills@suffolk.gov.uk and ask to be added to the distribution list.

Latest issue:  Developing Suffolk Talent, Issue No 90, 31 Oct 2022 (PDF, 565 KB)

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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

New Anglia Youth Pledge 

The New Anglia Youth Pledge is a regional commitment made by stakeholders across both the public and private sectors in Norfolk and Suffolk to further the prospects of young people in the area.  The Youth Pledge aims for:

Every young person in Norfolk and Suffolk getting the support they need to get into education, training, an apprenticeship or job within three months of leaving education or employment.

To deliver on this pledge, we need employers in Suffolk to help us by promoting what they do for young people and creating new opportunities from work experience and work trials to apprenticeships and graduate schemes. 

Become a Youth Pledge supporter and support young people to fulfil their potential.

Find out more about the New Anglia Youth Pledge.

Youth Pledge for Employers project

European Union Social Fund logo
A European Social Fund (ESF) funded project, led by Norfolk County Council and delivered in partnership with Suffolk County Council and The Mason Trust until December 2023. 

The project has employed Business Connectors to engage with a wide range of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the New Anglia LEP, and support them to develop opportunities for young people aged 16 to 24.

The opportunities created will be promoted on Icanbea, a website run by The Mason Trust, which helps to inspire young people to take control of their career and will include work inspiration events, such as giving a talk or hosting a virtual tour of a workplace, work experience, work placements, apprenticeships or employment.

If you are an employer looking to find out more or get involved, please contact:

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

Investing in Skills and Training  

Supply Chain Skills Development Fund

European Union Social Fund logo

The Supply Chain Skills Development Fund, a part-funded ESF project, provides grants to co-fund the development of the workforce in key local supply chains across Norfolk and Suffolk.

 

It has been established by Suffolk County Council, in partnership with Norfolk County Council, and aims to benefit both individual employees and local employers in Norfolk and Suffolk.

The delegated grant scheme will enhance both the development and delivery of training available to employers in the New Anglia area and will focus on what is required to build the capacity of key local supply chains, ultimately resulting in the creation of inclusive economic growth.

The funding is provided through the European Social Fund Programme 2014-2023.

Grants are available to:

  • SME employers to be used to pay for a proportion of the costs of training, learning opportunities, or services that will help their employees develop additional competencies and capabilities. 
  • SME employers and local training providers to enhance, develop and deliver regional training  

The fund enables local beneficiaries an opportunity to apply for a smaller ESF grant than would normally be the case through wider calls. 

To learn more about the fund please contact supplychainskills@suffolk.gov.uk.

SPARC - Skills, Progression, Adaptability, Resilience and Coordination

European Union Social Fund logo

Pathways 50+ is delivered by Futures and will work with SME employers to create paid work placements for those over 50; and support individuals to improve their employability with a proportion going on to complete a work placement.

For more information on Pathways 50+ please go to the website - https://www.futuresforyou.com/pathways-50-registration-form.html

The Pathways Training Fund is delivered by Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils and a network of local training providers and will encourage employers to train staff and provide a grant for up to 75% (£500 per individual) of the total net training cost.  Employers must be an SME and based within Norfolk or Suffolk and Training should fall into one of these areas:

  • Digital Skills and Industry 4.0
  • Leadership, Management, Project Management and Mentoring
  • Customer Service and Client Relationship Management
  • Health and Well-being
  • Innovation training for new ideas, ways of working, products and services, Net Zero.

We want to support a culture of life-long learning so that organisations can develop and embed the pathways and choices towards the ‘must have’ skills that are sought after.

To find out more see the guidance and eligibility form on our webpage - https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/business/projects-and-programmes/pathways-training-fund/ 

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 this Skills Bootcamps information sheet.

If you would like to discuss your needs with our Skills Broker Bev Wallman, please contact skills@newanglia.co.uk 

Developing Skills in Health and Social Care (DSHSC)

The DSHSC project is part funded by the European Social Fund, led by Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils, working with local colleges and other partners.

European Union Social Fund logo


The project will be providing a range of specific, fully funded qualifications to staff working within the adult health and social care sector.
For more information, please visit our website www.norfolk.gov.uk/developingskills

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.

European Union Social Fund logo
Education and Skills Funding Agency logo