Apprenticeships and Training

Background

Pembrokeshire County Council has a dedicated team of specialist business units within its Regeneration department collectively named Futureworks. For over 30 years Futureworks has successfully delivered employment and skills programmes to support unemployed and economically inactive people to gain skills and move into employment.

In recent years Futureworks has successfully delivered the following programmes:

Flexible New Deal on behalf of Working Links - services for long-term unemployed (over 12 months), focusing on improving customer's employability in order to enter the world of work. Services included in-work support once a customer had entered work.

Future Jobs Fund on behalf of Department of Works and Pensions - 160 places for young people (18-24 years) who had been unemployed 6 months or longer. Young people had the opportunity to develop work related skills and qualifications and to be employed for up to 6 months whilst receiving a salary at national minimum wage. 

Community Task Force on behalf of Groundwork UK - services for young people (18-24 years) who have been unemployed 9 months or longer. Young people developed work related skills through community projects either in the third sector or in-house. Futureworks manages two supervisor-led projects with Sustrans Cycle Paths and Scolton Manor Country Park.

Workbased Learning * on behalf of Welsh Government/DfES - services for unemployed youth and adults through the Youth and Adult Skillbuild programmes and Young Person's Guarantee, and Apprenticeships. Learning routeways include: Engineering, Construction, Business Administration and Active Leisure (Sport and Recreation), Essential Skills and ICT and Employability qualifications.  Futureworks also delivers Apprenticeships and NVQ Level 2 and 3.

PECS Project * on behalf of Welsh Government/DfES - a bespoke practical engineering construction skills project piloted as part of the Skillbuild Review. For adult learners who wanted to improve their practical skills and receive an introduction to recruiting employers in the energy sector.

Futureworks also delivers personal and skills development programmes and training services to the ESF Engage Project.

In earlier years Futureworks successfully delivered the following employment and skills programmes:

• New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 Plus
• Programme Centre
• Sector Specific Pre-employment training - tourism, retail, call centre
• New Deal for Disabled People
• Return to Earn

From 1993, prior to local government reorganisation in 1996, Jobcentre Plus contracts were held by Dyfed County Council, Futureworks delivering the Pembrokeshire elements such as Job Clubs in Pembroke, Jobsearch and Jobsearch Plus, Restart and Workwise courses.

* These programmes were part funded by ESF