Alex Pond

Said the following about City and Guilds Impact Team:

“City & Guilds are committed to our purpose of helping people into a job, on the job and into the next job. From being pioneers of rail traineeships through to supporting ex-offenders into the rail sector, we go above and beyond to equip individuals with the skills needed to succeed.

DfE Skills Bootcamps

Our purpose of helping people into a job, on the job and into the next job aligns clearly with the focus of the Skills Bootcamps, which support people who haven’t previously progressed past GCSEs to gain qualifications in high demand areas and potentially support them into work.

City & Guilds are the largest skills bootcamp provider in the UK and were the first provider to successfully deliver skills bootcamps within prisons. We have delivered Skills Bootcamps across multiple sectors since 2021. Some of our achievements include:

• 875 learners have completed a Skills Bootcamp

• 782 learners have received an interview and job offer, or received an enhanced role

Our approach starts with identifying priority skills shortage vacancies. We then design Skills Bootcamps alongside employers and subcontractors to provide learners with knowledge, skills and behaviours sought by employers/recruiters.

Since 2022 our achievements include:

• 85% achievement and outcome rate for commercial learners.

We have developed our Skills Bootcamps by combining the delivery expertise/resources within City & Guilds, along with a network of over 2000 rail/construction/engineering employers

• 75% achievement rate for fully funded learners

We have recruited unemployed learners and worked with our employer base to train and guarantee them a job outcome within the rail sector upon successful completion.

• 83% achievement rate for our subcontracted skills bootcamps

By collaborating with the industry, collectively we have made a bigger impact on employers and individuals - we have partnered with training providers within the rail industry and other sectors.

Rehabilitation Project

The population of serving prisoners is currently around 85,000 in England and Wales. Statistically, 50% of those will reoffend within 12 months of release and only 26.5% will go into employment. The rate of reoffending costs society and the economy £18.1bn per year – City & Guilds aim is to continually work to increase employment opportunities for prisoners which is proven to reduce the reoffending rate and make a positive contribution towards changing the lives of individuals.

Over the last year we have achieved:

• 46 individuals released from prison

• 43 individuals fully completed training

• 26 individuals now work in rail/civils

• 6 individuals now work in other industries

• 75% outcome rate for Wave 3 Skills Bootcamps for prisons

Steve Phillips, Head of Reducing Reoffending at HMP Highpoint said; “Eleven men started the course, and all have been offered employment already which gives our course participants an incredible opportunity to not return to prison which must be a priority for society today. As a partnership we are all driven to changing lives and providing people hope, I personally cannot think of a better reason to go to work.”

Lee Manning, Head of Operational Contract Management at MoJ said; “City & Guilds has aligned perfectly with the vision and values of Her Majesty’s Prison Service recognising the need to offer employment that provides a realistic alternative to organised crime. All those who have so far worked on turning the concept into reality have played a role in changing lives. Not just the lives of those within the criminal justice system but their families and children too.”

The ambition is to scale up our provision to offer full wrap around support to over 500 serving prisoners with the required training to begin a career in rail by 2025, with 100% securing employment on release. We are already making a greater impact by working with an additional 4 prisons:

• HMP Onley

• HMP Risley

• HMP Doncaster

• HMP Liverpool

This will additionally reduce the skills shortages in the rail sector while having meaningful impact on ex-offenders, through assisted rehabilitation and reduction to re-offending rates.

Apprenticeships

Our apprenticeships are a great success with an increase in volume and a focus on diversity, which shows more women starting their careers through apprenticeships. They are designed with employers to target industry needs and skills gaps, whilst ensuring the apprentices are learning the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviours to progress with their careers.

We are currently training 137 apprentices with a variety of employers across the L2 Rail Engineering Operative, and L3 Rail Engineering Technician standards.

Fiona Burke, HR Director at McGinley said; “A big thank you to everybody involved at Intertrain, helping McGinley to achieve their target for the apprenticeships.”

A Level 2 Apprentice said: “I enjoyed my training and finally getting on to the rail industry side as I come from the Highways Trade and I’ve been trying to get into rail work for over 10 years. Thank you to all the instructors plus Intertrain, keep up the good work.”

The City & Guilds Foundation

The City & Guilds Foundation amplifies City & Guilds purpose by focusing on high impact social investment that removes barriers to training. We have achieved:

• Created £2.1m of social value over 3 years

• 13,814 people directly supported through the Foundation since 2017

• The Foundation’s Big Idea Fund has created over £10m of social value over the last 3 years. £18.62 for every £1 spent.

• 242 individuals were supported with bursary funding through our Foundation

• 92% of bursary recipients are feeling more optimistic about their future

• 96% of prisoners and ex-offenders have gained knowledge and skills

• 57% of prisoners and ex-offenders have achieved a new qualification

• 62% of prisoners and ex-offenders have reported increased confidence and wellbeing

• 63% of prisoners and ex-offenders are either in education, employment, or training at the end of the programme

• 244 refugees supported through training“