Warwickshire Skills Hub

A support service has been launched for businesses forced to confront difficult decisions regarding redundancies. The Coventry & Warwickshire Redundancy Support Service is a collaborative service created by Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council and partners Department for Work & Pensions and the CW Growth Hub. The service is designed to bring partners and industry experts together to support local businesses which have to consider making difficult decisions about their workforce and business.

The service supports business in looking at ways in which staff can be reskilled and retrained to carry out services that are outsourced, or to help the business grow, such as training sustainability champions, accounts & social media marketing. Business Advisors from Warwickshire Skills Hub are able to carry out business skills reviews and look at training solutions such as apprenticeships, short courses and accreditation and how available funding can be obtained to support businesses in safeguarding jobs and creating a sustainable future.

Where redundancies are unavoidable, the Coventry & Warwickshire Redundancy Support Service works with the business to create a tailored support package to meet the needs of the employees affected. This can range from workshop style support in navigating the digital labour market, CV writing & interview techniques through to mini jobs fairs that link those at risk to businesses recruiting for their skill set.

This unique approach is flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of low and high volume support that spans any sector. The labour market is buoyant at the moment, with a variety of roles on offer, and with specialist support, people are able to find alternative vacancies and explore new opportunities such as self employment.

Due to the unpredictable nature of the economy, the Coventry & Warwickshire Redundancy Support Service has been designed to be ongoing as required. The relevant partners and work streams will offer a highly responsive and effective service to help businesses navigate through turbulent times, whilst equipping them with tools and guidance to make plans for the future, whatever the outcome might be.

Over the coming months, the service will launch a programme of activity encouraging businesses and those facing redundancy to engage with the service and access the support available. From workshops and virtual clinics to live job fairs and training opportunities, supportive services will be designed to be flexible and shaped to meet individual needs.

Prevention

Whilst in some cases Job loss might be inevitable; it is hoped to engage with businesses who are working through their options and may be suitable for a number of interventions. From emergency funding and finance opportunities to reskilling and staff retainment options, the service will provide collaborative support to explore the options available and build action plans to become more sustainable through periods of uncertainty, preventing job losses and company closures wherever possible.

Our delivery partners

The selection of partners who support the service are established industry experts with an extensive understanding of the Coventry and Warwickshire economy and a clear vison of the support needed. Our partners will respond to support needs and seamlessly cross refer where additional support needs are identified.

It is expected that as the service becomes established and needs grow, the need to introduce additional partners may be needed and discussed collectively.