Warwickshire Skills Hub

This year has certainly taken so many of us in unexpected directions. The COVID-19 pandemic has really tested our abilities to evolve, be creative and find all kinds of different ways to continue our support to those all around us.

The Skills for Employment Programme is no exception, our team have been carefully considering the most effective routes of support needed for Warwickshire schools and colleges, with an ongoing priority to maintain the high standard of careers support.  The Future Careers Fund 2020 is a fund which is immediately available to secondary schools, FE and sixth form colleges in a competitive grant process. Each school or college may apply for up to £2,000 with the option to make an application in July or October 2020.

It is our ambition that The Future Careers Fund 2020 provides support to specifically assist schools in adapting their careers provision post COVID-19.

We anticipate as many schools and colleges move to broader digital delivery, certain tools and access to virtual platforms may be key in introducing new ways of working to support blended delivery and increase accessibility for some students.

Acknowledging that some schools may also want to continue their work around raising quality careers standards, we would also welcome projects which support this and meet the necessary requirements detailed below.

All activity must be sustainable and measurable, whilst lending itself well to maintaining career benchmark and quality standards. If successful, Skills for Employment officers will work with schools and colleges to capture outputs and report on the impact the fund has on each school or college awarded.

The fund will be available from July 2020 with three rounds of applications.

The July round will support schools who have identified immediate needs and would benefit from moving this work forward right away.

October and November rounds will then be available for schools who might have yet to identify work/projects and would benefit from Autumn funds to accomodate future needs.

*Successful applications will be processed and paid on receipt of invoice – WCC terms of payment apply