City of Wolverhampton residents on Thursday celebrated learning success at an event designed to show them their next steps towards employment or further education.
Participants from the Language@Work programme run by City of Wolverhampton Council in partnership with Wolverhampton Leaning Platform gathered at the Old School Building in Dudley Road, Blakenhall.
They were presented with certificates by Councillor Lynne Moran, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, and were able to look at a range of options from employment and education providers such as Wolves at Work, YOO Recruit, City of Wolverhampton Council Community Services, Aspiring Futures, Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council and Workers’ Educational Association (WEA).
The Language@Work programme is one of several Learning Communities programmes helping residents access wider city education and skills services by breaking down barriers such as language, health, low or no previous education, and criminal convictions.
Wolverhampton Learning Platform, is working closely with the council to coordinate and deliver on this strategy.
Other programmes currently available across the city are Mind@Work, First Steps into Construction, and Get into Cleaning.
Cllr Moran said: “These programmes are designed to enable residents who need support to engage, integrate and contribute to society.
“The event yesterday was an opportunity for learners to access services and support they may not have known about.
“This city-wide initiative in partnership with Wolverhampton Learning Platform is geared around providing a coordinated response to learning on your door step, at a grass roots community level for those who may not have accessed learning and support previously or for a long time.”
The Language@Work programme has seen participants benefit from customised support, introductions to a range of services from across the city, IT, work-related courses and Information Advice and Guidance, with around 25 per cent going on to secure employment and 75 per cent progressing onto positive pathways.
Adam Bhardwaj of Wolverhampton Learning Platform added: “Learning Communities is an excellent initiative which provides learning, training and employment opportunities for the local residents of Wolverhampton within their local communities.”
