Published 23 January 2013
New ESF investment in Cornwall
More than £9 million of ESF Convergence has been approved for two programmes offering flexible training to thousands of people in Cornwall. Skills Support for the Unemployed and Skills Support for Redundancy are receiving £9.1 million of ESF co-financed by the Skills Funding Agency. The aims are to reduce the number of people out of work or being made redundant and to help businesses in Cornwall to develop and expand their workforce.
Skills Support for Redundancy is aimed at supporting 5,000 people. Two areas are covered. Firstly, 2,000 people who may be at risk of redundancy, under formal notice of redundancy, newly unemployed or in a vulnerable business are to be offered the opportunity of gaining new or better skills so they can get or retain employment. Funding is also available to develop wider business skills where local businesses can be helped to grow through employee training.
Skills Support for the Unemployed is aimed at people aged 19+ who are on benefits – with particular focus on those aged 19-24. Again training is offered and apprenticeships are also a focus of this project enabling small businesses in Cornwall to access a grant of up to £1,500 to support an Apprentice. The project will enable more than 2000 people to gain new skills and qualifications relevant to the current labour market and, as a result, at least 700 of these individuals will gain sustainable employment.
Mark Yeoman, Head of ESF Convergence Communication, said:
“These important ESF Convergence programmes will help build the skills of people out of work and those under threat of redundancy. They will work alongside and complement mainstream provision supported by Jobcentre Plus and the Skills Funding Agency. This new provision will both boost the employment opportunities of the people on the programmes and help build a stronger workforce that will help drive the economic success of our businesses.”