£1.3 million bootcamps launched to boost tech and digital skills

3 December 2020

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (the LEP) today announces the launch of free skills bootcamps to support adults to retrain and upskill in the digital and technical sectors and support the economic recovery.  

The bootcamps, part of the LEP’s FutureGoals initiative, are targeting disadvantaged and underrepresented groups including individuals from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, women and those unemployed due to COVID-19.  

The programme will work with 600 individuals over a 12-week period from January 2021 to March 2021. It will offer a wrap-around support service, linking to existing programmes including the Employment Hub and the National Careers Service to offer additional support and signposting to job vacancies.  

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leader of Bradford Council, said:  

“Investing in skills development and training programmes that address our changing economy needs both now and, in the future, will benefit our region’s people, businesses and communities.  

As we look to recover from the pandemic, we want everyone to be able to get on with life and rebuild a more inclusive and sustainable economy.”  

Roger Marsh OBE DL, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership and the NP11, said:  

“The impact of the pandemic on our region’s businesses and people has been devastating. The LEP will continue to offer support to individuals and businesses with skills and training as a key part of our economic recovery plan to ensure everyone can benefit from a productive economy that works for everyone.” 

The programme builds on the success of the Employment Hub and [re]boot, which offers free, specialised employment support and has engaged with over 3,000 participants including over a 1,000 from a BAME background with throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Combined Authority has been awarded £1.3m by the Department for Education to deliver the bootcamps. The opportunity to bid for the funding was available is a result of the historic devolution deal which will see funding and powers unlocked for the region as West Yorkshire becomes a mayoral combined authority and elects a mayor in 2021.  

Economic forecasting undertaken by the Combined Authority found that in a worst-case scenario, West Yorkshire could see up to 58,000 jobs lost in the next year leading to an unemployment rate of 14% and £12 billion wiped off the value of the regional economy.  

Supporting skills development will be central to the region’s economic recovery from the pandemic by ensuring everyone can access the right skills and training for the future needs of the economy and jobs of the future.  

For information on the skills bootcamps and to register, please visit: futuregoals.co.uk