Project Information

THE TRAINING BROKERS have been awarded two European Social Fund (ESF) contracts by the Skills Funding Agency to deliver skills support to the unemployed and workers under the threat of redundancy.

The funding timescales for these projects are from April 2011 to July 2012 and will be able to support over 800 people with training and support to better their chances of obtaining employment.

The funding covers the whole of Greater Manchester  however a focus on the Trafford, Manchester Central, and Tameside areas will be a priority.

THE TRAINING BROKERS will offer a range of individually tailored vocationally specific Passports to Work. These passports will offer accredited vocational learning which will enable progression to the achievement of full qualifications. Passports also provide work skills, such as Job search, Applying for a Job, Interview Skills and Conduct at Work

The Passports will be of various lengths dependent on each individuals need, however it expected that most will be between 40-70 hours long.

THE TRAINING BROKERS will offer support to individuals completing the Passport programme by promoting them to potential employers in their chosen sector either directly, or through Agencies or other Training Providers.

   Eligibility for the Projects

For the Skills Support for the Redundancy Contract individuals who are:

•         18 years of age and over

•          Living in the Greater Manchester area

•         Under consultation of redundancy, notice of redundancy, or expected to   become redundant due to company downsizing or closure OR newly unemployed individuals who have recently started claiming Claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

For the Skills Support for the Unemployed individuals who are: 

•         18 years of age and over

•           Claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) 

•         Living in the Greater Manchester area

•           Priority will be given  to  individuals  who  have  not  yet  been  referred  to  the  Work Programme

•         Grants  to  SME’s of up to £2500 for  taking on an unemployed 18-24 year old and signing them up to an apprenticeship scheme are available also  under this bid.

The Passports are designed to be flexible to meet individual and employer requirements by combining vocational skills with generic work and employment skills.

The minimum length of any passport will be 10 hours, maximum will be 80 hours.

Changes to these passports may occur or new passports be developed dependent on demand from individuals and employers. The key to the training offered is suitability and flexibility!

Accredited Vocational Learning

The vocational skills element of the Passports wherever possible are to be accredited, so that the individual can build  the upon them to progress to full or higher qualifications.

•         Care services                          •      Hospitality & Catering

•         Office and IT skills                   •      Warehousing

•           Customer care                        •      Management 

•         Teacher training                      •      Retail

Work Skills Modules

The Work Skills modules offered are those essential to gain employment:

•         Searching a job

•         Applying for a job

•         Preparing for an interview

•         Conduct at work