Free training courses for Devon residents looking to transform their careers

People across Devon who are seeking work or looking to kick start a new career are being invited to take advantage of the Skills Bootcamps programme to receive free training.

Thousands of people have already taken part in the Train4Tomorrow initiative, which is funded by the Government’s Skills For Life programme and delivered by Devon County Council.

It offers free, flexible Skills Bootcamps designed with employers to fill real jobs in the local economy and operates in the sectors where the region needs new talent most.

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For employers looking to help their staff learn new skills, there is also up to 90% funding available.

The ‘bootcamps’ offer a huge range of training opportunities from technical and digital roles or construction and trades skills to early years and education, green and net-zero skills, HGV training and engineering and manufacturing.

Learners gain skills in as little as two to 16 weeks, with a guaranteed interview at the end and training arranged to fit around work, childcare or other commitments.

Devon County Council is urging people to act quickly, as many Skills Bootcamps starting in January still have places available in the sixth wave of the scheme - but some popular courses are already full.

Torrington-based county councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, cabinet member for rural affairs and broadband, said: “Right now, many people across the UK are anxious about work, rising costs and the uncertainty in the job market.

“Train4Tomorrow is one of the most effective responses we have - free training, guaranteed interviews and employers ready to hire.

“What we’re seeing is transformational; nearly 5,000 people have already used these Skills Bootcamps to rebuild their confidence, secure new careers, and provide stability for their futures.”

The latest wave of Skills Bootcamps is aiming to support more than 2,000 adults, helping residents step into secure jobs, while also giving employers access to job-ready candidates and upskilling routes for their workforce.

One example of the programme working is South Devon-based Clare Hargreaves, who said she was working hard and juggling jobs, but feeling as if she’d stopped moving forward.

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A Train4Tomorrow Skills Bootcamp gave her the chance to change that and today Clare works at the Apricot Centre in South Devon, applying her newfound skills every day in the farm’s floristry and regenerative agriculture teams.

She said: “I went into the Skills Bootcamp with an open mind. I didn’t quite know where it was going to lead.

“Now I’m growing flowers as part of the floristry team at the Apricot Centre and it’s really exciting. I’m applying the skills I learned every day.

“I’m incredibly grateful because it was free. I mean, who wouldn’t want to do it?”

To find out more about the scheme and what courses are available, please visit https://www.train4tomorrow.org.uk/bootcamps