A NEW Boston College Government-funded project is proving a hit with local businesses and unemployed people looking to improve their employability skills.
The UKSPF scheme covers the South Holland, East Lindsey and Boston Borough areas and has two branches – Restart, Reskill, Upskill for the unemployed, and the Career Advance Project for current employees of businesses.
A wide range of free training courses are available under both sections, incorporating everything from forklift driver training to catering. One of the first students to have completed a full 50 guided learning hours across a range of courses was Annie Shields, 19, of Spalding. She said, “Being a student on Boston College’s UKSPF project has provided brilliant learning opportunities for me. The range of courses has given me many new ideas and widened the scope of what I want to do for a career – and I have felt really well supported along the way.”
Annie, a former pupil of Spalding Academy, was supported by her employer to do a selection of the free courses being offered by Boston College.
She undertook a range of one-day, 7-hour courses covering everything from Barista skills to customer service and time management.
Annie said, “I have made new friends along the way who have been, along with the tutors, very supportive of my learning journey – it has been so much fun! I am very proud of what I have achieved and how I can now expand my CV.”UKSPF is a government initiative that allocates funds to local authorities for various purposes, including community development, business growth, and skills development.
To find out more about the courses and opportunities offered through Boston College’s UKSPF project please email: UKSPF@boston.ac.uk
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s local growth agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business and people and skills. For more information, visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus.
