{"id":67950,"date":"2025-12-03T10:22:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T10:22:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/?p=67950"},"modified":"2026-01-26T17:30:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T17:30:13","slug":"thousands-of-devon-adults-are-transforming-their-career-prospects-free-skills-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/thousands-of-devon-adults-are-transforming-their-career-prospects-free-skills-training\/","title":{"rendered":"Thousands of Devon adults are transforming their career prospects with free skills training"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With unemployment levels in the UK at their highest since the Covid pandemic, according to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the opportunity to receive free skills training and kickstart a new career has never been more important.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people are looking for more secure work, while employers across the region are facing acute skills shortages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Train4Tomorrow<\/a>, funded by the Government\u2019s Skills For Life programme and delivered by us, meets both needs. It offers *<\/strong>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People are being urged to act quickly, as many Skills Bootcamps starting in January 2026 still have places available \u2014 although some popular courses are already full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learners gain skills in as little as 2\u201316 weeks, with a guaranteed interview at the end and training arranged to fit around work, childcare or other commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clare Hargreaves reached a point many people recognise: working hard, juggling jobs, but feeling like she\u2019d stopped moving forward. A Train4Tomorrow Skills Bootcamp<\/a> gave her the chance to change that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Clare works at the Apricot Centre<\/a> in South Devon, applying her newfound skills every day in the farm\u2019s floristry and regenerative agriculture teams. Her story is one of nearly 5,000 personal transformations across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, as Train4Tomorrow marks its sixth wave of delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These thousands of adults have benefited from free, flexible training, and many have moved straight into employment as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking about her journey, Clare said: \u201cI went into the Skills Bootcamp with an open mind. I didn\u2019t quite know where it was going to lead. Now I\u2019m growing flowers as part of the floristry team at the Apricot Centre and it\u2019s really exciting. I\u2019m applying the skills I learned every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m incredibly grateful because it was free. I mean, who wouldn\u2019t want to do it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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