New college facility will support adults into employment

City Skills and Careers, which was officially launched last Friday at the college’s City Campus, will transform the lives of adults in the local community, through improving access to education and training.

The new facility will provide a one-stop-shop for adults who are looking to gain skills and qualifications for employment or to advance their career. Adults (aged 19 plus) can drop-in during opening hours to access free advice and support from a dedicated team of expert staff, and signposted to appropriate courses to get them into work or for career development.

Alan Patterson, Employability and Community Lecturer at Sunderland College, said:

“This is a fantastic resource for jobseekers and a positive venture for adult learners that will help them to progress into training and employment. It will also help to reduce the barriers many of our learners face when coming to college or into education for the first time.”

Job seekers and those looking to change careers, or develop an existing one, can access support with CV writing, job searches, interview techniques, skills for employment, English and maths qualifications, pre-employment courses – in a wide range of sectors such as retail, manufacturing, construction, business administration, health and social care and education – or directed to an appropriate college course including professional qualifications such as AAT and CIPD.

A breakfast networking event took place at the official launch last week with the college’s partners including Jobcentre Plus and other local careers and education providers. Sarah Ward, Careers Advisor at Education Development Trust, a UK-registered charity, said:

“Sunderland College’s new City Skills and Careers covers a wide range of subjects and courses that meet the needs and requirements of our customer base.”

The college offers a responsive and innovative curriculum for adult learners in collaboration with external partners and local employers, which is designed to reflect economic demands. Pre-employment courses with a guaranteed employer interview on completion, have recently been developed with The Food Warehouse to recruit staff for a new Iceland store and for Station Taxis to recruit new drivers. 72% of Sunderland College adult learners progress into sustainable employment after completing a bespoke pre-employment course.

City Skills and Careers will be open at Sunderland College’s City Campus, on Park Lane, 9.30am until 4.00pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

For more information about Sunderland College, visit the next open event, ring 0191 511 6000 or go to www.sunderlandcollege.ac.uk 

• 3,510 qualifications completed: Retention (98%) and Achievement (95.4%) are excellent. Learners progress well against their targets and positive progression into employment is good.