A NEW training course to help adults get the skills they need for roles in several industries has been launched in West Yorkshire.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership yesterday announced the launch of the free Skills Connect training courses.

It will help adults gain skills for job roles in the digital, construction, health and social care, and environmental sectors. All courses are free and fully funded by the Combined Authority and have been designed by local employers to align with local skills needs and job vacancies. Anyone over the age of 19 and living in West Yorkshire can sign up for a course. There will be opportunities to learn directly from industry and business professionals with guaranteed post-training interviews available in some courses, linking you directly to current vacancies. The first courses available will boost digital skills to help you take up roles in Cyber Security, Digital Marketing, Data Analytics and many more. From the new year, there will be many other courses available in health and social care, construction, and green jobs. Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said: “A Skills Connect free training course is just what you need to gain new skills suitable for many industries and feel confident and prepared to apply for exciting new job roles, progress in your career or start your career journey after leaving education. "We aim to support and fund over 4000 adults across West Yorkshire to complete a training course and gain the right skills to succeed in local job vacancies, which in turn will help rebuild our local economy.” Roger Marsh OBE DL, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership and the NP11, said: “The impact of the pandemic on our region’s businesses and people has been devastating. The LEP will continue to offer support to individuals and businesses with skills and training as a key part of our economic recovery plan to ensure everyone can benefit from a productive economy that works for all.” Economic forecasting undertaken by the Combined Authority found that the qualification gap with England has narrowed, but West Yorkshire still has a lower share of people with Level 4 or above qualifications (38 per cent versus 43 per cent) and a higher share of people that have no or low qualifications (22 per cent versus 19 per cent).

Prioritising skills and training will be central to the region’s economic recovery from the pandemic by ensuring everyone has the chance to reskill and retrain into new, good job opportunities.

For information on Skills Connect and to register, visit: www.futuregoals.co.uk/skillsconnect