The bootcamps will take the form of flexible courses focused on eleven ‘priority sectors’ identified in the mayor’s London Growth Plan, reports Noah Vickers, Local Democracy Reporter

Sir Sadiq Khan has welcomed £27m in government funding for ‘skills bootcamps’ to help “fast-track Londoners into good jobs” while growing the capital’s economy.

The bootcamps will take the form of flexible courses focused on eleven ‘priority sectors’ identified in the mayor’s recently-launched London Growth Plan, including the green, digital and creative industries, along with areas like healthcare, construction and hospitality.

Londoners aged 19+ are eligible to access the training, which lasts anywhere between two weeks and three months. Employers involved range from big names like Tesco and Transport for London to smaller businesses and public sector bodies like Hackney Council.

According to City Hall, Londoners who complete the programme are guaranteed a job interview, with guidance on professional working environments to help fully prepare them for new roles. Course structures vary to suit learners already in work, as well as unemployed Londoners and those returning to work after a break.

Bootcamp graduates can progress in a range of occupations, including carpentry, arboriculture, early years, pharmacy, logistics, cyber security and adapting homes to make them greener.

The scheme has been running for some years now, but this latest wave will see a 25% annual uplift in funding, and a 42% increase since the Department for Education first allocated the programme’s funding to City Hall in 2022. Khan’s office said that the cash increase will enable the mayor to support more than 7,700 new learners.

“My skills bootcamps will play an important role in helping fast-track Londoners into good jobs in sectors that are key to London’s long-term economic success,” said Khan.

“This additional funding will help even more Londoners to access free accessible training and gain the skills they need to succeed. This is even more important given the high cost of living.

“Our goal is to drive economic growth in every corner of our city, raise living standards and ensure more Londoners can access good high-paid jobs, as we work to deliver the London Growth Plan and continue building a fairer and more prosperous London for all.”

For the first time this year, most of the courses can include Level 2 qualifications – equivalent to a grade 4/C at GCSE – as well as the previously provided Levels 3-5, equivalent to A-Levels up to higher national diplomas.

Skills providers and employers can apply to get involved from now until 27th May. City Hall covers 90% of training costs for small and mid-size enterprises to upskill their staff, and 70% for larger employers.

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