It's your future...

Discover skills, training and career support in the West of England to help you get to where you want to be.

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  • Apprenticeships
  • Career Guidance
  • Disability & Other Support Needs
  • Getting into Work
  • Mental Health & Wellbeing
  • Training & Upskilling
  • Volunteering
  • Workforce Development & Support

Can’t find what you’re looking for or unsure of where to start? Contact one of our expert advisors

About us

Find your next step

Skills Connect empowers people of all ages and career stages to find skills, training, and career support in the region.

We’ve showcased what’s available in a simple and accessible way, so you can find success – whatever that means for you.

If you need extra help, contact one of our dedicated advisors who can assist you to navigate the support options and find something suitable for you.

Contact an advisor

A shot taken from above of a large group of people including Dan Norris at this year's Jobs and Skills Summit. There is a white flag with the West of England Combined Authority logo on to the left

Our campaigns

Redundancy support

Being at risk of, or being made redundant, can be an extremely stressful and worrying time, however it can also present exciting new opportunities.  We can help you navigate support and identify new opportunities. 

Find out more

Two men talking at work

Our campaigns

Skills Bootcamps

Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with an employer.

If you’re aged 19 and over and looking to change sectors or progress in your current industry, a Skills Bootcamp could be your next step to a better job with more job security and higher wages over time.

Find a relevant Skills Bootcamp

People sat at a table laughing

Our campaigns

Apprenticeships: Share to support

Are you a large employer with unspent apprenticeship levy?

You can stop the money being lost from the region by pledging your unspent levy to a local small business, helping to create jobs and support progression in work.

Learn more about share to support

Three people working on a project
Image credit: IDPS, University of Bath

Our campaigns

Future Bright: Free career coaching

Are you feeling stuck in your job? Feel like you need some support to help you get to the next step? Future Bright could offer you a personal career coach to help you develop and achieve your goals.

Whether you want to progress and increase your salary, boost your confidence, change career or even just improve your mindset, having someone in your corner to offer support and guidance can make a huge difference.

Future Bright is completely free, impartial and tailored towards you.

Join Future Bright

Future Bright logo
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Image credit: Weston College

Apprenticeships

Earn and learn on the job

Apprenticeships are becoming increasingly popular – and for good reason. They offer many pathways to work, earn and train with options available for people of all ages, backgrounds and career stages.

An apprenticeship could be your opportunity to explore a career and gain a qualification in an area you didn't know was possible.

Find out more

Events

What’s on

Find a range of skills, training and career support events happening near you or virtually.

Whether it's information sessions, jobs fairs or networking, discover what's available and sign up today.

View all events

Startup Preschool Bristol

The Startup Preschool is a 3-day intensive course in entrepreneurship

Are you in Bristol and considering starting a business? Or are you looking to enhance your business skills or simply turn a hobby into something more lucrative? Then join our 3-day FREE Business Startup workshop.

Participants will have the opportunity to speak to business founders present and gain insights into starting a business in the UK.

This is a physical event with limited slots

Category: Career Guidance, Getting into Work, Training & Upskilling

Organizer: ACH

Address: Origin Workspace 40 Berkeley Square, Bristol, England, BS8 1HP

Bristol Date:19 Apr 2024

Bristol Job Show- Cabot Circus

Fast-track your job search at the region’s biggest career event. Meet top employers face to face and apply directly for thousands of vacancies across Greater Bristol.

Category: Apprenticeships, Getting into Work

Organizer: Bristol Jobs Fair

Address: Cabot Circus, Bond Street South, Broadmead BS1 3BD

Bristol Date:20 Apr 2024

Tuesday 23rd April – NEW British Heart Foundation Furniture store Open Day – see behind the scenes and find out about volunteering with us

We can run through all the different roles you can try as a volunteer – from customer service and shop floor work, administration and clerical work, to helping in our warehouse behind the scenes, to helping us sell items on Ebay.
Come and meet the team, have a cuppa and sign up to help us when you can for a few hours each week – your time will help us save lives from heart and circulatory disease. We provide full training, no experience needed – just a friendly outlook.

We look forward to meeting you! Luke, Jack, Billy and the BHF team

Category: Volunteering

Organizer: British Heart Foundation

Address: Unit 1B Brislington Retail Park, Bath Road, Bristol, BS4 5NG

Bristol Date:23 Apr 2024 Time:11:00 am
A group of people flank Metro Mayor Dan Norris, all smiling at the camera at a Skills Event. Dan holds a drone.

Career Insights

Job market insights

Unsure about which career to choose? It can be tricky to know where to begin.

Find the perfect job match – uncover ideas and career pathways informed by the latest labour market information.

Find out more

  • building 46,000+ Businesses
  • image 630,000+ Employee jobs
  • £30,000 Average wage per annum
Mayoral Priorities

Metro Mayor's focus

Welcome to Skills Connect.

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has significant jobs and training support for local people, with a value of £60 million.

We’re helping over 10,000 people of all ages in our region every year and Skills Connect aims to help an extra 3,000 to upskill, progress in work and find new opportunities.

I am proud to offer this single regional jobs, careers, and training support service so everyone can easily explore and access support.

Get curious, discover your options, and find some help to change the future of your career for the better.

Learn more about the Mayor's priorities

Metro Mayor Dan Norris is stood next to a young man at a welding course holding a hammer and the man is wearing a visor on his head. Dan is wearing an orange glove and they are both wearing boiler suits.

Partnerships

Local authority partners

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