Training support offered to redundant financial services staff

A number of different colleges are offering support schemes, which are funded by regional development agencies and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), in a bid to help individuals return to the labour market as soon as possible.

The packages on offer cover a range of vocational training and skills development, including courses on IT, management training, retail and security, as well as general advice such as CV and presentation skills.

All training is designed to be bespoke to the needs of individual companies or individual staff and is taking place either at the workplace or at one of the participating NSAFS training providers.

Sylvia Perrins, chief executive officer of the NSAFS, said: "The financial services sector is just one area that has seen many thousands of people lose their jobs and it is great to see the colleges responding to these needs and other sectors which are important to their local economy.

"Should people be faced with redundancy, we will look at the best training options open to them and will be able to provide access to training including professionally-accredited courses and apprenticeship programmes with employers from across the financial services sector.

"Whilst no-one who needs help will be turned away, we obviously hope that they won’t lose their jobs in the first place."

In particular, financial services workers affected by redundancy Yorkshire and Humber will be offered foundation degrees, as well as vocational courses and apprenticeships.

In the East, the City College Norwich is hosting drop-in sessions aimed at giving individuals who are unemployed or facing redundancy access to free advice and practical support, including help with CV writing and mock job interviews, as well as offering information about training opportunities.

In the South West, the Bournemouth and Poole College is also holding weekly drop-in sessions giving confidential consultations and the opportunity to join a free one-day work skills seminar looking at practical skills including CV writing and presentation skills.

The college is also working with individual companies who have announced possible redundancies.