Skills Bootcamps

Everything you need to know (and more!)

What are Skills Bootcamps?

Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible online courses of up to 14 weeks for learners living in England, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track career progression.

These have been developed as part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee and Plan for Jobs, helping everyone gain skills for life and providing the perfect first step into a new career. The £3bn Government initiative is designed to close the skills gap in the UK that has been intensified by the disruption that coronavirus caused to job sectors and businesses.

Skills Bootcamps are a great way to progress in a current position with the support of your employer, change careers, or secure employment.

Who are Skills Bootcamps for?

Skills Bootcamps are for:

Adults aged 19 or over as of the 31st August 2024
Learners who are in work and have their employer's support or who are self-employed and looking to grow their business
Learners who are recently unemployed or returning to work after a break and are looking to get started with an entry-level job in a new sector
Learners who are looking to build upon a Skills Bootcamp by completing an apprenticeship in their chosen topic
Applicants who have lived in England for at least the last 3 consecutive years, and have the right to work in the United Kingdom (there are exceptions for Ukraine or Afghanistan nationals)
Learners who are not currently undertaking any formal education, including another Skills Bootcamp
Learners who have reliable internet connection, a laptop or computer with a camera and microphone and access to Microsoft Office
Learners who are employed and want to change careers or switch careers

Please note, although our Skills Bootcamps are completed entirely online, due to the way Skills Bootcamps are funded, you can only complete a course that is available in the area that you currently reside in.

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Applying to one of our Skills Bootcamps does not guarantee you a place on our course, as you must meet the eligibility criteria and speak to one of our advisors to ensure you are aware of the course commitments.

Spaces are also likely to fill up before the deadline, so we would advise you to apply sooner rather than later to give yourself the best chance of acceptance onto the course.

You can pre-enrol for one of our Skills Bootcamps alongside your ideal time to attend your up to 7 hours of live learning sessions, that you will need to commit to every week for the duration of your course. Read our Frequently Asked Questions for more details or give us a call on 01757 600 697.

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Spaces are also likely to fill up before the deadline, so we would advise you to apply sooner rather than later to give yourself the best chance of acceptance onto the course.

Find a course

These online courses help individuals develop the vital skills they need to gain employment and support employers to source ideal candidates to fill the skills gaps in their business. Learners looking to sign up to a Skills Bootcamp course in order to secure a promotion or take on additional duties will need to be sponsored and co-funded by their employer.

We have a range of courses available across a number of sectors to help boost skills and sustainable employment in England. Our courses are designed with employers around the skills they need and are all taught online with expert tuition and outstanding e-learning content.

As a trusted provider of Skills Bootcamps, we understand flexibility is key when it comes to learning around your busy lifestyles, so we will be offering you the chance to recommend when you would like to start. Please note that we work on a first come, first served basis so, although we will try our best to honour your preferred start date, this may not always be possible.

Benefits to Learners

There are several benefits to individual learners and employees for participating in a Skills Bootcamp

Guaranteed job interview (for those unemployed or looking to change careers)
Perfect for individuals looking to change their career through upskilling
Delivered via distance learning, allowing learners to choose when and where to study
Perfect for individuals who are looking to study a new topic before completing an apprenticeship in their chosen topic
Engaging and interactive activities that stretch learners’ thinking and help put their new, extended knowledge into practice
Expert curriculum tutors are assigned to provide the support learners need to succeed
Develop learners’ knowledge, skills and confidence to enhance their future work and life
Personalised learning support from our excellent team of Learner Support Advisors
Support with future progression through our Careers and Progression Team

To find out more, complete our pre-enrol form or your chosen course and one of our expert team will be in touch with to discuss your options.

Skills Bootcamps available

You’ve heard all about what Skills Bootcamps are and even the benefits, so now it’s time to tell you about the courses we have available – we’re sure there’s one to suit you!

We will be offering a range of different courses which include Care, Cyber Security, Data Analysis, Digital Marketing, Infrastructure, Project Management, Software Development and Technical Service Desk.

Check out our courses in more detail below, if you spot one that you’d like to know more about, you can pre-enrol and we’ll be in touch with you.

For more information read our Frequently Asked Questions.

Find out which Skills Bootcamps are available:

This Artificial Intelligence for Business Skills Bootcamp will explore the strategic application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for business performance, growth and development. Spread across a number of units over 14 weeks, this Skills Bootcamp is ideal for businesses wishing to enhance their current operations with the power of AI. Learners will consider the ethics, opportunities and challenges associated with machine learning techniques for data analysis and interpretation. Create your own change management plan to prepare a business for AI system implementation and effectively evaluate the return on AI investment.
This Skills Bootcamp was designed to help people with no prior tech knowledge enter the workforce as skilled Network and Cyber specialists. Gain knowledge of Network Architecture, Cyber Security best practice, IT essentials and Cyber Threats, and develop a broad understanding of the fundamental building blocks needed to work with Networks and Cyber Security. *CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN WILTSHIRE ONLY*

Only available in the following areas:
- England Non-devolved
This Skills Bootcamp will provide students with in-depth skills and knowledge in a range of areas that would be relevant for a Data Analyst role. This course is broken down in to a number of different modules, covering subjects such as database concepts, data types, organisational tools for database analysis, ethical data use, data modelling, and more.
The Digital Marketer Skills Bootcamp provides a more in-depth overview of a range of subjects related to Digital Marketing. Made up of a series of modules, it covers a number of key areas such as Social Media Marketing, SEO, Email Marketing, Digital Advertising Practices, CRM (Customer Relationship Marketing,) Inbound Marketing, and more. *CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE ONLY*

Only available in the following areas:
- Sheffield City Region Combined Authority
This Early Years Educator Skills Bootcamp will equip individuals with the essential knowledge required for a fulfilling career in the early years sector. Upon successfully completing all mandatory units of the programme, individuals will be ideally positioned to embark on an accelerated Early Years Educator Apprenticeship with our dedicated partner Hawk Training. Early Years apprentices will access a guaranteed interview and supported employment opportunities with well-established early-year employers including Hungry Caterpillars Day Nurseries, The Co-operative Childcare and Kindred Nurseries.
Our Infrastructure Technician Skills Bootcamp will provide students with a great level of skills, knowledge and experience, helping them to fully understand the ins and outs of IT Infrastructure. This course covers IT essentials, networking and architecture, mobile and operating systems, cloud services, problem solving, coding and logic and more.
Our Leadership and Management Bootcamp helps you progress in a wide range of areas including retail, customer service, travel and tourism or hospitality. The course covers a range of topics including, recruitment, risk management, leading a team, supervising customer service and performance. You will also acquire valuable skills in communication, problem-solving and team coordination. *AVAILABLE IN LANCASHIRE ONLY*

Only available in the following areas:
- England Non-devolved
This Project Management Digital Transformation Skills Bootcamp will explore popular software applications used to manage stakeholder lists, communication and information sharing such as Jira, Microsoft Teams, G-Suite and ServiceNow. This course is broken down into a number of modules and will cover traditional project management topics such as budgeting, cost control, quality control and risk management with a focus on their respective digital solutions.
Our Software Development Skills Bootcamp is the perfect course to teach you the essentials required to step into the sought after sector of software development. This course will cover the fundamentals of writing programmes, rapid application development (RAD,) software architecture, software configuration management tools, interface design and more. *CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE ONLY*

Only available in the following areas:
- Sheffield City Region Combined Authority
Our Technical Service Desk Skills Bootcamp covers a range of subjects relevant for someone working in an IT Technician role. It will provide students with key skills, knowledge and experience needed for the role such as diagnosing digital problems, technical problem solving, communication, IT infrastructure, databases, CRM, operating systems, the cloud, and more.

Please note that, due to the way Skills Bootcamps are funded, you can only complete a course that is available in the area that you currently reside in.

Courses marked with a * are only available in certain regions.