Skills Bootcamps

Skills Bootcamps: Expanding Opportunities Through Provider-Led Training

Skills Bootcamps are a key part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, designed to give adults access to high-quality, flexible training that meets the needs of both learners and employers. These free, short courses, lasting up to 16 weeks, are developed in partnership with training providers, employers, and local authorities to address regional and national skills priorities.

For training providers, delivering Skills Bootcamps offers an opportunity to strengthen employer engagement, expand curriculum delivery, and help individuals progress into sustainable employment or higher-level training.

How Skills Bootcamps Work

Skills Bootcamps are co-designed with employers to ensure that course content aligns directly with the skills in demand across priority sectors. Each programme provides adults with targeted, job-ready skills, creating a clear pathway into work or career advancement.

Providers play a central role in:

• Designing and delivering high-quality, employer-focused training
• Building relationships with local employers to ensure job outcomes
• Supporting participants to transition into work, further training, or apprenticeships

Training is flexible, accessible, and tailored to regional needs, helping providers extend their reach to a wider learner demographic, including adults seeking to retrain or upskill.

Benefits for Training Providers

By delivering or partnering on Skills Bootcamps, your organisation can:

• Enhance employer partnerships, work collaboratively with businesses to design responsive, outcome-driven training that meets their workforce needs.
• Contribute to the local skills strategy, support your region’s economic growth and workforce resilience as part of the Government’s skills agenda.
• Access funding opportunities, programmes are supported by the Department for Education (DfE), offering funding for eligible learners and delivery support for providers.
• Increase progression outcomes, strengthen links between short courses, apprenticeships, and higher-level qualifications.
• Engage a wider range of learners, reach adults aged 19+ who may not otherwise access further education or traditional qualifications.

Providers are encouraged to build partnerships with employers, Jobcentres, and local authorities to maximise the impact of Skills Bootcamps and secure positive outcomes for learners.

Course Structure and Delivery

• Duration: Up to 16 weeks, allowing for fast-track skills development.
• Format: Can be delivered full-time, part-time, or blended to suit learners’ needs.
• Eligibility: Adults aged 19+ who are either seeking work, looking to progress, or employed and supported by their employer.
• Focus Areas: Courses are aligned with local labour market priorities, such as digital skills, green technologies, logistics, construction, leadership, and health & care.

Regional Delivery: Surrey and Hampshire

Hampshire County Council and Surrey County Council have received significant DfE funding to expand Skills Bootcamp delivery across the region. This funding supports learners, providers, and employers to work collaboratively on developing high-quality, localised training provision.

Providers in Surrey and Hampshire can engage by:

• Partnering with councils to deliver Bootcamps in priority sectors
• Connecting with local employers to co-develop content and offer guaranteed job interviews
• Embedding Bootcamp delivery within their wider adult learning or apprenticeship strategy

Get involved

Training providers interested in developing or delivering Skills Bootcamps can explore opportunities through local partnerships:

• Surrey County Council Skills Bootcamps: Information on current provision and partnership opportunities.
• Hampshire County Council Skills Bootcamps: Details on regional delivery and employer engagement.
• Basingstoke College of Technology BCoT: Current Skills Bootcamp programmes and delivery partnerships.
• Activate Learning Skills Bootcamps: Sector-specific Bootcamp delivery and collaboration opportunities.

Strengthen Your Provider Offer

By taking part in Skills Bootcamps, training providers can:

• Expand their adult learning and technical training portfolio
• Build long-term partnerships with employers and local authorities
• Support economic growth and social mobility by helping adults gain meaningful skills and employment

Join the Skills Bootcamps network and help shape the workforce of tomorrow.