‘It’s never too late to learn’: free event inspires future adult learners.

The event, organised by North East Lincolnshire Council, offered information on training and employability. It was made possible thanks to the support from local training providers including Quest, Families First, the Adult’s Careers Service, TEC Partnership, Franklin College, Creating Positive Opportunities (CPO) and Care Plus Group.

Following the event, Lee Parr, Training Manager at the Quest Training and Wellbeing Hub, said: “It was a pleasure to be part of the Freshney Places skills event. The engagement we received from residents was refreshing, and I was humbled by those who took the time to share a little about themselves. I felt a real sense of community spirit.

“At Quest, we are committed to working with the community of North East Lincolnshire, to promote and provide opportunity for continuous learning and development.”

The day was one of many examples of partnership working between the local adult learning providers and North East Lincolnshire Council, promoted as a collaboration under the brand ‘Learning Lincs’.

Lee went on to recognise the opportunities of Learning Lincs, saying: “Being part of the Learning Lincs group has presented exciting collaborative working initiatives, including the event at Freshney Place. I truly look forward to further activities in support of community growth, through skills and training initiatives.”

The key message was it’s never too late to learn something new, change careers or to get into work and there is something available for everyone. By making residents aware of what’s on offer, the aim is to improve career prospects and life chances for local people. There are growing career opportunities in North East Lincolnshire including:

• Energy through maximising offshore wind, decarbonisation, and hydrogen opportunities, to create over 32,000 jobs by 2040 across the Humber.

• The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board’s labouring forecasting tool indicates an extra 40,000 workers will be needed in the engineering and construction sector, with 12,000 of these roles in the Humber region.

North East Lincolnshire Council’s Skills and Employment Lead, Amy Gresham, spoke about the importance of local events in making adults aware of these opportunities, saying:

‘’There’s lots going on to support adult learning and training, no matter what their age or experience. It’s never too late to get back into education, start a new career pathway, or do it just for fun. It’s important we continue working as a team with all the providers in North East Lincolnshire through events like this to make people aware of the options available.”

For another chance to meet with local providers, keep an eye out for upcoming events:

• A ‘National Careers Week’ special of the weekly drop-in sessions - Wednesday 5 March, 10am to 3pm, Grimsby Job Centre;

• Parents’ Careers Evening - Wednesday 19 March, 4pm to 7pm, Humber Royal Hotel;

• Women in Manufacturing and Engineering (WiME) event - Thursday 27 March, 4:30pm to 6pm, Humber Royal Hotel.

For booking information, visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/adult-education-and-learning/.