ACORN TRAINING JOINS THE EFFORT TO SUPPORT THE COUNTRY BACK INTO EMPLOYMENT WITH THE DWP RESTART SCHEME

• The Restart Scheme will provide employability support to over 1 million unemployed people in England and Wales
• Employment start-up company, Jobs 22, today announces its plans for the East Central Region with 800 Employment Coaches operating across 60 locations to help 111,000 participants
• Acorn Training aims to support over 10,000 customers in East Central England as Jobs 22’s largest delivery partner

(Wednesday 4^th August, 2021) Today, employment start-up, Jobs 22, announce plans for the roll-out of the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Restart Scheme in the East Central Region. The Restart Scheme has been created to provide intensive and tailored employability support to over 1 million unemployed people in England and Wales; helping them to find and secure sustainable work.  Jobs 22 has been awarded the East Central England region, to provide support for job seekers in the East Midlands, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire, Luton and Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

Jobs 22 will be supported be 11 delivery partners, including their largest partner, Acorn Training, to engage with 111,000 Universal Credit claimants who have been out of work for 12 to 18 months to find jobs in the area over the next four years. 800 employment coaches will operate out of 60 locations across the East Central Region to ensure participants get the support they need.

Each participant will have a dedicated Employment Coach for up to a year and through regular contact they will develop a strong understanding of each individuals’ employment history, skills, aspirations and support needs to develop the right package of support to help each participant succeed.  People on the innovative scheme will receive support to learn new skills, overcome barriers to work and gain access to vacancies to help them secure employment.  They will also be provided the opportunity to retrain to find work in growth sectors, gain professional accreditations and improve digital skills.

Acorn Training is the largest delivery partner operating on Jobs22’s contract, aiming to provide over 10,000 customers with employability support. This will be achieved through their renowned expertise in delivering bespoke employability coaching, skills development and training opportunities. The team at Acorn Training have also recently been recognised for their work championing diversity and inclusivity, winning ‘Network of the Year’ at this year’s World Skills UK Diversity and Inclusion Heroes Awards, the company are committed to understanding personal circumstances, goals and aspirations to help break down barriers to work for all individuals, specifically helping those from disadvantaged backgrounds and minority groups.

Sophia Franzen, Operations Director, comments “As the country recovers from the effects of the pandemic, it is vital that individuals are given the support to secure long-term employment. We are proud to be joining the DWP’s efforts to get the country back to work and help combat the high levels of unemployment. At Acorn Training, we are renowned for delivering tailored employability support, providing opportunities for development and working hard to break down individual barriers to employment. We have strong core values and inclusive ethos; enabling sustainable careers for all”.

Acorn Training has strong roots in the East Central England region, with teams operating in Stoke-on-Trent, Coalville, Melton Mowbray and Hinkley and from newly-opened offices in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Burton and Daventry. It is also anticipated that the team will grow by 50+ members to support the delivery of the Restart Scheme over the next five years.

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Notes to editors

Acorn Training is a national training provider delivering apprenticeships, adult education, employability programmes, justice services, skills & career development. To learn more about the organisation and its offerings, please visit: https://www.acorntraining.co.uk/ or follow on social media: Instagram: @Acorn_training_ltd Twitter: @AcornTrainingUK LinkedIn: Acorn Training Ltd Facebook: Acorn Training UK.