Earning micro-credentials is not enough. You will need work experience. Do this free course to discover how to get internships and work experience – see HERE
See Organisations Helping Londoners Upskill, Find Work Experience and Jobs
Jonathan Black is the director of the University of Oxford’s Career Service. He writes a column for the Financial Times responding to questions on careers. Have a look HERE
Also have a look at the very useful Squiggley Careers Podcasts HERE
“Whisper networks” that get people jobs – see HERE
GOV.UK Skills For Life Campaign – Adults 19+
With new research showing that 70% of workers are interested in learning new work skills this year – a new ‘Skills for Life’ campaign has launched to support more adults to develop new work skills or retrain into better jobs.
The campaign will showcase hundreds of government-funded skills opportunities for adults – from free careers advice and short courses, to advanced qualifications and on-the-job training – and help adults to make the right choice for them, to support them to get a better job at any stage of life. This includes online learning options and free essential skills courses in numeracy, literacy and digital; sector-specific qualifications and Skills Bootcamps; and in-work training; as well as personalised support and guidance from the National Careers Service.
Find out more at: www.gov.uk/skillsforlife
GOV.UK Get The Jump Campaign – for 14 – 19-year-olds
There’s an exciting range of education and training pathways available to young people, from T Levels and apprenticeships to Higher Technical Qualifications and traineeships, but making the decision on what next step to take can be an overwhelming and confusing process.
The new ‘Get the Jump’ campaign, launching today, aims to help tackle this by bringing together, in one place, all of the education and training options available to young people at age 16 and 18 and reassuring them that not knowing what they want to do for a job or career is normal.
A new hub, with all the information a young person needs about what choices are available to them, how they compare and where they can lead to, has been created on the National Careers Service website.
This new resource will help young people when they are making decisions about their future so that they can get the best start to their working lives
Other Opportunities
- The UK Government set up 12 employer-led Institutes of Technology around the country that reskill and provide routes into high growth industries.
- The City & Guilds/ FutureLearn ” Skills Bridges” partnership was specifically formed to reskill unemployed workers in industries devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and help them secure new careers in high-growth industries.
- The World Economic Forum provides free cybersecurity training combined with support to access jobs HERE
- Cybersecurity traineeships with job guarantees can be found HERE
- 9.6 million jobs being created by the Salesforce ecosystem between 2026. Trailhead is a free online learning platform created by Salesforce that empowers anyone to learn in-demand skills that lead to top jobs -see HERE
- Reed & Co offers training for in-demand jobs with job placement guarantees.
Bootcamps
A great way to combine reskilling with work experience/pathways to jobs. Some examples:
The UK Government is supporting a large number of Skills Boot Camps for adult learners across the UK. These are available to graduates, non-graduates, the employed, the self-employed, the recently unemployed or those who want to return to work after a career break. They are free and promise to support and fast-track learners into careers. See HERE. And check out this article HERE
General Assembly – expensive but very good (we think)
The Mayor of London offers FREE boot camps. Check reskilling efforts HERE
Generation.org also provides FREE boot camps.
Free City of London data skills bootcamps – see HERE
Five places to learn to code for free in London HERE
Tuition-free peer-led courses, see Founders and Coders
Over 50s
GOV.UK’s guidance for over 50s seeking employment can be found HERE
1.National Careers Service Midlife MOT – https://www.yourpension.gov.uk/mid-life-mot/ •Also Look at this resource from Unionlearn /TUC – Mid-life Development – identify transferable skills and find new opportunities – https://www.unionlearn.org.uk/supporting-mid-life-development
2.Job Entry Target Support (JETS) – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nation-s-job-hunt-jets-off
3.Restless – https://restless.co.uk/
4.WISEAGE – https://wiseage.org.uk/
5..Accessing Experience – https://ways2work.org.uk/accessing-experience-employment-programme-for-over-50s/
6.Age UK – https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/work-learning/
7..ACAS (free legal advice) – https://www.acas.org.uk/
8..Business in the Community Age Taskforce – https://www.bitc.org.uk/age-taskforce/
9..Andy Briggs, CEO Phoenix Group and Government Business Champion for Older Workers
10. No Desire To Retire – see https://www.nodesiretoretire.com/
11. Trades are a popular choice for reskillers over 50 – see HERE
12.Don’t forget to consider opportunities for adult apprenticeships – see HERE
13. Start-Up School for Seniors is an organisation providing FREE help for 8 weeks to older people starting their own businesses. The Telegraph October 1, 2021 claim that 35% start making money before the 8 weeks are up – see HERE. Also check out the Rebel Business School – how to set up and run a business without money
14. 55/Redefined is another great website with guidance and opportunities for over 50s – see HERE
15. Jobs/Redefined – find age inclusive employers HERE
Gigs for Over 50s
Film extras
Ugly Models Agency – https://www.ugly.org/2016/
Talent Talks (word on “the street” is that his is one of the best
Casting Collective
Universal Extras
Piece of Cake
Bettys and Dudes
Rachel’s People
Seasonal Gigs
Volunteering
Volunteering is an important way to learn and develop in-demand, industry-ready skills. Start from young. It also provides valuable exposure that can help us to select the right career path.
Why not learn excel, digital marketing, e-commerce, graphic design, bookkeeping or other business skills online and then volunteer with an under-resourced charity or small business? There are many out there that need this help.
Virtual volunteering opportunities are also available, e.g. see HERE
Entrepreneurship
Setting up and running your own business or “side hustle” can also provide valuable work experience. The short entrepreneurship course in the UK Government’s Skills Toolkit and the short online courses in the Digital Business Academy can set you up for success.
Start Up School for Seniors is an organisation providing FREE help for 8 weeks to older people starting their own business. The Telegraph October 1, 2021 claim that 35% start making money before the 8 weeks are up – see HERE
Also check out the Rebel Business School – how to set up and run a business without money
Internships
It is more challenging to get internships nowadays but bear in mind that remote internships are now available. See, e.g.,
Investin.org – immersive internship experiences for 12 – 18-year-olds
Speakers for Schools claim to be the UK’s leading providers of world-class virtual internships. And placements are free!
Believe it or not, there is an unlimited number of places on the innovative BRIGHT Network virtual internship programme which provides experiences in eight different sectors. All students or recent graduates 18 years & over who really want an internship experience should be able to get one – see HERE (different application deadlines in June and July for different sectors). Students 16 or 17 years old may apply to BRIGHT Network’s Internship Experience UK On Demand Schools HERE
Forage free virtual internships
Clifford Chance free global virtual internships
10,000 Black Interns – see HERE
Work experience
Destination STEM offers research work experience for students 16+
Find your own work abroad summer work experiences
Check this out as well HERE. and HERE
Find out about virtual work experience HERE and HERE and also HERE
Virtual work experience in STEM and other industries can be found HERE
For free virtual work experience in Life Sciences, look HERE
A Grammar school signposts to free virtual work experience HERE
A Parent’s Guide to virtual work experience
Remote Jobs
Remote jobs worldwide across the internet
Countries offering digital nomad visas
The Legal Implications of Remote Working Cross Border- blog
Here’s a list of remote job boards:
FlexJobs
We Work Remotely
Remote.co
JobTogether
Dynamite Jobs
letsworkremotely
JustRemote
Growmotely
Pangian
Working Nomads
Remotive
Flexa®️ Careers
Workew
Remoters
Skip The Drive LLC
GoRemotely
RemoteHub
Remote Tribe
Citizen Remote
FindAsync
Nodesk
NoCommute
Remote Work Junkie
Job boards with remote options:
PowerToFly
AngelList
Dribble
Built In
Tech Junction
Tech Jobs for Good
JobsFactor
Graduates
Apprenticeships
Tips for parents – see HERE
Career Advice
The Right and Wrong Way to Ask for Career Advice
End.