Skills Bootcamps
Gain industry-specific skills and boost your job prospects
What are Skills Bootcamps?
Berkshire Skills Bootcamps are free*, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks,
giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast track to interview with an employer upon completion.
Our Skills Bootcamps are open to all individuals aged 19 and over from all employment backgrounds and of any experience level, focusing on sectors that employers are actively looking to recruit.
Unemployed, recent graduate, career changer, or someone looking to upskill, Berkshire Skills Bootcamps are for you.
Scroll down to see our current Skills Bootcamps.
*Funding criteria and eligibility does apply. Click here for more. For Skills Bootcamps starting between 01/08/2024 and 31/03/2025, learners need to be born before 31/07/2005.
“It’s been an exciting and challenging year for us, as Berkshire LEP became one of the latest organisations to deliver DfE funded Skills Bootcamps. We are working with fantastic delivery partners, and I am thrilled by the successes we’ve achieved to date.” – Claire Bradbury
bootcamp graduates
job interviews created
new job outcomes
For job seekers, job changers & upskillers
If you’re aged over 19 (born before 31/07/2005) and looking to change sectors or progress in your current industry, our free Skills Bootcamp could be your next step to a better job.
Skills Bootcamps will give you the skills you need to pursue a new profession, progress to additional education like an apprenticeship, or generate new opportunities if you’re self-employed.
These flexible courses last up to 16 weeks and allow you to gain the skills employers are looking for. You’ll also have a chance to fast-track your way to an interview with a local employer.
Berkshire Skills Bootcamps are available for those over 19 who are in work, self-employed, unemployed or returning to work after a break. You can see eligibility requirements here.
Scroll down to see all our current Skills Bootcamps.
For providers & employers
Are you an employer wanting to upskill your team? Are you struggling to employ people with the right skills?
Skills Bootcamps are co-designed with employers to respond to skills shortages. You can work with our training providers to develop and deliver Skills Bootcamps to help you fill vacancies or interview and employ one of our Skills Bootcamps alumni.
There are no recruitment fees to employ one of our Skills Bootcamps alumni.
Skills Bootcamps may help your business by developing a skilled workforce, futureproofing your business by supporting new skills development, motivating your team by providing new opportunities to learn and by giving you access to participants who have successfully completed relevant Skills Bootcamps.
If you wish to upskill your own teams, as a business you will contribute a portion of funding (10% for SMEs, 30% for large employers), while the Department for Education covers the rest.
Scroll down to see our current Skills Bootcamps, or contact us to get involved.
For job seekers, job changers & upskillers
Data Analytics
Passion for data and previous experience with spreadsheets?
Designed for career success and co-created with experts in the field, you will work on real world projects, develop critical soft skills, learn how to extract data, data cleanse, design and build dashboards so that you can understand the story telling with data.
You can choose to specialise in specific areas,
examples being Tableau, Excel/Google Sheets or SQL
or become proficient at all three.
Commitment: min 1 day per week in Reading, additional dial-in sessions for 16 weeks.
Assessment: Online quizzes, group work, individual projects and final portfolio project.
Digital Marketing
Designed for career success with industry-curated curriculum, learn the latest digital marketing skills that employers actually need and want. The course has been designed to be interactive, fun and engaging.
Work on real-world projects, develop critical soft skills and build your portfolio through a real-life client project.
Commitment: min 1 day per week in Reading, additional dial-in sessions for 16 weeks.
Assessment: Online quizzes, group work and individual projects ending with a group pitch back to the client.
Digital Marketing for Small Business
As a business your digital marketing skills are essential to attract new customers, develop your own digital landscape or improve the services you provide.
Work alongside passionate small businesses like yourself on your business to create real outcomes, leaving the bootcamp with specialised digital marketing skills.
Commitment: 1 day minimum per week in person in Reading with additional virtual dial-in content per week for 16 weeks.
Assessment: Online quizzes, group work and individual projects ending with a group pitch back to the client.
Digital: Software Developer
This course is designed to take people from little or no knowledge of coding, to job-ready software developers in 16 weeks.
Training is delivered entirely online, with a combination of live delivery and self-directed study. Learners will complete three collaborative hackathon challenges. In addition to a final summative capstone project.
Commitment: 16 weeks online, live and self-directed study.
Assessment: Each step will create a portfolio of work that can be shown to prospective employers and support future employment opportunities.
Leadership and Management
Every company needs good and inspiring managers.
Managers who are effective in managing challenge and change, particularly in today’s fast paced, moving world. Are you looking to support an employee into effective management?
Commitment: This is a 60 hour Skills Bootcamp and includes ILM Level 3 and Level 5.
If you would be interested in attending this course, please do contact us here so that we can get back to you as soon as we can.
Health and Social Care
Be equipped with the practical skills required to secure employment in the Health & Social Care sector, aimed at workers who will support individuals with physical, emotional, and learning disabilities as part of their job role.
You must meet DfE eligibility criteria or be sponsored by the employer, as well as basic numeracy and literacy skills.
Commitment: Classroom based exercises and online study materials.
Assessment: Written portfolio and practical exercises.
Sustainability
More customers are demanding higher ethical and environmental standards from the businesses they buy from, and more policies and regulations are coming down the line to support this.
English and Maths qualifications at Level 2 (e.g. GCSE) preferable, as well as basic working IT knowledge with an awareness and interest in Sustainability.
Commitment: Online 2 sessions per week of 3hrs each. Some sessions will take place onsite at our leading employer partners.
Assessment: Build an action plan to take back to their own workplace to implement and build a network of sustainability champions.
Education Support Workers
Be equipped with the practical skills required to secure employment in the Education sector, aimed at workers who will support individuals with physical, emotional, and learning disabilities as part of their job role.
You must meet DfE eligibility criteria or be sponsored by the employer, as well as basic numeracy and literacy skills.
Commitment: Classroom based exercises and online study materials.
Assessment: Written portfolio and practical exercises.
More courses coming soon...
For providers & employers
Employers recruiting Skills Bootcamps graduates have saved an estimated £259,630 in recruitment fees!
Life Science – Lab Techniques
This Skills Bootcamp, endorsed by Life Science employers, includes skills essential to lab work including calibration, writing SOP, titrations, aseptic techniques, LIMS systems, Electrophoresis and much more.
If you’re looking to recruit a Lab Technician, Research Assistant, Quality Control Analyst or to a similar role get in touch with our team today.
Engineering
The programme includes learning technical drawing by hand, understanding of tolerances, and using measuring equipment like the Micrometre, Vernia height gauge and Vernia calliper, all analogue versions. Learners will understand how to operate machine tools such as centre lathe, milling machine, drill press, power band saw and surface grinder, and make components out of metal to a tolerance of 0.1mm or greater and internal and external threads.
Upon completion of this Skills Bootcamps course, learners will have a solid understanding of machining and bench fitting techniques and will be able to apply this knowledge to improve their job performance.
Do your engineers have an identified Skills Gap which could be addressed through a 60-hour Skills Bootcamp delivered by a local education provider? Get in touch with one of our team today!
Digital Skills
“The Data Analytics Skills Bootcamp was amazing! We covered all areas of Data Analysis from research to cleaning data and finally visualising data in Tableau. The course provides everything you need to start in Data Analysis.” – Graduate in Data Analytics
The 16-week Skills Bootcamp in Data Analytics provided by The Curious Academy is designed for career success with:
- Industry-Curated Curriculum: Learn the latest data analytics skills that employers actually need and want. Our content is co-created with experts in the field.
- Real-World Projects: Develop critical soft skills and build your portfolio through project work.
- Ongoing Support: Access to our study zone for six month after completing the program. Plus, join our graduate peer network for continued learning and networking.
- Convenient Schedule: Attend classes in-person just 1 day per week. Complete additional live virtual sessions weekly from the comfort of home.
Other courses include Digital Marketing provided by The Curious Academy, Software Development provided by Code Institute and Cyber Security provided by Activate Learning.
Did you know Skills Bootcamps may be the perfect way to find a new recruit? Get in touch today with one of our team for the chance to speak to our recent graduates.
Leadership and Management
New for Wave 5, Berkshire LEP are introducing a Leadership and Management Skills Bootcamp to Berkshire.
If you are interested in sending any of your team on this Skills Bootcamp which includes ILM Level 5 Certificate/Diploma in Leadership & Management, get in touch with our team today.
Green Skills
Windsor Forest College Group have opened a Green Skills Academy which focuses on developing skills in green technologies to help businesses grow. They are offering three Skills Bootcamps in this priority sector: Electrical Installation and Ventilation, Plumbing and Heating Renewable Technology and Retrofit.
If any of your plumbing or electrician team would benefit from further Skills supporting Berkshire in progress towards net zero, please contact our team…
Health and Social Care
This sector recognises the importance of robust, supportive training to ensure people are appropriately cared for by knowledgeable employees with the best in current training practices.
Our comprehensive 16 week Skills Bootcamp covers mental health and well-being, including Level 3 First Aid in mental Health, Understanding and supporting physical and learning disabilities, including support for individuals with ASD, Level 3 Paediatric First Aid, immediate management of Anaphylaxis and much, much more.
Our first alumni are due to complete their Skills Bootcamp in the autumn. If you are struggling to recruit, get in contact with our team!
Education Support Workers
Teaching Assistants and Education Support workers have one of the hardest but most rewarding jobs in the world. Better training helps employees feel empowered and better placed to handle situations in the classroom, more able to support their young people.
This 16 week Skills Bootcamp includes understanding mental health and well-being, including Level 3 First Aid in mental Health, Understanding and supporting physical and learning disabilities, including support for individuals with ASD, Level 3 Paediatric First Aid, immediate management of Anaphylaxis and much, much more.
Our first alumni are due to complete their Skills Bootcamp in the autumn. If you are struggling to recruit, get in contact with our team!
Screen Industry
The Screen Industry is a growing priority sector in Berkshire, with the opening of Shinfield Studios. Resource Productions are providing Berkshire with two Skills Bootcamp in Camera, Lighting and Grip and in Film and TV.
Camera, Lighting and Grip is a very practical Skills Bootcamp introducing participants to Grip preparation and workflow, digital formats, kit, Health and Safety, production processes protocols and records, camera lenses and accessories, and filming. It prepares successful participants for Camera equipment technician, Kit room technician, Camera Assistant Senior and camera technician roles.
Did you know Skills Bootcamps may be the perfect way to find a new recruit? Get in touch today with one of our team for the chance to speak to our recent graduates.
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