Skills Bootcamps

OxLEP Skills is leading a programme of activity set to make a major impact on employment opportunities across the county. Our £1.7million Skills Bootcamps programme – part of the Department for Education’s ‘Skills for Life’ activity will be delivered between the summer of 2024 and March 2025.

What are Skills Bootcamps?

Skills Bootcamps will give people the opportunity to develop a variety of sector-specific skills, helping to fast-track individuals to an interview opportunity with an employer and ultimately, paid work.

From jobseekers, those who are looking to get back into work after a career gap and retirees having to return to employment due to the cost of living, the programme is set to have a real impact on the employment opportunities for Oxfordshire residents at a critical economic time.

Skills Bootcamps will provide a range of free, flexible courses to applicable Oxfordshire residents, each running up to 16 weeks.

It is set to play a key role across many Oxfordshire businesses, helping them to address specific skills gaps – with critical gaps previously identified via the county’s Local Skills Improvement Plan.

Our programme will see those signing-up being able to develop new skills in areas such as life sciences, health and green construction.

How do I sign-up and who is involved in delivery?

A total of three courses are currently on offer via the Skills Bootcamps programme – more courses and associated delivery partners are set to be announced later this summer.

Listed below is the current Skills Bootcamps programme of activity, as well as the providers leading on their respective delivery.

Please follow the below links to enquire about signing-up to each course. Please avoid directing course enquiries to OxLEP Skills – these are being independently managed by our dedicated delivery partners.

Green construction-focused Skills Bootcamps:

Reed in Partnership (heat pump skills)

Health and life sciences-focused Skills Bootcamps:

CSR Scientific Training (laboratory assistant or laboratory technician skills)
Skills4Pharmacy (pharmacy laboratory technician skills)

I run an Oxfordshire business – can I be involved?

OxLEP and its delivery partners are keen to ensure the Skills Bootcamps programme continues to meet business need and is asking Oxfordshire’s business community to play its part, including creating interview opportunities for those successfully completing courses.

If your business is interested in supporting employment opportunities to those who complete a Skills Bootcamps course, please contact us via: skills@oxfordshirelep.com.