Employment and skills
We can help if you are looking to progress your career or need employment support.
Community Hubs
Community Hubs offer free employment support, including:
- access to IT
- job searches
- job applications
National Careers Service
National Careers Service can help you make decisions on learning, training and work. For more information visit the National Careers Service website.
Skill Up Somerset
Apprenticeship and skills advisory service for individuals and businesses. For more information visit the Skill Up Somerset website.
Step Up Somerset
Employment, skills development and business support. Including redundancy support, starting a business and wellbeing support. For more information visit the Step Up Somerset website.
Citizen Advice Bureau
Contact your local bureau for support with:
- benefits
- redundancy
- housing
- money matters
For information about how to do this visit Citizen Advice Somerset.
Apprenticeships and Traineeships
Apprenticeships – age 16 and over
An Apprenticeship provides on the job training and a salary. If you are 16 or over, you can be an apprentice if you live in England and are not in full-time education.
Traineeships – age 16 to 25
Traineeships are for 16 to 24-year-olds or 25-year-olds with an education, health and care plan. They help young people get ready for an apprenticeship or job. For more information about local opportunities please see the following websites:
Redundancy
Citizens Advice Somerset can provide support and advice. You can contact them on 0808 278 7428 Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm.
For more information visit the Citizens Advice Somerset website.
Step Up Somerset provides access to many free support services which will help you navigate redundancy.
For support with Employment and Redundancy visit the Jobcentre Plus – GOV.UK website. For more information contact: employmentandskills@somerset.gov.uk
Redundancy support information
Somerset Council is fully committed to supporting our businesses and their employees who could be facing redundancy.
Working with our partners across Somerset we are in a strong position to provide a package of support aimed at minimising the impact to individuals. The support aims to help people back into work as quickly as possible and support business growth.
How do we support people?
Working with partners we can offer:
- Job searching
- CV writing and job applications
- Employment and training opportunities
- Access to free IT
- Money and debt advice
- Mental health support
- Access to education and training
- Registration for Hinkley Job Service
- Employment Hubs- offer free impartial support with a person-centred approach to meet your needs and requirements towards work. Please visit our Community employment hubs page to find out where and when the hubs operate. Follow our Facebook page for more information
- Drop-in services from Hinkley Point C, Skills Up Apprenticeship advise along with other employers and support services (these are accessed via the Employment Hubs)
For more information or a request for support, please contact employmentsupport@somerset.gov.uk
Self-employment
You can find useful information about how to Set up a Business from GOV.UK. Along with practical support about Growing your business.
To learn more about self-employment please use the links below:
- Heart of the south-west growth hub
- NESTA
- Step Up Somerset
- Prince’s Trust - works with 18 to 30-year-olds living in the UK to provide support for starting business
Volunteering
Volunteering can provide you with the opportunity to help people. Volunteering can also provide you with knowledge and skills, which will help you get into work or transfer to a new career.
To learn more about volunteering visit the SPARK Somerset and Government guidance – Volunteer websites.