Buckinghamshire Council celebrates Adult Learners and launches new skills strategy

Reflecting on how its approach to skills and employment has helped local people develop new skills, overcome barriers and opened up new job and career opportunities.

At its annual Adult Learning Awards event this week (Wed 10 June), learners, tutors and volunteers and learning support assistants recognised how Adult Learning can change lives.

The evening showcased the wide range of opportunities available through Buckinghamshire Adult Learning, with award winners drawn from courses including English and Maths GCSEs, supported internships, apprenticeships and programmes for people with additional needs.

Many of this year’s winners have overcome significant challenges to succeed, demonstrating the powerful impact that learning can have on people’s confidence, skills and future prospects. One learner, who spoke at the event, shared their journey from starting in an Adult Learning course, progressing through further study and now working at Buckinghamshire Council.

The awards also highlighted the impact of the council’s wider work to support residents into employment and help local businesses grow. As well as Adult Learning, opportunities also include Skills Bootcamps, which have supported 844 residents in the past year, with 84% of those people now upskilled and in training or employment.

Buckinghamshire Council has this week set out its renewed Skills and Employment Strategy, which outlines how it will continue to support residents at every stage of life to develop the skills they need.

The strategy directly links to Buckinghamshire’s Economic Growth Plan and is built around local priorities, employer demand and training opportunities to ensure skills provision is aligned with the needs of Buckinghamshire’s economy and is accessible to communities across the county. The council also now has increased local control over funding meaning it can invest in programmes that deliver real outcomes for residents.

Steven Broadbent, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, said:

“These awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our learners and recognise the dedication of our tutors and volunteers.

“Every story we heard shows just how powerful learning can be in transforming lives – whether it is gaining confidence, achieving qualifications or moving into work.

“Our renewed Skills and Employment Strategy builds on this work, ensuring that residents across Buckinghamshire can access the right support to develop their skills and take the next step in their careers. It’s good for the individual people at the heart of these courses and it’s good for our local economy”

Olena Chursina studied both book-keeping and English for speakers of other languages with Buckinghamshire Adult Learning, going from finding it hard to get a job interview to full time permanent employment with Buckinghamshire Council. She said:

“Through this journey, I learned something important: education doesn’t always guarantee a job in your exact field, but it opens doors. It gives you more opportunities, more confidence, and more choices for your future.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Adult Learning Centre for helping me learn English and gain accounting qualifications, and to Buckinghamshire Council for giving me the chance to work in such a respected organisation.”