Increasing access to skills, education, training and jobs

Our goal is to enable more Camden residents to get involved in education, training and employment

Why this issue is important?

Camden has a strong, large and competitive local economy which could offer two jobs for every working-age resident and a highly qualified local workforce. At the same time, the borough has high levels of worklessness and dependency on state benefits.

Some of our residents have been out of work for a long period of time and not all young people aged 16 to 18 are taking part in education, training or employment.

Tackling this economic exclusion is important if Camden residents are to improve their quality of life and contribute more widely. For many, this will involve gaining basic skills or English language training.

Camden’s children and young people need to have access to a wider range of academic and vocational courses to raise overall achievement and increase career choices. Overall, we need to make local people more employable, so that they can share in the employment opportunities in the borough.

What is already being done?

There is a range of vocational programmes and community learning opportunities across the borough, including many that take place in Camden’s libraries. The voluntary and community sector also plays an important role in providing routes into paid work. The Camden Working job shop supported 250 residents into sustainable work last year, and there is an NHS job shop in Kentish Town. There are also a number of support services to help people into work.

For example, at King’s Cross, there is a recruitment centre for local people to develop skills and get access to local construction jobs.

Camden also has three adult education colleges - City Lit, the Mary Ward Centre and the Working Men’s College - which provide courses. There is local further education provision at Westminster Kingsway College which is having its Gray’s Inn site rebuilt.

Here are some of the specific aims we are working towards:

raising standards in English, maths and science, including the number of students gaining at least five GCSEs (grade A* to C), and overall achievement in secondary education and all aspects of learning
improving the overall employment rate and having fewer people dependent on state benefits
increasing participation in skills and training amongst priority groups including those receiving Incapacity Benefit and lone parents
increasing the number of young people aged 16 to 18 who are in education, employment or training
improving school attendance

What people have told us

People wanted higher standards in education and increasing vocational and training opportunities for young people. They also said that they wanted equal opportunities in employment, training and education and better skills training, including skills for life and English language provision.

Affordable and accessible childcare was considered important to enable parents to access work.

What the Council and its partners will do

transform secondary education across schools in Camden including the building of a new secondary school
expand the take-up and provision of basic and key skills training, family learning and English language tuition
promote vocational learning and other opportunities to ensure people, including young people, have access to employment, further education and training opportunities
increase opportunities for people to get into and stay in the job market, including older people, carers, parents returning to work, and those facing other barriers to employment, such as disability, or ill health
make sure good quality, accessible and affordable childcare is available
maximise the local employment and training opportunities, including apprenticeships, generated by the King’s Cross Development, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and the London Olympics

How local people can contribute?

making sure that your child attends school and arrives on time
signing-up for a training course, studying for a qualification or learning a new skill
encouraging friends and family members to develop their education, skills and job prospects
becoming a volunteer through your place of work, such as reading in local schools