£15k boost to upskill employees along East Coast

Magna Vitae’s ground-breaking Skill Builder programme has been awarded the cash by Coastal Communities to continue to develop and

improve individuals’ careers.

The Skills Builder Programme was developed by Magna Vitae to bolster access to skills-based learning and enhance employability for residents post Covid-19 pandemic.

Like many employers, Magna Vitae faced a significant recruitment challenge as the UK returned from lockdownas the anxieties surrounding returning to work were felt by many.

Magna Vitae, a Charitable Trust for Leisure and Culture employs 175 team members across its cultural, leisure and health-related community facilities.

However, post pandemic this number plummeted to just 65.

Funded by the Coastal Communities Fund, Magna Vitae worked alongside local training providers to develop a 12-week Skills Builder programme.

The programme benefited Magna Vitae’s workforce’s return to work whilst also increasing access to employment opportunities for local people out of work and living on the coast.

It allowed participants to access high-quality training in skills that are in high demand across several industries, such as customer service and manual handling.

Programme participant Lilly Darcy said: “The employability programme has been a massive source of confidence for me, starting out I was unsure of how I’d fit in with a work environment such as this.

“However, after a couple of weeks I became part of a team that was all working together to help us all achieve our goals, it’s taught me skills that are transferable in any work environment and has prepped me for work later in life.”

Twelve individuals completed the programme; eight went on to full-time employment, and the others are actively progressing in their careers. Magna Vitae now employs five participants, and three are actively employed in local organisations.

Aeneas Richardson, Executive Director, Magna Vitae, Community Trust for Leisure and Culture, said: “I am delighted to announce the Skills Builder Programme has been awarded coastal communities funding for a second time. As the cost-of-living crisis ensues, workplace well-being is critical, and we are keen to improve the lives of our community in whatever way we can.”

For more details, email [email protected] or call Skegness Pool and Fitness Suite on 01754 610675 or Station Sports Centre in Mablethorpe on 01507 472129.