Information about traineeships, internships, apprenticeships and people who can help you apply.
Types of training programmes
Training can develop your skills to help you find paid work. There are a few different training programmes, so it's important to think about what type of training would suit you to help you get the skills you need.
Try the Skills Health Check Go to https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/skills-health-check/home (opens new window) if you're not sure what you're good at and what you may need help with.
Training programmes you can choose from:
- work experience
- traineeships
- supported internships
- apprenticeships
- supported employment
- we work for everyone
Work experience
Work experience programmes are for young people aged 14 and above. They help you to learn skills, gain confidence and try out different jobs.
Information about:
- Bristol City Council work experience placements in a range of departments across the city, email WEX@bristol.gov.uk
- The Education to Employment programme which links an employer and a paid job to a young person with learning disabilities, email paul.gaunt@bristol.gov.uk
- Step and Stone, a Bristol-based bakery who work with young people to develop their skills and confidence to find paid employment
Traineeships
A traineeship is a course with work experience for young people aged 16 to 24, which gets you ready for paid work or an apprenticeship.
You may be able to gain a qualification such as Maths or English. It can last for up to 6 months and isn't paid, however you may be given expenses for things like travel and meals.
Supported internships
Supported internships are structured, work-based study programmes for young people aged 16 to 24-year-olds with SEND who would like to move into employment.
Designed for people who have an education, health and care plan (EHCP) supported internships are typically run by partnerships involving learning providers (school or college), job coaches and employers.
Supported interns spend most of their time in the workplace supported of an expert job coach with the core aim of securing employment at the end.
More information can be found at supported internships (GOV.UK).
For example:
Supported Employment
Supported employment is a way of providing assistance to disabled people who need extra support to move towards and into work.
It represents a collection of values, practices and processes designed to offer job seekers and employers, structured and systematic work based support.
Although there are some variations, most supported employment agencies provide the following core modules of support:
- Discovery and vocational profiling to get to know the person with a learning disability
- Employment planning to find a job that meets the person's aspirations and needs
- Working with employers to understand their needs
- Job matching to ensure the right person for the right job
- In work support for both employee and employer
We Work for Everyone
We Work for Everyone is a free employment support programme for people with a learning disability, learning difficulty and autistic people.
We Work supports people across the West of England area which includes Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
We Work can help with
- finding a career that's right for you
- accessing training, qualifications and work placements
- accessing supported internships (ages 18 to 25)
- creating a CV and learning interview skills
- accessing computer equipment and IT support
Find out more at We work for everyone.
More information about supported employment can be found at British Association of Supported Employment (BASE)
Other local supported employment providers include:
Apprenticeships
If you're over 16 you can apply for an apprenticeship. This is a paid position where you work and learn through training.
Find out more on our apprenticeships site or search for an apprenticeship on gov.uk
People who can help you find training opportunities
You can get help to find training opportunities from:
- your school who'll provide advice on training and career opportunities, ask your teacher how they can help you
- Bristol Works for Everyone team Go to https://www.bristol.works/ (opens new window) if you're aged 14 and above with learning disabilities, email: paul.gaunt@bristol.gov.uk
- the Pathway to Independence team if you are aged 14 and over and are transitioning to adult social care, email Pathway2independence@bristol.gov.uk
- the Post 16 team if you are aged 16 to 25 and need support to apply for jobs or find apprenticeships and college courses. Email post16participation@bristol.gov.uk
