Central Bedfordshire & Bedford Borough Councils

The Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Service (BESS) provides opportunities for residents in Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough to learn in the community.

Courses provide learning focused on employability and job skills to help and support residents to get into work, to support career progression or to progress to further learning.

Courses also provide learning and skills focused on supporting residents with specific needs related to health and wellbeing, mental health, confidence building or those affected by homelessness.

Workshops, courses and apprenticeships are delivered by our teams of tutors and assessors and by a range of training providers delivering courses that we fund as part of our curriculum.

Click here for more information and details of other courses as well as those shown below.

Get in touch with BESS Adult Learning and we can help.

An adviser will contact you initially to discuss your options and help with learning and/or employment goals. (fully confidential)

Your adviser will then enrol you on a course with Noah, one of our training providers who deliver a range of courses to support you into and with work.

Courses for Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough residents, are available using distance learning methods or in venues across Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and Biggleswade.

Moving Towards Work

A six week course that supports adults furthest from employment and experiencing multiple barriers to move closer to work. Sessions cover confidence building skills such as exploring strengths and weaknesses, as well as building resilience for the ups and downs of the job search world. Practical skills can continue to be built through the follow-on course, Progressing Into Work.

Progressing Into Work

A six week course that supports adults furthest from employment with a focus on personal strengths and building employment skills. Sessions cover activities such as creating and refining CV’s for specific jobs and work sectors of interest as well as mock interviews. Talks from businesses and volunteering organisations also enable positive steps forward and open up work opportunities.

Get Started with IT

A first steps four week course for adults with little or no IT skills to familiarise themselves with using the internet and a computer, keyboard and mouse. Sessions include developing basic skills to enable access to online support and services as well as learning about ways to communicate through email, social media and other programmes like Zoom.

English for Beginners

A six week course suitable for beginner level English speakers who are looking to improve their skills and abilities with English Language. Sessions cover practical topics such as doctors appointments, schools, transport and employment related English. Sessions cover all four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening.

ESOL Speaking and Listening (online)

A course for those who have a good grasp of English but need learning and support to refine their spoken English to better communicate in a work environment. A twelve week course with online sessions three times a week to build communication skills while also learning how to understand those who also have English as a second language and who may speak English with accents or broken sentences. The course helps develop a stronger understanding of English speaking and listening.

If you would like advice and support to enrol on a course please complete an enquiry form and you will be contacted by an adviser who will give you one-to-one support to help get you started.

Click here to complete the enquiry form

Alternatively you can telephone the BESS NCS adviser team on 0300 300 6190