Helping you with your Next Steps

An important part of our offer to our learners is providing you with high quality information, advice and guidance to support in deciding on your next steps. This could be further learning, your journey into employment or the development of your career.

Man aged 30-40 studying a computer screen

Information, Advice and Guidance for learners

We have specialist workers supporting our learners with the following:

Next steps for your education
Careers advice
Pathways into or within employment
Pathways into Self-employment
Volunteering opportunities
Work placements (within our traineeship programme)
Finding an apprenticeship

Please ask your tutor for further details or visit our online Information, advice and guidance hub to discover our full range of information about careers, learning, work and life choices.

Employment initiatives

We work with partners to provide support across the county. Our current local projects include:

ReNEW: for people living in Newark, Bilsthorpe, Clipstone, Edwinstowe, Ollerton and Boughton, offering personalised guidance, support and FREE courses!

Working Well East Midlands: providing personalised one-to-one support if you live in Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe, and have a long-term health condition, to help you to discover fulfilling paid employment.

Traineeships: If you're aged between 16 and 24 (or 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan), traineeships are a great way to gain high quality experience in an industry that you are interested in.

We also work with local employers, offering learning opportunities for the recruitment or support of staff. Please contact nicky.reed@inspireculture.org.uk for further details.

Support for small and new businesses

Through our membership of the British Library’s network of Business and Intellectual Property Centres (BIPCs), we can offer free business support to start-up business owners, entrepreneurs, and inventors like you.

Job Clubs

Did you know that some of our libraries host regular Job Clubs?

Our libraries provide a range of facilities and support to help job seekers to find work and improve employment skills, including bookable PCs and free Wi-Fi accessed using your library card. You can also access free support and advice at our Job Clubs.

Find your local Job Club.

Upcoming Courses

Our inspiring new course guide is packed with opportunities featuring hundreds of courses for work, life and leisure. Courses include maths, English and ESOL, work skills courses, and Level 1, 2 and 3 accredited qualifications that are recognised by employers.

Courses are low cost or FREE* and held at your local library or community venue, and because we want to make sure as many people as possible can access our fantastic courses, we also offer many courses online, so you can join from the comfort of your own home, via Zoom. For those wishing to study at their own pace, we have a flexible and supported online distance learning offer.

Browse courses by category.

*certain eligibility criteria apply.