Developing confident, work ready young people for the future workforce
Our Transferable Skills Academies are intensive, person centred programmes designed to support young people aged 16 to 19 who are not currently in education, employment or training.
The academies combine industry specific training, recognised qualifications and real world experience to help young people build confidence, develop essential workplace behaviours and move successfully into employment, apprenticeships or further learning.
All academies are fully publicly funded, making them accessible at no cost to eligible participants.
What makes Transferable Skills Academy different?
Our approach goes beyond qualifications. We focus on the whole person, supporting young people to understand their strengths, overcome barriers and build belief in what they can achieve.
Person centred from day one
Every learner completes an initial assessment to identify strengths, interests, goals and any barriers to progression. This allows us to tailor support and learning pathways to each individual.
Recognised qualifications and transferable skills
Participants work towards industry relevant qualifications and SQA units including Employability, Dealing with Work Situations, Team Working, Client and Customer Communication Skills and Working Safely, Digital Skills and AI Training These skills transfer across sectors and last a lifetime.
Real world, practical learning
Young people learn best by doing. Our programmes include hands on training, practical projects, work placements and community volunteering so learners gain meaningful experience and confidence in real working environments.
Confidence, wellbeing and work readiness
Alongside technical skills, we focus on resilience, communication, teamwork, reliability and professional behaviours that employers value. Wellbeing is embedded throughout the programme to support positive mental health and adaptability.
Transferable Skills Academies deliver real results
%
Of our learners continue into meaningful next steps
%
Of our learners progress into paid employment
Intensified employability extension pilot
Recognising that some young people require additional structured support beyond initial programme completion, we piloted an intensified employability extension focused on targeted job search strategy and high quality application development.
This intervention has delivered an 80 percent employment outcome rate across the pilot groups.
%
Employment rate among pilot group of intensified employability extension
Our learners say…
Most supportive part was how the programme helped me build my confidence and actually see a clear pathway into healthcare. Having people explain things step by step, like PVG checks, using Turas learning, and interview prep, made me feel like I wasn’t just thrown in at the deep end. Volunteering at the hospital also gave me the chance to put things into practice and see how it all links together, which was really empowering because it showed me I could actually do it!
Classes at Positive Qualities were good as I felt supported and listened to and when I asked questions they were answered and this help me build my self confidence.
Feedback from Liz & nursing staff made my day and helped me believe in myself more. Felt supported all the way and everyone always had time for me which did wonders for my confidence .
I personally believe that Positive Qualities has been a very great thing that has helped out quite a bit since I started with it, it has helped me get a pretty good idea on things that I wouldn’t have known otherwise and it has made me improve upon the things I did have and know, like my CV.
Not only that, but being given support, tips and suggestions based around my own personality and skills has been really good and helped me at least get a decent idea of where I should start and what I should do for my job. Work experience next and can’t wait!
Overall it is an amazing programme that I believe should be provided to many others to help them get a good start.
I’ve found that this has been quite good at refreshing my mind on employability skills and improving my confidence to help me get a job.
I’ve really been enjoying the course, it’s helped a lot with routine and has helped me a lot with my cv and my understanding of the interview process.
I enjoyed the course and found it a great help in adding to my skills to help look for work.
I found the course very good and very helpful and all the team was great very supportive and very kind I enjoyed the course very much and I would definitely recommend this to anyone that needs help building confidence and new skills that will be useful in interviews and help you get a job..
I’m seriously not good with words, written, spoken, and so on. but with your help, all the work and writing will help me in the future and I don’t mean just for job searching and interviews. I find this sort of thing helps in everyday life as well for me.
Our employers say…
As an employer, we’ve found graduates from the Hospitality Skills Academy to be ready for work and quickly fit in with their teams.
Their professionalism and skills are evident from day one, making them a real asset to our team.
Enjoying all the different tasks we do in class and getting better everyday with my CSCS tests Barry is good at going over our wrong answers and getting us to work things out better. It was amazing to get our PPE and we needed it when we went out on our volunteering, as it was freezing. Looking forward to my placement and hopefully getting a job. I would say get yourself on the Construction Skills Academy as it’s no like school.
Best bit was the league tables for CSCS scores and being in the top two, I’ve never ever been in the top before! Passing my CSCS test and finally getting my card , buzzing man!
Found out why I get bored easily and construction is a good choice for me as I cannae sit still. It was good working with everyone and Barry is an alright guy as he helps you when you need it and disnae shout at you like teachers do.
I feel the programme has given me more understanding of customer service and how to talk and act around customers. I now know how to work in a team and I’ve learned to talk more which has helped me a lot and with my relationships. The best thing about this programme is, I know I will get somewhere after all.
After the programme A struggle to even come on zoom but with everyone’s help eventually I just decided to bite the bullet and found out that the people were really nice. I’ve made great relationships with the people on the course and it’s helped my confidence and now I feel I can chase my dreams. I’m so grateful I got to meet Liz and Christine as they are the most helpful people I’ve ever met and with their help the course was amazing and I’m sad it’s now finished but looking forward to my work experience..
How the Transferable Skills Academies work
Our academies typically run for 13 to 16 weeks and are delivered through a flexible blended model:
- Group based training sessions
- One to one coaching and mentoring
- Practical workshops and industry tasters
- Work placements and volunteering
- Access to an online learning portal to build digital skills
The first phase focuses on building foundations through training, self awareness and employability skills. The latter stages support progression into work, apprenticeships or further education.
Our Transferable Skills Academy sectors
Hospitality Skills Academies
Delivered in partnership with leading hospitality employers, our hospitality academies provide real world training in customer service, food and beverage, housekeeping and front of house roles. Many participants move directly into employment or apprenticeships with our employer partners after they complete their work experience.
Customer Service and Retail Skills Academies
Combine employability training, recognised qualifications and hands on experience to help young people thrive in customer focused roles. The programme builds confidence, resilience and workplace behaviours valued across the retail and service sectors. At the end of their work experience many participants move directly into jobs.
Construction Skills Academy
Working with local construction companies, these academies introduce young people to trades such as joinery, plumbing and heating. Learners gain hands on experience through practical projects and outdoor community volunteering, while developing health and safety awareness and site readiness. They work towards their CSCS Card and Site Safety qualifications.
Health and Social Care Skills Academies
Our Health and Social Care Skills Academies are delivered in partnership with the NHS, providing young people with a supported and realistic pathway into healthcare careers.
Learners begin with classroom training and then we add ward based volunteering, allowing them to build confidence, understand healthcare environments and develop professional behaviours before progressing into NHS skills simulations. These simulations provide a safe, supportive setting to practise essential skills and workplace expectations.
Following this, participants move into real world work experience within NHS settings, gaining valuable insight into day to day healthcare roles. The academy supports progression into jobs and Modern Apprenticeships, creating clear pathways into a wide range of NHS careers.
We are aiming to run a specific Health and Social Care Academies to work in partnership with care providers, where these academies will prepare young people for roles within healthcare environments.
Outcomes that matter
Our academies are designed with clear outcomes in mind:
- Increased confidence and self belief
- Improved employability and workplace behaviours
- Industry recognised qualifications
- Real work experience
- Progression into jobs, apprenticeships or further learning
We work closely with employers, partners and funders to ensure our programmes respond to real labour market needs and create genuine pathways into sustainable employment.
Who our academies are for
Our Transferable Skills Academies support young people who:
- Are aged 16 to 19 with some provision supporting older clients
- Are not currently in education, employment or training
- Want to build confidence, skills and experience
- Are ready to explore career opportunities in key sectors
No prior qualifications or experience are required. Motivation, curiosity and a willingness to learn are what matter most.
