Jobs skills training in prison across England

Conventional jobs skills training in prisons takes place in the classroom and focuses on either core skills such as literacy and numeracy or hard skills with specific employers such as hospitality and kitchen training, or trade skills. 

Forging new ground is Work Stories, a new digital employability course funded by the Digital Innovation Fund, Ministry of Justice. Available digitally for all prisoners across all prisons in England, the course is the first that is available for every prisoner to access at any time.

We are reaching out to prisons interested in piloting Work Stories to help prison leavers successfully transition into employment. Email emily.hadwen@big-ideas to find out more.

At the heart of the education programme is 5 co-produced short films made with ex-prisoners and their employers. In the films the ex-prisoner tells their story, how they got their job, what skills they use, what they did when they left prison to find stability and employment.

The films are accompanied by self-directed learning modules that develop soft skills such as confidence, change of perspective, mindset and growth, how to talk about yourself and so on. The skills are based on the prison leavers’ own experiences and include input from their employers on the skills and attributes they require in the workplace. 

Watch the Work Stories trailer and learn more about the programme here