Distance learning provider launches The Big Help Out to aid those in need and is appealing for UK businesses to help out too

Distance learning provider, Open Study College, has this week unveiled its latest community initiative, designed to offer direct support to those who have been impacted by the effects of COVID; The Big Help Out.

This has seen the launch of:

A career kick-start programme

Full and part-funded scholarships

Tech pack giveaways (Coming soon)

A support initiative for businesses and their employees

Free mental health resources from Mind

The career kick-start scheme is aimed to provide the support for those students taking the first step to get back on their feet, back into work. It offers free CV critiques, a downloadable skills guide packed with tips and advice to aid interview preparation, and career guides to help people find out essential information about certain professions to determine whether it’s the right career path for them.

Open Study College has also partnered with recruitment specialist, SimkissGuy Recruitment, who will offer job hunting support across a range of sectors to further help people back into work.

A full and part-funded scholarship programme, has also been introduced today (9th October) to enable those most in need to upskill themselves or give them the skills to change their career and secure future employment opportunities*. In addition, the online learning provider will also be running a promotion to provide free tech packs to support those who don’t have the technology to complete online studies or their job search.

Latest YouGov research suggests that more than a third of companies are planning to make redundancies in the next three months. For organisations in this position, Open Study College is offering support, for these businesses and those affected employees, whether that be through providing courses as part of enhanced redundancy packages or working with employees to help them with their next career steps.**

In addition, to mark World Mental Health Day (10th October), Open Study College is working with the charity Mind to offer free downloadable resources for anyone who might be looking for some extra support with their mental health during this time.

The online training provider is also appealing to businesses in the UK to unite with them and get involved in The Big Help Out, and pledge their support where possible; whether they are actively recruiting and have vacancies to fill, or are able to sponsor or part-fund a training scholarship or online course. Companies in a position to help just need to email Director of Marketing, Sadie Cooper on [email protected] to get involved.

CEO at Open Study College, Samantha Rutter, comments: “Over the past few months we’ve been inundated with enquiries from people looking to find out how they could retrain in a totally different industry after theirs was impacted so severely as a result of Covid.

“Once we began talking to people we learnt more about the worry that came with retraining, and of starting all over again in these current uncertain times. We learnt of the fears surrounding how they would take care of their families, and as a family owned and run business that really struck a chord with us, which is why we decided to launch The Big Help Out.

“We absolutely want to help people, to equip them with new skills so that they can find work. Some of our students may be fresh out of school, whilst others may have joined us after working for the past 20 years. Either way, with such a competitive job market at the moment, it can make a big difference to have a new skill, expert help polishing their CV, or to pick the brains of a recruitment professional to find out how job hunting in 2020 works!

“We’re doing what we can but welcome the involvement of other businesses to join forces with us and offer their support to help more people, whatever form that may take. Covid is something that has impacted the whole world, which is why it’s so important that we work together now to help those that need it most.”