Skills and employability

Top ten skills employers look for 

We worked with businesses and learning providers to explore the top ten skills and abilities that make a difference. These are:

• having a positive attitude
• being motivated and committed
• having ambition and goals
• bouncing back after challenges
• working as a team
• being understanding and building relationships
• reading, writing and communication skills
• confidence with numbers and everyday maths
• digital skills
• being able to problem solve.

We can help you to build these skills and reflect on them so you can talk about them at interviews.

Find out more about how you can improve your top ten skills an employer looks for.

Starting your learning journey 

There are many opportunities in Barnsley to develop new skills. Some may involve training so you can get hands on. Others might include courses or classes to gain qualifications. Our team can help you to find what's right for you and support you to access these opportunities.

Getting started with work 

Many people can find the recruitment process overwhelming. Our advisors can help at each step of the way. They have lots of knowledge and experience which can make a big difference.

Preparing to search

Before you start to look for jobs, our advisors can help you to explore what's available. They will help you to understand your skills and abilities and identify training, learning or support that might help you to achieve your goals.

You might feel like you'd like to work, but there are reasons that make it difficult. They can help you to find local options, like childcare, housing support, benefits advice or other support that could make this easier.

Finding opportunities

If you're ready to start the job search process, our advisors can help you. We can look at your current skills and how they can apply to where you'd like to work. They have knowledge of the jobs market and different job opportunities. They can offer a range of support, including help to:

• search for jobs that work for you and your skills
• understand the skills and requirements of the jobs you're looking for
• understand the language that's used in the process or in job adverts
• write CVs or job applications so you can highlight your skills and experience.

Interviews

Once you've applied for the jobs that you're interested in, our advisors can help you to prepare for the interviews. They can:

• help you to prepare with tips for the process
• support you to feel confident and ready to talk about your skills
• identify any other support that works for you so access opportunities and complete the process
• support you at job interviews if required.

Getting ready to start

When you've accepted a job offer, it can be a big change to adapt to. Our advisors are here to support you, so you can enjoy a smooth transition.

They might help you with costs for equipment you need, or general advice on how to manage the process. Many people find that having a supportive advisor to talk things through with can help.

Growing your skills while you work 

When you're settled in to your job, you can speak to an advisor about option to grow your skills and employability. This might be through learning or training. Sometimes, it's opportunities to strengthen your skills or explore new ones.

This helps people to change jobs, get better pay or find a role that suits their life. It doesn't matter if you got your job with help from an advisor, or if it's the first time you've spoken to our team.

Green Skills 

If you're interested in getting started in developing future-thinking green skills, we can help.

Green skills are the knowledge, abilities, values, and attitudes that are needed to reduce the impact that people, communities and businesses have on the environment.

These skills are essential in sectors that will play a major role in reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. As the country works towards a net zero future, demand for green skills is growing.

Talented, skilled and qualified people are required to keep up with the demand in these growing sectors.

If you’d like to learn more, we can help you to explore opportunities for green skills.

We can also support you to develop your skills and abilities in these areas.

Volunteering 

Our team can help you to discover how volunteering opportunities could charge new skills, abilities and possibilities.

Volunteering is a powerful way to give back to your community, support causes you care about, and make a positive impact on the world.

But did you know it's also an excellent avenue for personal and professional development?

By volunteering, you can use your existing skills and learn new ones. These can make a difference in your everyday life. If you’re looking for work, they can also enhance your employability.

We can also support volunteers to access training and development options to grow their abilities in their role.

Starting your own business 

If you're starting your own business in Barnsley, Launchpad can help. They provide fully-funded support for start-ups and businesses with up to ten employees.

Support with redundancy 

If you’re facing redundancy, our team of advisors can help. We offer one-to-one support to help you to progress with work. Speak to an advisor for support with applying for work and the application process. You can explore learning or development options that could make a difference. We work in partnership with other service providers, so you can access what’s right for you.