New Skills Hub for Nuneaton town centre

A new Skills Hub in Nuneaton has officially opened in a converted former pub in Abbey Street.

PET-Xi Training has launched its Skills Hub in the former Pig & Whistle in the town centre to make it easier for local people to access support to secure employment and better-paid jobs.

PET-Xi Training will run its Positive Futures and Employment Support schemes, co-funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority, the European Social Fund, Warwickshire County Council and PET-Xi, from its new location to reach its target of helping over 1,000 people find work or secure a place at college.

Warwickshire County Council's Skills for Employment programme is pumping £275,000 into the programme over three years.

Representatives from Skills for Employment, the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the Department for Work and Pensions were among those who attended the official launch.

The PET-Xi vocational team will be working with employers, colleges and training providers to focus on young people, disabled people and other vulnerable groups through its specific job advice sessions and specialist support.

An ITQ suite has been installed to increase skills as part of the wider West Midlands Combined Authority Digital Strategy by teaching highly-employable IT skills in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel and IT security.

Cllr Colin Hayfield, Portfolio Holder for Education and Learning at Warwickshire County Council, told those attending the official opening that this was a brilliant project by PET-Xi Training involving different partners.

He said: "As part of the county council's education and employment strategy, we have prioritised working with partners to tackle the issue of young people who are not in, or at risk of not being in, learning or employment. This Hub, in an area where there is a high proportion of young people at risk of not being in learning or employment, ties in with our strategy of providing services where they are most needed.

“This is an opportunity to raise expectations and increase confidence levels to encourage people to apply for jobs with the right support and training. I wish this project every success.”

Fleur Sexton, managing director of PET-Xi Training, which has its headquarters at the Westwood Business Park in Coventry, said that opening the new hub in Nuneaton was a fantastic opportunity to help more people.

“We want to help people regardless of their age to take the next step in their lives, whether that is a better-paid job, securing an apprenticeship or gaining a place at college by helping them to secure the skills they need.

“Opening the PET-Xi Skills Hub will make it easier to engage with local residents and to encourage the communities themselves to use their existing social networks to help spread the word about the opportunities and support there is available.”