Bath College invites 500 unemployed residents to Jobcentre Takeover Day

Bath College welcomed around 500 unemployed people to a special Jobcentre Takeover Day designed to connect local residents with education, apprenticeships and employment support.

The event, held on 4 March, aimed to help adults in Bath and the wider Somerset area explore new career pathways while supporting efforts to reduce unemployment and strengthen the local economy.

The initiative forms part of a national programme running during AoC National Colleges Week and National Careers Week. The Jobcentre Takeover model, originally developed by Weston College, brings together colleges and Jobcentre Plus to offer practical careers advice, skills guidance and routes into employment for people currently out of work.

Bath College was one of several institutions taking part this year, alongside Weston College, New City College London, Northampton College and Middlesbrough College Group.

During the event, visitors were able to receive one-to-one careers advice, explore apprenticeship opportunities and sign up for adult learning courses.

Laura Joy, Apprenticeships Recruitment and Onboarding Co-ordinator at Bath College, shared one example of how the event helped someone take a positive step forward.

“A young individual came to the takeover who had been out of work for four years,” she said. “After discussing his customer service experience and the challenges he’d faced in the current job market, I directed him to our latest apprenticeship opportunities.

“One vacancy at Curo aligns closely with his skills and ambitions, and he has already applied. It’s a clear example of how expert guidance can help people regain confidence and move closer to sustainable employment.”

Kelly, Head of Adult Skills at Bath College, said the day saw strong engagement from attendees.

“We saw multiple course sign-ups and created personalised career plans for plenty of adults who were looking for guidance,” she said.

“Our Hair and Beauty students were also busy delivering treatments, offering a moment of self-care that many attendees said they rarely experience. A few people became emotional about having access to something so simple yet meaningful, which highlights how important it is to remove barriers and make support accessible.”

The event helped many attendees explore new opportunities in education and employment, with organisers hoping the initiative will continue to help bridge the gap between unemployment and meaningful work across the region.