Message from Katharine

Hope you have all had a wonderful week so far! It has been lovely to see such great activity on the socials across the network with new product launches, celebrations of your learners’ achievements, and the impact of Apprenticeships for your employers 🙂

Get your fill of info below before a short break in comms from me as we lead into half-term break next week. For those of you taking a break, I hope you achieve some much-deserved R&R!

Essex Growth Agency – Weekly Funding News Bulletin:
In working with the Innovation Team at Essex County Council, I requested EPN be added to the distribution list for the Essex Growth Agency Weekly Funding News Bulletin so that this could be linked in our own newsletters. This will be really useful information to see what funding is available at a glance for your organisations and us as a member network, and for you to inform your employers (and even learners you work with looking for start up grants/funding).

This week’s edition features major schemes across frontier tech, AI skills, robotics, mobility innovation, security technologies, offshore wind, workforce development, and community impact.
View the latest bulletin HERE.

Help promote the Essex Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey
Essex Chamber of Commerce would be more than grateful if you complete and encourage your employer networks to complete the Q1 2026 Quarterly Economic Survey:

Unlock the Power of Your Voice with the British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey
Are you ready to make your business voice heard? Join thousands of companies across the UK in shaping the future of our economy by completing Q1 2026 of the British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey. Your insights are vital to understanding the real-world challenges and opportunities businesses face right now.

Why Participate?
Influence Policy: Your feedback directly informs government and policymakers, shaping decisions that impact the business landscape both locally and nationally.
Gain Insight: Receive the latest survey results and compare trends over time – stay ahead with real-time insight into the economic climate.
Support Local Advocacy: Your voice helps the Essex Chambers of Commerce campaign for the support and reforms businesses in our region need to thrive.

Every Voice Counts
Whether you’re a micro-business or multinational, your input strengthens the collective voice of the business community. The more responses we gather, the more powerful our message becomes.

Click here to complete the survey: Deadline 9^th March 2026

Free sessions from ETF for those of you supporting SEND learners:
SEND Session: Careers, PfA & SEND – Preparing Learners for Successful Adult Life
When: Thursday 12 February, 4–5pm – Live online.
What is it: This session supports post-16 teams to embed high-quality, holistic SEND provision that prepares learners effectively for adulthood.
Who is it for: This is for professionals working across post-16 education who have responsibility for, or influence over, provision for learners with SEND.
Sign up today.

SEND Session: Use of AI and Apps to Promote Independence
When: Thursday 26 February, 3.45–5pm –  Live online.
What is it: An exploration of different AI and Apps to promote independence for SEND learners.
Who is it for: The session is for practitioners and managers in post 16 settings to enable the sharing of good practice.
Join today.

For more SEND courses from the Education Training Foundation, view their learning platform HERE.

Debut Academy is expanding programmes for NEET learners into Brentwood.

Debut Academy are expanding its Debut Teens programmes across both hair and barbering in Brentwood. Practical, industry-led programmes for young people who don’t thrive in traditional classroom settings.

We are placing a stronger focus on engaging boys, who are often at a shortfall of suitable courses, can feel distanced from traditional education pathways, and may struggle to find provision that is practical, motivating, and industry-relevant.

We are therefore opening conversations around referrals for young people who would benefit from a hands-on, industry-led alternative to mainstream education, particularly those who are NEET, disengaged, or finding classroom settings challenging.

For more detail you can access the programme flyer HERE.
Get in touch to discuss referrals with kersti@debutgroup.co.uk

Essex Opportunities Website
In EPN Voices from 30^th Jan 2026, we highlighted the updates needed from members to ensure you are visible on the Essex Opportunities Website. Some of you have completed the form that was embedded to ensure your visibility, but not all. Don’t miss out!  The form is here as a reminder to be sent to tricia.seaman@essex.gov.uk.

Essex Opportunities website showcases training providers, Essex Training Providers and Further Education Colleges, promotes Events, advertises vacancies & learning opportunities and shares resources:

Resources for young people:
Apprenticeship Padlet resource for young people: The Apprenticeship Hub Padlet and the Essex Careers Padlet

Resources for adults:
For Adults aged 18+ The Essex Adult Careers Padlet- One stop shop to develop skills. We share websites, job vacancies, learning opportunities, Skills boot camps, events, and each month we shine the light on a specific sector. February is Education and a breadth of diverse job roles within the education sector. We promote businesses that support others into Self-employment, volunteering, gaining work experience, and promoting inclusive employers who encourage underrepresented groups to apply for jobs. We promote organisations that support veterans into employment or learning opportunities. We promote organisations that support those with a criminal record and organisations that can support Essex residents with financial issues, and display a benefits calculator.

ECC ask of EPN providers:

• Share with us your Apprenticeship vacancies and careers events.
• Share any learning opportunities or recruitment events for adults that we can promote on the Padlet. DWP are using our Padlet as well as other partners with their clients.

By emailing kaz.duffield@essex.gov.uk

London Gateway port recruitment event at Pathways
Pathways is hosting a recruitment event for Terminal Operative roles based at London Gateway port, Stanford-Le-Hope.

South Coast Port Services is working alongside DP World at the London Gateway port to provide services to their container operation and is looking to recruit around 500 new employees in the next year to get ready for the launch of Berth 5.

All that candidates require is the following:

• Hold a full UK Driving licence
• Be over the age of 18
• Happy to work 12-hour shifts  (day, nights, and weekends)
• Happy to work at heights

People attending the recruitment event at Pathways can speak with South Coast Port Services about the roles and hand in a CV. Candidates the company are interested in will then receive a call to get them booked onto the next available assessment day.

South Coast Port Services offers 40 spaces for candidates on each assessment day, during which they hold a health and safety assessment, and a height activity and strength activity. If they do well in those, South Coast Port Services then interview the candidates, going by personality and how they come across. If all 40 stand out, all will be offered a job.

South Coast Port Services says, “for us it’s about the right fit, personality, and someone who wants the job, as it’s tough at first getting used to 12-hour shifts, days, nights and weekends.”
Pathways is holding the recruitment event for the port in the entrance of the Basildon Centre, SS14 1DL, on Friday 27^th February, 11am-1pm.

Booking to attend is encouraged, do so here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/london-gateway-port-recruitment-event-tickets-1982954316741.
Your regularly scheduled Pathways Newsletter returns on Monday.

Till the next edition of EPN Voices on 27^th Feb, have a great couple of weeks! Any updates you’d like included, let me know by Tuesday 24th Feb, please.

Share your NAW2026 Highlights!

We hope you have all enjoyed National Apprenticeship Week! National Apprenticeship Week 2026 has been full of inspiring events across the sector. We’d love to hear what you have been up to, so make sure you drop Becca an email. This will be useful to the network for when we start planning NAW 2027 too.

Apprenticeships: What Businesses want

The British Chambers of Commerce is calling for the government to modernise the apprenticeship system in their new report ‘Apprenticeships: What Businesses want’. Recommendations include levy reform, investment‑focused skills spending, and using Local Skills Improvement Plans to future‑proof training. To read the report, please click here.

Future Voices Group Recruitment

Youth Futures Foundation is recruiting 18–24‑year‑olds for its paid Future Voices Group. Young people with lived experience of employment barriers can help shape national policy and youth employment programmes. Applications are open until Sunday 22^nd February, click here to share the opportunity.

BIG Apprentice Survey Report 2026 

The Association of Apprentices published the 2026 BIG Apprentice Survey Report, offering insights into learner experiences, challenges and priorities. Findings will inform future policy, programme design and support services across the apprenticeship landscape. Please click here to read the report.

Make It an Apprenticeship Campaign Launch

Youth Futures Foundation launched “Make It an Apprenticeship,” urging employers to expand Level 2 and 3 opportunities. The campaign promotes accessible entry routes, reducing barriers, and increasing training opportunities, backed by evidence, case studies, and sector guidance. Please click here to find out more.

Construction Firms Required to Offer Placements

New government rules require construction companies working on school and college projects to provide apprenticeships and T Level placements. The policy aims to create 13,000 opportunities by 2028 and to build the future skills pipeline. To read more, please click here.

New Apprenticeship ‘Clearance’ Pilot

Metro mayors will run a new apprenticeship brokerage pilot offering a “clearance‑style” system for apprenticeship applicants who narrowly miss out. The £140 million pilot aims to match young people with local alternatives. To read more, please click here.

Fast Track Apprenticeship Updates Announced

Ministers plan to cut approval times for apprenticeship updates and new short courses to as little as three months. The fast‑track process aims to meet urgent skills needs linked to major infrastructure projects, though specific programmes have not yet been identified. Please find out more here.

Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers

Entries are open for The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2026, recognising outstanding organisations across the UK. Employers can submit a short entry form before Friday 20th March. Results will be published this summer, so please share this opportunity widely. Please click here for more information.

Nominations Now Open!

Nominations are now open for the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards, celebrating the achievements of multicultural British apprentices, their employers and providers. The nomination deadline is Sunday 3rd May. For more information and to submit your nominations, please click here.