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Preparation for Employment

bemix

Office 44. Canterbury Innovation Centre. , University Road, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7FG.

Functional Skill

Not Set

Available start dates

Saturday, 06 September 2025

bemix

1 Year(s)

Full time

Daytime/working hours

Available start dates

Saturday, 06 September 2025

bemix (Chatham)

1 Year(s)

Full time

Daytime/working hours

Available start dates

Saturday, 06 September 2025

bemix (Gravesend)

1 Year(s)

Full time

Daytime/working hours

Available start dates

Saturday, 06 September 2025

bemix (Sittingbourne)

1 Year(s)

Full time

Daytime/working hours

Please contact the provider directly to apply for this course.

Course Summary

Preparation for Employment is a full-time programme for you as a young person with learning difficulties and/or autism (with an EHCP) and is about preparing you for the world of work through enterprise activities, work experience, employer visits, Functional Skills and more.

We aim to provide EPIC opportunities, which stands for: Each Person's Individual Career opportunities. This means, we work with you to identify what you want to learn. For example, developing your confidence, work related skills and identifying what career paths you want to focus on. This is a pre-internship year and suitable for you if you need more support to prepare for the world of work before going into a Supported Internship year.

Course Details

Full time, 600 hour programme

When you start in September, you'll spend 3 days a week learning in our venues. These 3 days include:

A functional skills day

A job club and vocational qualifications day

An enterprise day

6-8 hours a week will be in an interim work placement, with the aim to develop team working skills, communication, time management, following instructions, taking individual responsibility and initiative. Developing confidence in a work environment is key for preparing you for the Supported Internships year.

In January, the Job Club will stop and the days in the workplace may increase.

Work placements:

The most important thing is that you will try your best in the workplace! You'll be supported all the way by the employer and a bemix work coach will settle you in and be available to support you if you need more help. If you want to join the Supported Internships programme with bemix the following year, we will start working with you during the Preparation for Employment year. This will include you attending interviews with employers and work taster days, so that you have a work placement ready to start with a potential paid job opportunity the following year.

If we identify you are ready to go into paid employment in the Preparation for Employment year, we will work with you to explore this opportunity.

Functional skills:

We offer Entry 1 - Level 2 in English and Maths, and the curriculum is designed to help you use Maths and English in the real world of work, as well as having a bank account, managing money and developing confidence in debating interesting topics. All of which are important skills in the workplace.

Job Club and Vocational Qualifications:

We will work with you to understand the impact Covid-19 has had in the workplace and you will get support to get Health and Safety qualifications alongside other Vocational Qualifications. We will support you to develop your working life skills, including preparing for work in the morning, understanding unwritten rules in the workplace and how to work effectively as part of a team.

Enterprise day:

With start up funding of £100 for each member of your team, you ll be supported to start and run a business as a team over the year, with the goal of generating and reinvesting profits. You will develop an understanding of how businesses work and this can support you to develop self employment skills as well as taking this learning into your work placement.

Travel training:

We can support you to gain independence in travelling to your work placement.

How will it be delivered and assessed?

There are end of unit assessments and end of year assessments, allowing you to gain Functional Skills qualifications with the NCFE awarding body.

You will also have monthly reviews with your Work Coach and employer to review your progress in your work placement.

Entry requirements

Young people living in Canterbury, Swale, Medway and Gravesham

Must have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

Be aged 16 - 24

No entry requirements but you must want to move towards being employed at the end of the programme.

Your next steps...

A natural progression will be into our Supported Internships year. However, if you want to move on from bemix we will work with you to find an alternative onward destination.

Preparation for Employment is perfect for young people with a learning difficulty and/or autism who want to work and move on from education. This is a course for those who learn best by "doing".

Additional information

https://www.bemix.org

To book please visit: https://www.bemix.org/referrals

For more courses like this, check our courses page.