nextstep South West
Welcome to nextstep South West.
This is the website for the nextstep service provided in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, North Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Swindon, Wiltshire and Dorset.
A service of the Skills Funding Agency on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills’
Take the nextstep – take control of your future.
No matter where you start, nextstep is your stepping stone.
Improve your skills, your job, and your future –
let us show you how.
Do you need help to decide your next step in learning, skills and work?
The right advice is so important. nextstep is a free careers advice service for adults:
- aged 20 or more
- aged 18, who have been referred to nextstep by Jobcentre Plus with
permission from their Connexions Advisor
- aged 19, who have been referred to nextstep by Jobcentre Plus and
who are in receipt of benefits
If you are under the age of 20 Connexions can also give you guidance on courses, careers and more.
We offer a huge range of information and advice for adults to help improve skills and job prospects, whether in work or not.
Our friendly, experienced careers advisers are completely independent. Our advice is based on what’s best for you and get you started with the information you need. Check out the page: Find your nearest centre to make an appointment.
The aim of the website
The aim of this website is to provide you with the information you need about training, courses, how to find work, how to improve your skills and who can give extra help in your area. If you cannot find the information you need, you can get in touch by:
Other languages
If you would prefer to speak to an adviser in another language, visit the Careers Advice Service website
- Gujarati
- Punjabi
- Somali
- Sylheti
- Urdu
- Farsi
- Polish
- French
- Welsh
Your views make a difference to us at nextstep
We regularly ask customers for their views on the service we provide, outlined below are some of your suggestions we acted on to improve what we do.
You said
“why do we always have to be seen inside the Jobcentre as it’s not always very private”.
We set up additional private venues across the South West by co-locating within our subcontractor and other provider premises.
You said
‘I had no idea your service even existed. You should make people more aware of the service”.
We set up marketing events across the South West in a variety of easily accessible venues such as shopping centres and supermarkets where we managed to have contact with over 5000 people. We advertised on the local radio and in local newspapers at the time of these events.
You said
“I have not got access to the internet so why do people always tell me to visit this website or that when all I want is help with my C.V.”
We produced a CD rom that allows you to create your own C.V. at any time without the need for an internet connection.
You said
“I work 9 to 5 and cannot use the telephone at work why do you shut your line for appointments at 5pm?”
We extended the hours of our customer service line until 7pm each weekday to make it easier for those that work to be able to contact us to book an appointment.
You said
“I work from 9 until 5.30 and cannot get to see an advisor except at lunchtime but do not have transport, I can’t see how you can help me?”
We made an appointment to see you at your place of work during your lunchtime over a period of four weeks we saw you three times which helped you gain further knowledge of how you can progress in your current job.
You said
“A group of us on the night shift are being made redundant and our company says we can have time off to see an advisor during our shift can someone come in to see us?”
We arranged for advisors to come to your company on the nightshift to deliver some group sessions on interview techniques and C.V. building.
We continually make every effort to improve services so if you have an ideas on what we can do to make things better for you contact us on 08458 50 50 70 or visit our website at
www.nextstepsouthwest.org.uk where you will find a range of resources that can help you further.
