Skills Bootcamps careers – upskilling Surrey

Published 5 March 2025

Skills and workforce, Surrey Success Stories

A passion for change

After nine years in retail, Claudia was driven by a passion to change how excess and unwanted products were managed within her organisation. This led her to enrol in a Sustainability Skills Bootcamp, eager to dive into Life Cycle Assessment and waste management for a more sustainable future.

She saw an Instagram ad from Surrey County Council. This perfectly aligned with her sustainability interests and sparked her decision to enrol.

The Skills Bootcamp journey: learning and thriving

The Skills Bootcamp journey allowed Claudia to juggle full-time work and study with the support of the training providers at Activate Learning.

“The instructors were fantastic, making complex topics accessible and engaging.”

Practical exercises were the star of the show. These enabled real-world application straight back into the workplace. Learning about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) was incredibly rewarding.

Career transformation and bright prospects

Completing the Skills Bootcamp was a game-changer. Claudia’s new skills and knowledge impressed at interview, leading to a role in a new company with an active approach to sustainability.

A brighter, sustainable future

The Skills Bootcamp has empowered Claudia with the expertise to make a significant impact in her career. She is now equipped to champion sustainable practices in her industry. This case study showcases the incredible potential of practical, targeted education in driving real-world change.

“I highly recommend the Surrey County Council Skills Bootcamp in Sustainability.

This well-structured course provides a great balance of theory and practical application – making it easy to integrate sustainability principles into both personal and professional settings.

The course offers valuable insight into the vast field of sustainability, helping you identify areas you may want to specialise in.

For me, it was a fantastic addition to my skillset, and it played a key role in helping me secure a new job with a company that has sustainability at its core.

This course truly allows you to demonstrate your commitment to this field – it is a great stepping stone for anyone looking to make a real impact!”

Fast-track learning for businesses

We offer Skills Bootcamps in sectors that are crucial to Surrey’s future economy.

Therefore, they can also be used by local businesses to upskill current employees at a discounted rate.

Large employers will need to contribute 30% of the cost. Small or medium employers (SMEs) will contribute 10%.

There is no cost to a business recruiting someone who has recently completed a Skills Bootcamp.

To find out more about the courses on offer, delivered through out training providers, visit the Skills Bootcamps website.

Please note that funding for the current round of courses runs until the end of March 2025. Therefore, some courses may now be unavailable or have reached capacity.

Support for Surrey businesses

Not quite the right fit for your business? Speak to our team of experts who can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.

You can also register to receive our newsletter, packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.

Two exciting new opportunities for creative businesses with CoSTAR network

Published 4 March 2025

Advice and support, Funding and grants, Innovation

CoSTAR network, the national R&D network serving the UK’s world-leading gaming, TV, film and performance sectors, has put out the call for creative businesses to apply to two new exciting opportunities: CoSTAR Ideate: Growth Lab and Residency, and CoSTAR Live Lab.

CoSTAR Ideate – creative technology

The CoSTAR Ideate call is open to 24 early growth companies in the creative technology sector. The programme will deliver enterprise and funding finance support from four of the new CoSTAR Network Labs.

The 24 successful companies will each benefit from a 5-month residency at one of the four CoSTAR Labs, (including desk and lab space). They will also receive business development guidance, lab time to enable product development, access to expert technical support and resources, and access to a community of like-minded start-ups and entrepreneurs from the creative technology sector.  And there are no fees to pay for any of this support.

Join an information session to find out more about Ideate and how to apply.

CoSTAR Live Lab – live performance

CoSTAR Live Lab, is inviting companies, technologists, and creatives to apply for their call to help shape the future of live performance.

While based at the world-renowned Production Park in Yorkshire – where icons like Beyoncé, Metallica and The Rolling Stones prepare for their world tours – this call is open to applications from across the UK.

This call invites applications from teams with creative R&D projects focussed on the live performance sector, looking for the opportunity to accelerate and advance their innovation activity.

The following support packages are available for the successful applicants:

up to two intensive one-week development sprints at the CoSTAR Live Lab. This includes on-boarding and orientation by the technical team.
research staff will guide and collaborate with you during the tenancy, with further ad-hoc support possible outside of the sprint windows.
cash funding of up to £13,000 to contribute towards costs in undertaking the project, such as contracting performers, interaction design, editing, consumables etc.
if a project requires a period of residency (two or more days) and if travel distance is more than two hours from that lab, a company stipend of up to £4,000 is available to support travel and accommodation.

To find out more about the CoSTAR Live Lab call, watch the recording of the information webinar here.

Application timings

Both calls are open to applicants across the UK.

Applications for CoSTAR Live Lab close on Thursday 20 March, 2025, and the CoSTAR Ideate call closes on Monday 24 March 2025, so click the links to find out more information and apply today.

Further support for Surrey businesses

Business Surrey is Surrey County Council’s service providing free and accessible support for all businesses across Surrey. Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on exploring opportunities and how to tackle various challenges.

Whatever your business, our experts are here to help you succeed by providing access to quality resources, expert local knowledge and professional insight.

Our offer incudes:

an easy-to-use support directory with more than 120 national and regional schemes.
one-to-one support by getting in touch with the team via our business support form.
list of events across Surrey to support networking and shared learning

You can also register to receive our regular newsletter, packed with the latest news on funding, events, free training and support for all Surrey businesses.