Be Ready
Flexible online courses that fit around learners, organisations and modern workforce development.
- Getting into work is often just the first step
- Having the skills, confidence and opportunities to progress is another
- Be Ready brings together qualifications, skills development and flexible learning to support learners from foundations to employment and progression
What stands in the way of progression?
The route from education into work isn't straightforward
For many learners, moving from education into sustainable employment is hard. Recent Department for Education research following young people beyond compulsory education shows how persistent these challenges can be. These aren't just statistics: they show how difficult it can be to turn participation in education and training into sustained progression.
- 82%
Likelihood of experiencing NEET again
Young people who were NEET at both 16 and 17 had an 82% likelihood of experiencing NEET again between 18 and 21.
- 22% vs 42%
reaching Level 6+ by age 25
By 25, 22% of learners eligible for free school meals had achieved a Level 6+ qualification, compared with 42% of those who had not.
- 15% vs 42%
reaching Level 6+ with SEN
For learners with SEN, 15% had achieved a Level 6+ qualification by 25, compared with 42% of learners without SEN.
There's no single journey to becoming work ready
Not all learners are at the same starting point. There isn't one barrier, so there can't be one solution
- Engage learners who are further from the labour market
- Improve progression into employment
- Strengthen English, maths and essential skills
- Build confidence and workplace behaviours
- Respond to changing digital and AI skills needs
- Connect provision more closely with employer demand
- Create clearer routes from learning into work and further progression
The Be Ready framework
Different journeys, one goal: progression
Rather than starting with a product, we start with what you're trying to achieve. Be Ready brings together NOCN qualifications, skills development and flexible learning through three stages, so you can build the right journey around your learners.
Ready to Learn
Build stronger foundations. Support learners to develop the essential skills, knowledge and confidence they need to progress, from English and maths to life skills, personal development and flexible learning.
Ready to Work
Turn learning into opportunity. Help learners develop the employability skills, behaviours, digital capabilities and sector knowledge they need to take their next step into work.
Ready to Grow
Keep progression going. Support people beyond their first step into employment through apprenticeships, upskilling, professional development and flexible learning.
One approach, built around your learners
Different ways of supporting progression
Build provision around the needs of your learners, rather than fitting every learner into the same route.
Recognised qualifications
Build knowledge, skills and progression through NOCN qualifications across essential skills, employability and a wide range of sectors.
Essential and employability skills
Help learners develop the practical skills, confidence and behaviours that support progression into further learning and work.
Flexible digital learning
Use short, accessible MicroLens learning to develop targeted skills in as little as 10 to 15 minutes.
Clearer progression pathways
Connect learning with the next opportunity, from further study and apprenticeships to employment and continued development.
Let's create stronger routes to progression
Tell us what you're trying to achieve
You don't need to know which qualification, programme or learning route you need. Our team will work with you to understand your learners and priorities, and explore how Be Ready could support your existing provision, address gaps and create stronger routes into work and progression.