Skills and Opportunities at Devon County Show Success
Learn Devon celebrated a successful visit to the Devon County Show in May, engaging with visitors and highlighting the importance of skills and training to support the county’s future economy.
Across the three-day event, the Learn Devon team spoke to visitors about training opportunities, employment support and the skills needed to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
As part of the wider Devon County Council stand, Learn Devon shared a space withn Train for Tomorrow, Connect to Work and the Employment Hubs so that all services could talk about the support available to individuals and businesses.
A popular feature of the stand was an interactive brick-stacking activity, which was well-received by visitors of all ages.
The activity invited participants to ‘Build Devon’s Economy’ by selecting sectors they believed were most important to Devon. This provided a fun and engaging way to open discussions about local skills shortages and how Devon County Council is able to support people into employment and with career changes.
Staff reflected positively on the impact of this approach. One team member explained: ‘The soft brick activity gave us an effective way to engage people who might not otherwise start a conversation. It helped create meaningful discussions about skills, training and employment support, while also bringing colleagues together and strengthening partnerships across services.’
The event also created valuable opportunities to connect with partner organisations. Several attendees were surprised to learn that Learn Devon offers free courses for employers, prompting conversations around training for charity shop workers, emergency services staff and managers looking to upskill.
In addition, members of the team met with local councillors, including Councillor Julian Brazil (pictured), Councillor Dan Thomas, Chair Councillor Caroline Leaver and Councillor James Grainger, helping to strengthen relationships and showcase the impact of adult learning across Devon.
Overall, the Devon County Show provided an excellent platform for Learn Devon connect with local residents and promote adult learning opportunities across the county.
Contacting our team
If you would like to improve your skills or gain qualifications, get in touch with our friendly team who can talk to you about what is available.
Read about our Good OFSTED inspection result from September 2023 here.