Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the programme offers all East Herts residents and businesses free access to a wide range of online courses through the SEEDL platform. These include sector-specific training, IT skills, customer service, and professional development webinars – ideal for those looking to enter work, upskill, or take the next step in their careers. Most courses are available both live and on-demand, offering the flexibility to fit around busy schedules.
Businesses will also be supported via the Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal (HOP) – Hertfordshire Futures’ skills and employment service – where they will be matched with a dedicated adviser. The adviser will assess their skills needs, develop a tailored action plan, and help them connect with education, employment and training solutions.
The campaign also marks the return of HOP’s popular Generation Hertford and Stortford Careers Fairs, in partnership with Hertfordshire Careers Hub, Hertfordshire Futures, and East Herts District Council. Designed for young people aged 15–18, the events give pupils the opportunity to explore potential career paths and meet with local employers. This year’s fairs will take place at Beam in Hertford on 7 October and the Herts and Essex Sports Hall in Bishop’s Stortford on 26 November. These will also include twilight sessions for the general public to speak with local businesses about job opportunities and training.
Vicky Glover-Ward, Executive Member for Planning and Growth at East Herts Council, said: “This is about opening up possibilities for school pupils, people looking to get back into work, and those who want to boost their career. We also know that upskilling and maintaining time-limited qualifications are a challenging landscape for businesses to manage, funding this one-on-one support takes the burden off SMEs so they can focus on growing their core business.”
Caroline Carwright, Head of Skills at Hertfordshire Futures, said: “The Hertfordshire Opportunities team, part of Hertfordshire Futures, are delighted to be supporting East Hertfordshire businesses, residents and schools through our skills, employment, and careers programmes. Our service will address local skills demand and enable residents to enhance their career prospects, support businesses with quality training and development opportunities and inspire the next generation of young people through our Generation careers fairs.”
This work is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) 2025-26, which continues to focus on building pride in place and increasing life chances across the UK, with an emphasis on local investment to kickstart economic growth and promote opportunities. The fund is structured around three main investment priorities: Communities & Place, Supporting Local Business, and People & Skills.
Residents can begin accessing SEEDL courses at: www.seedl.com/o/easthertsresidentshub
Businesses can access SEEDL courses at: www.seedl.com/o/easthertsdistrictcouncil and register for support from a skills adviser via the HOP website.
