Free Cornwall Courses Could Give Young Jobseekers an Edge

Free Cornwall Courses Could Give Young Jobseekers an Edge

What if a free course could put something extra on your CV that local employers actually want to see? That’s the promise behind a new tie-up between Healthy Cornwall and Cornwall Council aimed at 16 to 25 year olds who are out of work and looking for a way in.

The partnership links Healthy Cornwall’s wellbeing programmes with the council’s Digital Badges scheme, letting young people earn formally recognised badges for skills picked up outside the classroom.

What the badges actually recognise

The badges are designed to capture the kind of attributes that don’t always show up on a school report. Things like teamwork, leadership potential, self-confidence and people skills, all of which are described as highly valued by local employers.

Healthy Cornwall is running a series of Healthy Lifestyles Digital Badges, earned by taking part in free wellbeing-focused training sessions, workshops and an initial health assessment. Collect five badges and learners are awarded a Healthy Lifestyles Milestone Badge, which signals to employers that the holder has developed knowledge and skills supporting both physical and mental wellbeing.

How it works for jobseekers

Participants store and share their badges through the My Skills Pass platform, which lets them drop them onto CVs, LinkedIn profiles and job applications. The idea is to give young people something tangible to show for the work they’ve put in.

Ally Green, Workforce and Training Team Lead for Healthy Cornwall, said the scheme recognises real-life skills that often go unrecorded.

“This partnership with Cornwall Council’s Digital Badges initiative allows us to recognise the real-life skills and personal development that young people gain through our health and wellbeing programmes. Digital badges give participants something tangible to share with future employers, while reinforcing positive health behaviours,” Ally said.

Helen Palmer-Brown, Cornwall Council’s Digital Badges Co-ordinator, said the approach goes beyond traditional learning.

“Digital badges are a powerful way to recognise learning beyond the classroom. Working with Healthy Cornwall ensures that young people in Cornwall can build both employability skills and wellbeing resilience, supporting long-term positive outcomes,” Helen said.

More badges on the way

Cornwall Council frames the collaboration as part of a wider push to reduce health inequalities and support economic participation across the Duchy.

Stacey Sleeman, Head of Growth & Skills at Cornwall Council, said this is just the start.

“I’m pleased that our investment in Digital Badges has resulted in the first badges from this Partnership. As we gain momentum, additional skills and employability digital badges will become available in Cornwall via our partners, acknowledging individual accomplishments and supporting pathways to work, learning and wellbeing,” Stacey said.

Full details on the courses and how to sign up are on the Healthy Cornwall Digital Badges page.