City & Guilds Foundation

Our Mission:

Removing barriers to getting a job, celebrating best practice on the job, and advocating for jobs of the future.

2023 Recipients Announced!

 

We are pleased to announce the 53 recipients of the Princess Royal Training Awards in 2023!

From small not-for-profit organisations to large multinational employers, this year’s recipients continue to be refreshingly diverse and increasingly innovative in their approach to learning and development.

Neurodiversity Index Report

 

Supporting neurodivergent employees in the workplace:

Our new research has found that employers are currently failing to support neurodivergent employees, and there is currently a lack of training available and awareness in most workplaces.

Refugee Toolkit

 

Unlocking a Waiting Workforce:

This new toolkit developed with The Launchpad Collective has been designed to help your business feel more confident hiring people from refugee backgrounds.

What We Offer

 

Supporting people who face barriers to developing skills and sustaining employment:

We seek to tackle these challenges and maximise our impact through the provision of Funding, Awards, Resources and Campaigning.

About Us

Innovate, Celebrate and Evaluate:

Each of the programmes we run act as a catalyst for us to make a difference to people, organisations and society through investing our surplus into helping everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, get opportunities to succeed.

Get Involved

Working with individuals, charities and employers:

The City & Guilds Foundation aims to innovate, celebrate and evaluate opportunities that make a real difference in people’s lives, supporting everyone to succeed, no matter who they are or where they come from.

City & Guilds Foundation logo

Removing barriers to getting a job, celebrating best practice on the job, and advocating for jobs of the future.

With a focus on high-impact social investment, recognition and advocacy programmes, the City & Guilds Foundation aims to innovate, celebrate and evaluate opportunities that make a real difference in people’s lives, supporting everyone to succeed, no matter who they are or where they come from. The Foundation is a catalyst for providing opportunities in skills and work, delivering against our purpose and amplifying what we do across the wider City & Guilds organisation.

8000+

individuals directly supported since 2017

Individuals

We are dedicated to providing support to people facing barriers or disadvantage, allowing individuals to develop their skills for life and work regardless of their background.
250+

partner organisations in our networks

Charities

We provide financial backing for charities supporting people on the ground day in and day out, and through our networks, we help charities who support people to find the relevant skills provision.
450+

organisations championing best practice

Employers

We work with many diverse organisations, generating industry relationships, bringing together networks, providing funding, celebrating best practice and inspiring change.

What we offer

Supporting people who face barriers to developing skills and sustaining employment is at the heart of our work. We seek to tackle these challenges and maximise our impact through the provision of Funding, Awards, Resources and Campaigning.

We provide Funding for training to help those with limited financial means to return to work or develop and progress in their career.

We celebrate and share achievements and best practice through our Awards.

We enhance awareness through our Campaigning, championing inclusion & diversity, neurodiversity, youth engagement and the challenges of digital poverty.

We deliver a range of Resources, including platforms, tools and content, to educate, support and inspire.

Funding

Helping people to secure and sustain employment, we provide funding for training to displaced people, former offenders and people from lower socio-economic groups. We aim to enhance opportunities for labour market progression and meaningful employment, changing lives and creating a more equal society.

Resources

Delivering platforms, tools and content to educate, support and inspire, we provide a wealth of information, advice and guidance, and an array of valuable opportunities for knowledge and skills development, benefitting people, organisations and wider society.

Awards

Dedicated to recognising and rewarding quality and excellence, we promote the acknowledgement, appreciation and celebration of individuals and organisations who demonstrate commitment and investment in skills development, via a number of prestigious awards.

Campaigning

Our campaigns seek to remove barriers and challenge perceptions which negatively impact on work and skills development opportunities for marginalised groups. Our campaigns are far-reaching: championing inclusion & diversity, neurodiversity, youth engagement, employment for refugees, and underlining the challenges of digital poverty.

Businesses and organisations

With a commitment to sharing knowledge and driving forward skills for growth, City & Guilds Foundation works with thousands of organisations, generating industry relationships, bringing together networks, matching funding, celebrating best practice and inspiring change.

With a commitment to sharing knowledge and driving forward skills for growth, City & Guilds Foundation works with thousands of organisations, generating industry relationships, bringing together networks, matching funding, celebrating best practice and inspiring change.

Our Team

We’re very proud of all our people who make a real difference in a wide variety of roles. Our hard-working team are committed to supporting and actively promoting the work of the City & Guilds Foundation and without their dedication, the work that happens across the Foundation wouldn’t be possible.

Our Committee

The Foundation Committee provides strategic guidance and direction to make sure that the City & Guilds Foundation can make the most impact possible. Committee members are Trustees, Council members and industry experts who have a wealth of experience and a passion for helping improve people’s lives through skills development.

Our Theory of Change

Based on City & Guilds’ purpose of helping people, organisations and economies to develop their skills for growth, our Theory of Change enables consistent understanding and reporting of social impact through assessing what difference the Foundation is making to people, organisations and wider society.

Our Heritage

As a registered charity with over 140 years of experience working with people, organisations and economies, we understand the life-changing link between skills development, social mobility, prosperity and success. We’re proud of our past and excited for our future.

Celebrating the impact of learning and development

At the heart of City & Guilds is our purpose which has skills development deep rooted in it. And through the Foundation one of our jobs is to celebrate where really...

Introducing the newly formed Young Learner Advisory Team

In a bold step towards ensuring that learners experience and perspectives are at the heart of key decision-making processes here at City & Guilds, we are pleased to...

City & Guilds launches partnership with The Green Edge

We are excited to announce a new collaboration with sustainable business analysts, The Green Edge, to produce a bespoke podcast series, designed to help us respond to the latest developments in green skills markets.

Eliminating barriers to employment in the green sector

Creating and filling green jobs is crucial if the UK is to meet its target to deliver a net-zero economy by 2050 (Green Jobs Taskforce, 2021). Green jobs help to protect and...

Foundation & Friends Monthly Round-up: August 2023

As we prepare to bid farewell to the sunny-ish days of summer here in the UK, let’s take a moment to reflect on some exciting developments that have taken place over the last month. From new milestones to impactful projects – here’s a snapshot of what’s been happening.