2025 marks a major milestone: 25 years of the our bursary scheme. In 2000, City and Guilds of London Institute celebrated its Charter Centenary by awarding 100 bursaries and since then the programme has helped thousands of people overcome financial and personal barriers to access the training they need to move forward in life and work.
At its heart, the bursary programme embodies the City & Guilds Foundation’s values: creating opportunities for everyone to succeed, no matter who they are or where they come from. For a quarter of a century, it has opened doors for people who might otherwise be locked out of learning, employment or access to training for job and career progression.
Refocusing support where it’s needed most
In 2020, the programme was strengthened to ensure bursaries deliver the greatest possible social impact. The focus shifted towards:
- Individuals facing significant financial hardship
- People experiencing barriers to work
- Training aligned to critical skills shortages in the UK
- Courses most likely to lead to sustainable employment.
Most awards given range from £2,500 to £5,000, and recipients also benefit from repurposed technical equipment, ensuring more of the funding can directly support course fees and essential costs.
Measurable impact
Over the past five years alone, the bursary programme has delivered extraordinary results including:
- £1.21 million invested directly into people’s futures
- 433 individuals supported
- 71% of recipients progressed into work
- £5.87 million in social value created
- £4.83 return for every £1 spent.
Behind every statistic is a person with a story to tell. Someone building a new career, supporting a family or stepping into learning for the first time in years.
Take bursary recipient Mia who found herself without work due to a decline in the new-build property sector. She decided to pivot and train to become a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) but couldn’t afford the training costs. She said:
“Being without a job with bill risings at a time when I wanted to work was frustrating and daunting. I felt tied without having the relevant certification and the bursary removed this blockage for me.”
Following the completion of her training, Mia is now an accredited DEA and conducts EPC assessments in her local area.
Reaching those who need it most
Bursary recipients reflect the diversity of communities and experiences across the UK. Looking at recipient beneficiaries from the past five years:
- 51% were unemployed at the point of applying
- 1 in 4 had been out of work for over three years
- 86% of those in employment were earning under £25,000
- 63% were aged 30–50
- 30% had a known disability
- Represented at least 16 different ethnic backgrounds
- 12% identify as LGBTQ+.
Research shows that without financial support, people with lower earnings or unstable work are the least likely to progress in a labour market that increasingly rewards those who already have advantage. Our bursaries ensure the people most at risk of being left behind can access the skills the economy desperately needs.
Having worked on our bursary programme for over a decade, I’ve seen first-hand the impact it can have. For many of the individuals we support, a bursary isn’t just financial help, it’s a turning point in their lives. Access to training remains a significant barrier for those facing the greatest challenges, and our programme helps to level the playing field by opening doors to opportunities that may otherwise have remained out of reach.
Ripple effect
The programme touches the lives of more than just its recipients and their families. Volunteer interviewer from City & Guilds Ltd, Amanda shares why she wanted to be involved:
“I volunteered to support the bursary programme to experience it in action and gain a better understanding of the opportunities and benefits it could bring. By taking part I realised the scale of the difference the programme can make to recipients, including transforming their futures and renewing their sense of purpose, providing the opportunity to restart their career or perhaps pursue a totally different career pathway.”
Our commitment
At the City & Guilds Foundation, we’re committed to ensuring that opportunities to skills and work remain accessible especially to those who need them most. By continuing to invest in people facing barriers to work, we’re supporting a stronger workforce and a more inclusive future for everyone.