3 March 2026
Education to Employment – “one-stop shop” at Redbridge Institute
We are delighted to welcome Work Redbridge and Job Centre Plus to our campus in Gants Hill. Work Redbridge are Redbridge Council’s employment service and support residents with careers advice and guidance and JCP support jobseekers find work. Both services will now be co-located within Redbridge Institute of Adult Education, bringing employment support and adult skills together under one roof.
For residents, locating careers advice and Jobcentre Plus (JCP) services directly within Redbridge Institute provides a “one-stop shop” that streamlines the transition from education to employment. This integrated approach improves student outcomes, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Benefits for Redbridge residents will include:
- Increased Confidence: For adults returning to education after unemployment, the combined support helps build self-esteem and overcome anxieties about entering the workforce.
- Better Access to Retraining Opportunities: The partnership facilitates access to free training and courses, helping people retrain for work in growing industries and enhancing social mobility.
William Pickford, Principal of Redbridge Institute says “We take our role as an anchor institution very seriously and we have been working hard to make sure that our main campus in Gants Hill is a centre for our local community. As well as Work Redbridge and JCP, we are also home to a Redbridge Council Engagement Hub, Community Action Redbridge and we provide a hub space for care leavers. Two other specialist adult learning providers (Workers Education Association and Mary Ward Centre) also deliver courses from our building. Gants is geographically right in the middle of Redbridge, so we have tried try to maximise the use of our space and provide a one-stop shop for as many services as possible.”
