Wakefield Council recognised for its dedicated employment support service
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Wakefield Council has been recognised by The Institute of Employability Professionals (IEP) for its commitment to a high-quality, professional employment support service.
Step-Up is the Council’s flagship employment and skills service. Becoming a Corporate Partner of the IEP will give the team access to high-quality learning, a supportive professional community, and training opportunities.
“It’s great to see our Step-Up team take this step forward in the development of our service – it will help them to provide even better support to our local community.
“Step Up has already achieved so much and helped so many people find work or improve their skills. By raising our standards even further, we’ll be able to deliver even better outcomes for our residents.”
Cllr Jack Hemingway
Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth
The Council will be supporting 20 experienced employability professionals to become IEP Members. Staff will have access to training to support their professional development, and the IEP will provide resources to allow their skills to be formally recognised.
This IEP award provides solid sector knowledge and best practice guidance, making it an ideal platform for upskilling and progression towards accredited qualifications through the IEP Learning Academy.
Step-Up was launched in 2019 and was the subject of a Social Value report carried out by independent company ‘More Than Outputs’ in 2024. It found the total social value of the programme had exceeded £55million in the three years to 31 March 2024.
This means for every £1 invested in the Step-Up programme a return of £9.40 was achieved in the 23/24 financial year - increasing from £7.32 achieved in the financial years between 2021 and 2023.
By helping people get into work or return to work, Step-Up continues to improve residents’ financial stability, confidence and resilience whilst reducing anxiety and isolation. That also generates increased revenue for the Government to deliver local public services and gives people more money to spend which supports the local economy.
The programme is available to all residents regardless of employment status, age or geographical location and aims to ensure that ‘no resident is left behind’.
For more information about Wakefield Council’s Step-Up programme, please visit: www.wakefield.gov.uk/stepup
Wakefield district is a UNESCO Global Learning City, meaning it’s officially recognised for its efforts to promote lifelong learning. As a UNESCO Global Learning City, Wakefield can learn from other cities around the world and has access to information that will help shape future decision-making. Investing in local people will provide Wakefield with an established, skilled, regional workforce.
A detailed study is currently being conducted by the Wakefield Futures Commission to ensure residents across the district have access to the skills and qualifications needed to obtain high-quality well-paid jobs. Their findings are expected to be published in September. Find out more at https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/regeneration/wakefield-futures