Work Ready Coach

RNN Group; Worksop; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local government pension

41 days annual leave

Gym access

Restaurants and salons

Wellbeing support

Free parking

Job summary

RNN Group is seeking a Work Ready Coach at North Notts College in Worksop to support 16+ NEET learners. You will design tailored, phased progression journeys from initial trust-building to opportunities in paid work, apprenticeships or further study.

You'll engage hard-to-reach young adults, craft individual development plans, and collaborate with internal teams and external agencies to enable successful transitions and long-term independence.

Qualifications

• Level 3 (or above) qualification in Youth Work, Coaching, Mentoring, Careers Guidance, or Education.
• Level 2 (or above) in English and Maths (Literacy & Numeracy).
• Full commitment to Safeguarding, Prevent, Data Protection, and FREDIE policies.
• Willingness to undertake relevant professional and statutory training.

Responsibilities

• Re-Engage the Hardest to Reach: Conduct sensitive outreach to identify hidden NEET young adults in Bassetlaw and provide a welcoming entry point into college life.
• Deliver Tailored Skill-Building: Co-create bespoke development plans that build self-esteem, communication, emotional resilience, and workplace skills.
• Dismantle Barriers to Action: Work one-to-one with participants to overcome routines and anxieties causing inactivity.
• Identify Bespoke Progression Pathways: Match participants to paid work, taster days, supported work trials, or further education.
• Ensure Sustained Success: Provide transitional mentoring as learners move into progression pathways.

Skills

Empathy

Communication

Outreach

Mentoring

Self-esteem coaching

Education

Level 3 Youth Work / Coaching

English & Maths Level 2

Safeguarding training

Job description

Work Ready Coach

Hours; Full time (37 hours each week, all year-round)

Duration; Temporary (31 August 2027)

Salary; £30,115 a year + benefits

Location; North Notts College, Worksop

About the Role

Are you an adaptive, empathetic, and inspiring practitioner who believes that every young person deserves a tailored path to success?

North Notts College (part of the RNN Group) is seeking a dedicated Work Ready Coach to play a pivotal operational role in delivering our EMCCA-funded Youth Guarantee Trailblazer project.

This role is designed for someone who understands that for many young adults, moving straight into traditional employment or higher-level training is a step too far. Your primary focus will be engaging and supporting young people aged 16 and over who are currently NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) or facing long-term economic inactivity caused by deep-stated anxieties, low self-confidence, or a lack of core functional skills.

Centred primarily within Bassetlaw but reaching across the wider EMCCA region, you will design and deliver a highly tailored, phased journey. This begins with intensive trust-building and personal development, before guiding learners toward positive, sustainable progression options such as paid work, apprenticeships, or further education.

Core Role Objectives

• Re-Engage the Hardest to Reach: Conduct sensitive community outreach to identify "hidden" NEET young adults in Bassetlaw, providing a safe, welcoming, and non-judgmental entry point into college life.
• Deliver Tailored Skill-Building: Co-create bespoke, individualised development plans that build self-esteem, communication, emotional resilience, and functional workplace skills prior to job searching.
• Dismantle Barriers to Action: Work one-to-one with participants to overcome the routines, personal hurdles, and psychological anxieties causing economic inactivity.
• Identify Bespoke Progression Pathways: Match newly empowered participants to suitable destinations, including paid work, taster days, supported work trials, or further education.
• Ensure Sustained Success: Provide dedicated transitional mentoring as young adults move into their progression pathways, acting as a supportive safety net.

Challenges You Will Master

This role is ideal for a proactive, resilient professional who thrives on tackling complex social and operational challenges:

• Engaging the 19-24 NEET Cohort: Reaching and building trust with young adults who have experienced prolonged disengagement, high anxiety, or isolation.
• Managing Complex Cross-College Stakeholders: Coordinating seamlessly across multidisciplinary internal teams and external agencies to wrap comprehensive care around each learner.
• Overcoming Employer Hesitancy: Negotiating with local employers to secure low-pressure work trials and taster days, while advocating for the specific support needs of vulnerable cohort members.
• Evidencing Impact through Data: Maintaining accurate, detailed participant records, tracking milestones, and providing data to satisfy RNN Group and EMCCA audit requirements.

What Experience, Qualifications & Skills You Need

Qualifications & Essential Requirements

• Level 3 (or above) qualification in Youth Work, Coaching, Mentoring, Careers Guidance, or Education.
• Level 2 (or above) in English and Maths (Literacy & Numeracy).
• Full commitment to statutory Safeguarding, Prevent, Data Protection, and FREDIE policies.
• Willingness to undertake relevant professional and statutory training.

Experience & Track Record

• Proven experience supporting NEET young people or individuals facing complex personal barriers, severe anxiety, or economic inactivity.
• Demonstrable track record in youth coaching, mentoring, or youth work with a focus on patience, empathy, and building self-esteem.
• Experience designing bespoke, tailored learning or development plans for individuals with varied, complex starting points.
• Experience in curriculum/activity planning and aligning business/labour needs with educational delivery.
• Familiarity with navigating funding streams or monitoring frameworks like Combined Authorities (EMCCA) or DWP programmes.

Practical Skills & Attributes

• Interpersonal Skills: Highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
• Market Knowledge: Strong understanding of the local East Midlands labour market and training pathways within North Nottinghamshire.
• Administrative & Digital Competence: Excellent IT and administrative skills for tracking compliance, monitoring milestones, and reporting data.
• Safeguarding Knowledge: Full understanding of safeguarding protocols for protecting young people and vulnerable adults.
• Disposition: Self-motivated, target-driven, creative thinker with a positive, solutions-focused mindset and a deep commitment to equality and inclusion.

Department Info

Sitting directly under the Head of Future Ready and Transitions (Connecting Learners with the World of Work), this role serves as the vital operational bridge between internal student welfare and external economic progression.

You will work closely with internal teams as well as external partners (DWP, Youth Hubs, Social Care) to establish the Future Ready Transition Initiative.

In this position, you connect holistic student support directly with regional labour market opportunities, ensuring a seamless journey from disengagement to long-term independence.

Our excellent benefits and rewards package:

• Access to local government pensions scheme (with employer contributions from 15.6% to 23.68%)
• Up to 41 days annual leave per year including closure during Christmas period
• Access to our gyms, restaurants and salons
• Staff health & wellbeing and benefits schemes including in-house Occupational Health service
• Extensive wellbeing support through a digital Wellbeing Hub that offers a broad range of support for physical, mental, and financial wellbeing.
• Full, part time and flexible working hours available in many roles
• Free Parking available at all of our sites
• Fantastic career development opportunities including funding for teacher training, apprenticeships and various other industry recognised qualifications
• New FE teachers can also apply for grants of up to £6,000 in STEM subjects (conditions apply) through the teacher retention initiative
• Recruitment Referral Scheme for all employees, worth £200 per referral made

What is the RNN Group?

RNN Group's main goal is to be an 'outstanding' education and training provider and this is at the heart of everything that we do. To help us achieve this we are looking to recruit highly motivated, innovative and dynamic individuals to join our existing teams. To be a part of the team at RNN Group we will expect you to be committed to our values too;

• We are Inclusive,
• We have Integrity,
• We Deliver,
• We are One Team.

We are OFSTED 'Good' (November 2022)

We celebrate diversity and are proud to be recognised as Investors in Diversity for our commitment to the FREDIE (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement) model, fostering a supportive environment for all. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of background, proudly participating in the Disability Confident Scheme, and provide reasonable adjustments.

The RNN Group is proud to be part of the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology (SYIoT).

As a newly designated Defence Technical Excellence College, RNN Group is proud to support the UK's defence sector by developing the next generation of highly skilled technical talent.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, vulnerable adults and young people. All new employees will be required undertake a DBS check and other associated checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance.

The Group's core operating hours are 8.30am-5.00pm (9pm on a Tuesday and Thursday during term time). You may be expected to work at any time during these hours to ensure business needs are met.

All candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.

Closing date: Tuesday 1 September 2026

If you require further information about this vacancy, please contact the HR department on 01709 722750 or [e-mail]