“Going step by step”: Supporting people into work and education with Access to Industry

Access to Industry works with individuals facing a range of barriers to help them access education and employment opportunities. As an accredited Qualifications Scotland centre, we offer training courses that enable clients to upskill, alongside one-to-one support tailored to their individual circumstances. By understanding each person’s needs in depth, we create personalised action plans to help them move forward with confidence.

We recently caught up with Susanna from Access to Industry to learn more about the organisation’s work supporting people across Edinburgh to overcome barriers to education and employment.

From personalised one-to-one support to building confidence in IT and data skills through the Access Data project, Susanna shared how the team helps people take positive steps toward employment, training, and further education. She also reflected on the rewarding experience of seeing individuals grow in confidence and achieve goals that once felt out of reach.

A little about the service

The Access Data project within Access to Industry supports individuals in developing knowledge and skills related to IT and data, helping prepare them for the demands of today’s job market. The project is tailored to individual needs and is designed for both complete beginners and those who already have some experience in data and technology.

Why I’m passionate about our organisation and the people we support

I meet people from a wide variety of backgrounds, many of whom have great potential. However, barriers such as limited UK work experience, lack of childcare, or health conditions can make securing employment extremely challenging. Seeing these struggles can be difficult, but it is incredibly rewarding when we are able to support someone into employment or help them progress into full-time education.

What our participants say

• “Thank you for your continuing service and support. It means a lot to me. Especially for me like being not local in this city and country in general, resonating with the community, rules and policies is so hard. Having someone that offers help and giving support invaluable.”
• “I enjoyed the courses I undertook, and would recommend them to anyone seeking to improved their IT/data skills.”
• “Your team has been really helpful and I just landed a role with [XXX] as a result of my interview feedback with Susanna and Magda. Thank you so much for your help”
• “Because I was outside work life for long time, now with this project I’m going step by step, and I’m happy with it.”

How I look after my mental health

I have a busy life balancing work and small children, so I try to spend as much quality time with my family as possible and make the most of sunny days outdoors. In the evenings, once everything is quiet, I put my phone away and relax with a good book.