“More than just filling vacancies”: Sizewell C supports new employability programme for people facing barriers to work

• Programme delivered by Pathways Care Farm in Lowestoft
• Supports people facing challenges accessing employment, education, or training
• Jess Asato MP: “By working with trusted local organisations like Pathways, we can ensure [Sizewell C] opens doors for people who too often miss out”

Sizewell C has joined forces with Lowestoft charity Pathways Care Farm to help people facing barriers to employment gain the skills, confidence, and support needed to secure sustainable jobs.

The two-year employability programme is aimed at people who have faced challenges accessing employment, education, or training.

Through hands-on learning at Pathways’ farm, and training delivered by Sizewell C’s education partners, participants will develop valuable skills and be supported into employment opportunities, including roles linked to Sizewell C.

The first cohort are expected to begin in October, with participants referred to the programme by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Marjorie Barnes, Head of Regional External Affairs and Development at Sizewell C, said: “At Sizewell C, we want the opportunities created by this project to be accessible to everyone, including those who may have faced significant challenges or barriers in their lives.

“By partnering with Pathways Care Farm, we’re investing in people, helping them build confidence, develop new skills, and take positive steps towards sustainable employment. This is about more than filling vacancies; it’s about creating lasting opportunities, strengthening communities, and ensuring the benefits of Sizewell C are felt across Suffolk for generations to come.”

The programme forms part of a wider partnership between Sizewell C, Pathways Care Farm, and the Department for Work and Pensions, bringing together employers, training providers, and support organisations to help more local people access the opportunities created by major investment in the region.

It also establishes Pathways Care Farm as Sizewell C’s latest Social Partner, reinforcing the project’s commitment to supporting local organisations through funding, collaboration, and access to opportunities.

Geoff Stevens, Director of Pathways Care Farm, said: “Pathways will support, coach, and mentor, each participant and help them plot their way back to meaningful, paid employment which will have enormous benefits to each of them, to Sizewell C, and also to the wider community in so many ways.

“We believe this project is unique, and we hope that by transforming these lives, we will prove the value of each partner. But more than that, we hope to demonstrate the increased value of working together with mutual respect and support.”

Since 2014, Pathways Care Farm has been providing a caring, healthy, and therapeutic environment where people are encouraged to develop confidence, wellbeing, and purpose.

Sizewell C recognised the charity’s unique ability to engage with people who can often be hardest to reach, creating a pathway into education, training and employment.

Jess Asato, MP for Lowestoft, said: “It was a pleasure to join the launch of this important partnership, which recognises the value of Pathways’ holistic work in helping people build confidence, skills and a sense of purpose. The opportunities created by Sizewell C must reach those furthest from the labour market, including ex-offenders and others facing significant barriers to employment. By working with trusted local organisations like Pathways, we can ensure this investment opens doors for people who too often miss out, while strengthening our local economy.”

The employability programme has been designed to provide participants with a structured and supportive route towards work. Using small-group learning and practical activities, it focuses on developing routines, communication skills and workplace behaviours that are often critical to long-term employment success.

Participants will receive ongoing coaching and mentoring throughout the programme, with support continuing as they progress into further training or employment.

Sabine Deriu, District Operations Leader at the DWP, said: “The Department for Work and Pensions is proud to support the Sizewell C and Pathways Employability Programme. This initiative highlights the value of large infrastructure projects working in partnership with local training providers to create meaningful opportunities for local people. Programmes like this equip participants with the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to secure sustainable employment, often following challenging periods in their lives. Through strong collaboration, we can help more people move into work, strengthen local communities, and ensure that major investment projects deliver lasting social and economic benefits across the region.”

The partnership forms part of Sizewell C’s wider commitment to ensuring the economic and social benefits of the project are felt across the region, helping local people access the opportunities created by one of the UK’s largest clean energy and infrastructure investments.

Working with Jess Asato MP, Sizewell C has already pledged to support at least 500 people from Lowestoft into jobs linked to the project. At peak construction, Sizewell C is expected to employ almost 8,000 workers on site, creating significant opportunities for local communities.