New Skills and Innovation Partnerships with UWE Bristol
7th July 2025
Skills Bootcamps – Applications open for 2025/26
UWE Bristol has launched a fresh series of Skills Bootcamps starting later this year, giving freelancers, job‑seekers and employers across North Somerset an affordable route to high‑demand expertise. Backed by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, tuition is fully funded for individual learners and heavily subsidised for businesses, making these short, practical programmes a cost‑effective way to boost knowledge and productivity.
Each bootcamp blends concise classroom learning with live projects and one‑to‑one coaching so participants can apply new skills straight away. The 2025/26 line‑up includes:
- Leadership and Resilience for Creative & Cultural Work
- Scaling Preparedness: Green Tech Start‑up Growth
- Artificial Intelligence & Digital Technologies for Manufacturing and Engineering
- Urban Greening for a Biodiverse West of England
- Digital Built Environment: Fabrication & Manufacturing
- Managing Projects Successfully
- Screen Skills Revisited
- Strategic Digital Marketing
- Visitor Economy – British Art Show 2027 (launching 2026)
Who should apply?
Independent learners can retrain at no cost, while organisations of any size can upskill staff for a small employer contribution. Places are limited and recruitment is already under way.
Why this matters for North Somerset
By equipping residents and businesses with sought‑after leadership, digital and green‑technology skills, the bootcamps directly support North Somerset Council’s Economic Plan, help local firms raise productivity and open clear pathways into better‑paid jobs for our community.
Get involved
Email bootcamps@uwe.ac.uk or complete UWE Bristol’s short enquiry form to secure a place.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships – Collaborate for Growth
A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a three‑way collaboration that pairs a business with UWE Bristol academics and a recently qualified graduate (the associate) to solve a strategic challenge. Classic KTPs focus on product and service innovation, while Management KTPs drive cultural and process change.
Key facts
- Projects run for 1 – 3 years, with an associate embedded in your company.
- Up to 67 per cent of project costs are funded, leaving a typical 33 per cent company contribution.
- Weekly access to specialist academic expertise and dedicated KTP advisers throughout the project.
Benefits for North Somerset businesses
KTPs offer a cost‑effective route to cutting‑edge research, helping firms develop new products, enter fresh markets and embed lasting know‑how. This drives higher revenue, productivity and high‑quality job creation in our area, advancing the council’s ambition for a greener, more innovative economy.
Next steps
If your company has growth ambitions, contact KTP@uwe.ac.uk for an initial conversation with the UWE Knowledge Exchange team.
