Located in St Helens town centre, Clickworks is an interactive and supportive space that has now been supporting businesses and individuals for a year. Tony McDonough reports

A Merseyside facility set up to help businesses and individual improve their digital skills has supported more than 1,600 people since it opened in October 2018.

Located in St Helens town centre, Clickworks is an interactive and supportive space. In the past 12 months 612 people have completed training courses to improve their digital skills, 939 people have received information, advice and guidance to help them with their careers, and a further 127 people have attended events at the centre.

This month saw the start of a new Study Programme for young people, providing specialised training in digital marketing and coding to help kick-start their careers, and the launch of Coding Club – an after school club aimed at the next generation of digital masters who are keen to learn about coding and give it a go.

New contacts

Clickworks, which was opened by St Helens Chamber, is also now home to the Digital and Creative Hub, a networking group for people working in digital and creative roles, to collaborate, share ideas and make new contacts.

Kath Boullen, chief executive at the chamber, said: “We developed Clickworks to improve the digital capabilities of local businesses and people and to try and create a digital landscape in St Helens.

“Good digital skills are now required by almost all job roles and are in demand by businesses, so it is an area of training that can benefit everyone, and I am delighted that so many local people have already accessed the service.

“Over the next 12 months we will be continuing to add new courses and I’m excited for the future of Clickworks.”

Digitally connected

The development of Clickworks was possible thanks to the support of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Skills Capital Fund, with funding secured from the Local Growth Fund. 

Local Growth Funding is awarded to the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and invested through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Strategic Investment Fund.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor for the Liverpool City Region, added: “As we continue to work to make the Liverpool city region the most digitally connected in the country, it is clear that digital skills are vitally important for businesses and individuals in order to thrive in the 21st century economy.

“That is why we were so proud to support Clickworks and it is proof of the demand for those skills that so many people have taken advantage of this fantastic facility during its first year of operation.”