An award-winning scheme helping young people with learning disabilities and autism secure meaningful work experience and employment is going from “strength to strength” according to Nuneaton MP Jodie Gosling.
In a celebration of the continued success of local young people with learning disabilities and autism in securing meaningful work experience and employment, the former teacher and nursery owner visited North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College’s (NWSLC) Supported Internship students currently on placement at Asda Nuneaton on Thursday 12 February.
The visit marked Jodie’s second opportunity to attend the store and speak to the students on the inspirational programme, following an earlier visit in January 2025.
She met interns, job coaches and employer mentors, to see first-hand how the programme is supporting young people to build confidence, develop workplace skills and progress into paid jobs.
Jodie praised the programme and its partners, she said: “It’s fantastic to return and see the Supported Internship Programme going from strength to strength. This partnership between NWSLC, Asda and DFN Project SEARCH is opening doors for young people who too often face barriers to employment.
“The confidence, pride and ambition shown by the interns today is inspiring, and it’s clear this programme is making a real difference not just to individual lives, but to our wider community.”
The MP’s visit was part of a busy week championing employment and skills opportunities across the borough. On Wednesday, she held a Jobs and Futures Fair at NWSLC’s Nuneaton campus delivered in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions. Building on the success of last year’s event, the fair aimed to be bigger and better, welcoming not only jobseekers but also young people exploring future career paths and those considering a career change.
The Supported Internship Programme at Asda Nuneaton is run by NWSLC in partnership with Warwickshire County Council, the charity DFN Project SEARCH and Asda. NWSLC provides the interns, specialist job coaches, curriculum delivery and day-to-day support, with strong investment from senior college leaders to ensure high-quality provision and positive long-term outcomes.
During the visit, the MP toured the store with interns and mentors, observed classroom-based employability training, and spoke with partners involved in delivering the programme.
Marion Plant OBE, Principal and Chief Executive of North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College said: “We were delighted to welcome Jodie back to see how our Supported Internship Programme continues to transform lives.
“These young people are developing real, marketable skills and growing in confidence every day. With the right support from our job coaches, employers and partners, they are proving what is possible with the employment outcomes speaking for themselves.”
ASDA Nuneaton’s collaboration with NWSLC is one on a growing list that includes leading organisations like the NHS, Nuneaton Signs and Wincanton.
Across all NWSLC Supported Internship sites, 62 per cent of interns have gained paid employment –significantly higher than the national average for people with learning disabilities, with latest ONS figures revealing only five per cent of people with a learning disability are employed, despite 86 per cent wanting a paid job.
Others have gone on to secure volunteering roles whilst still receiving employment support. Employers benefit from dedicated job coaches, consistent mentoring, and a diverse, motivated workforce.
Cayden, an intern at Asda Nuneaton, said: “I am enjoying what I am doing at Asda, since there is a lot of problem solving and customers to speak to. This is helping with my confidence, and it makes me proud that I am changing. What I like about the internship is that you can learn a lot more and get prepared to get a job.”
Tyler said: “I’ve enjoyed date checking and working as a team. I have more confidence now working with my Asda colleagues. I enjoy coming into Asda each day.”
The Supported Internships programme is aimed at young people aged 16-24 and includes real work experiences tailored to each individual’s needs. Through the programme, interns rotate through three different roles over a period of around 10 weeks each, gaining invaluable experience across various sectors of the business.
The NWSLC Supported Internship Programme gained national recognition for the Pearson National Teaching Award ‘FE Team of the Year’ 2023/2024.
For more information about the Supported Internships programme or to find out how your business can get involved, please contact the Supported Internship team at NWSLC via enquiries.supportedinternship@nwslc.ac.uk.
