The 'Next Step' service
Next Step is the national adult careers and skills advice service. Next Step is a publicly funded service, helping adults like you to get the advice they need for future skills, careers, work and life choices. The purpose of Next Step is to give adults access to the best information, advice and resources that help them make more effective choices about careers skills and life.
The service is funded by the Skills Funding Agency. WISEadvice helps deliver the service in Greater Manchester with a focus on Bolton and Bury.
Next Step offers information and advice designed to help you make decisions about your future. We can also tell you about other resources, facilities and support that is available. Our aim is to help you identify where you could benefit from help and support and give practical advice to ensure you achieve your goals.
Who can access the service?
Next Step is a free and impartial service which is available to every adult in England. It provides information, careers and skills advice that’s tailored to you.
What can Next Step offer?
Next Step advisers are professionally qualified and can give advice to help you make the right choices about learning and work. They can also help you to register with Next Step, which you can access whenever you need to keep track of your progress.
Next Step offers careers and skills advice to fit your individual needs.
We can help you:
- Find learning and training that is right for you,
- Access help to improve your reading, writing and maths,
- Understand the local job market,
- Find out about funding to support your learning,
- Develop your CV,
- Improve your interview and presentation skills,
- Progress in your current job,
- Register with Next Step for access to on-going on-line support, and
- Access disability and childcare help and support.
How can I access the service?
Help is available on-line, face to face or over the phone.
Face to face...
You can make an appointment to see a Next Step adviser at a location near you. Appointments are available Monday – Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm just call 0800 100 900 and ask for a face to face appointment.
Over the phone...
you prefer advice over the phone you can ring a Next Step adviser on 0800 100 900 8.00am until 10.00pm seven days a week
Next Step can also provide information and advice in your own language. Bi-lingual advisers can be contacted on the following numbers:
Farsi - 0800 093 1116 : 9am - 5pm Mon - Fri
French - 0800 093 1115 : 9am - 5pm Mon - Fri
Gujarati - 0800 093 1119 : 9am - 5pm Mon - Fri
Polish - 0800 093 1114 : 9am - 5pm Mon - Fri
Punjabi - 0800 093 1333 : 9am - 8pm Mon - Fri
Somali - 0800 093 1555 : 9am - 5pm Mon - Fri
Sylheti - 0800 093 1444 : 9am - 5pm Mon - Fri
Urdu - 0800 093 1118 : 9am - 8pm Mon - Fri
If you have access to a computer...
You can get help and support from Next Step online. Simply visit www.direct.gov.uk/nextstep You can browse the website for tools and resources, visit our forums or email an adviser.