Purple Circle works on LSC’s nascent Entry to Employment scheme

Nottingham-based Purple Circle begins creative work honing an identity for the Learning and Skills Council’s Entry to Employment scheme for disadvantaged school-leavers this week, ahead of its national launch later this summer.

The scheme targets ‘hard to reach’ youngsters, often with literary and numeracy problems, to prepare them for adult and working life. The practical and vocational support they receive will often be a stepping stone to NVQ courses. Already piloted in 11 ‘pathfinder’ regions, E2E will be rolled out through the council’s 47 local offices on 1 August.

‘Each region was given a completely free rein to trial the concept. They were allowed to do what they liked in terms of branding,’ says Purple Circle director John Lyle. ‘Our job is to assess what they’re doing and what of it is any good.’

An existing E2E logo will be the basis for a consistent branding package to be developed by the group, including a website, promotional video and literature. Portrait and reportage photography has been commissioned from Nottingham group Scene.

The LSC is the successor organisation to Training and Enterprise Councils and the Further Education Funding Council. It has an annual budget of £7.3bn and is responsible for training issues for over-16s in England.