Meet Laura who has been appointed as the new Head of Employability at Inspira

16th August 2021

Laura Wellington has been appointed as the new Head of Employability to manage two major new contracts to help people back to work in Cumbria and Lancashire.

These new contracts allow Inspira to deliver a combination of employability skills and work experience support to long-term unemployed adults in Cumbria, facing multiple barriers to employment, such as lack of qualifications, lack of confidence, health conditions or caring responsibilities.

Inspira collaborates directly with people actively seeking employment and deliver bespoke pre-employment programmes to fill the current skills gap and vacancies. Inspira bridges the gap between job seekers, employers and government creating tailored support for individuals that reflect the current jobs market in Cumbria and Lancashire.

"I’m extremely excited to take on this new challenge to support the people of Cumbria, particularly those who have been directly impacted by COVID-19. With these two new contracts, we’ll be able to give job seekers enhanced support to find jobs within this area. I look forward to deepening partnerships with local employers looking to fill vacancies and support the people of Cumbria back into work.”

- Laura Wellington, Head of Employability at Inspira.


Laura grew up in Manchester and attended local schools before moving to Durham to complete a BA Honours degree at Durham University. She began her career as a Personal Advisor in 2003 working in Salford.

Laura was welcomed to Inspira in 2009, where she delivered on a range of contracts including young people’s advice and guidance, National Careers Service, National Citizen Service and youth work programmes.

“Providing guidance and support for personal development to young people and adults in Cumbria is a great passion and I look forward to helping more people build successful lives and careers.”

- Laura Wellington, Head of Employability at Inspira.

Laura has a record of accomplishment for growth at Inspira, she delivered Skills Support for the Unemployed contract, resulting in winning the contract again in April 2019 and exceeding income expectations.

Her new role is set to support over 3,000 local people per year for 3 years, to get back into employment. A key aspect of the role will be cultivating relationships with local partners and stakeholders.

“I’ve worked with many partners, from the JobCenter Plus to training providers. I’m now actively building relationships with the big employers in Cumbria to develop bespoke pre-employment programmes to fill their skills gap and current vacancies. Acquiring the right talent is the most important key to our growth. These two new contracts have provided us with an opportunity to create new management positions within the organisation, some internal promotions and some exciting new external opportunities”.

- Laura Wellington, Head of Employability at Inspira.

Inspira’s programmes are a blend of online and face-to-face learning, perfect for the changing working environment we now embrace. If you have job vacancies to fill or need to train a new workforce, please contact us.