DELIVEROO LAUNCHES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY & GUILDS OFFERING SKILLS AND CAREER SUPPORT FOR UP TO 15,000 RIDERS

• Deliveroo announces new partnership with leading vocational skills provider City & Guilds that will benefit up to 15,000 riders across the UK.
• As part of the company’s commitment to invest £2.5 million into rider skills, 25 riders will also be sponsored to train and join the railway industry as track engineers.
• The announcement is the latest in a line of initiatives aimed at supporting rider skills development, following historic partnership with the GMB last year.

31st March 2023: Deliveroo has today announced a major new partnership with City & Guilds, which will offer up to 15,000 UK riders the opportunity to boost their careers, by undertaking training and learning new skills.

Following feedback from riders, up to 15,000 Deliveroo riders will be given access to City & Guilds "ready for" online courses to help them to reskill, and to move into new careers, with specific, recognised qualifications for hospitality, care and construction. It comes amidst nationwide staff shortages in these sectors, which are all facing significant vacancies.

These courses will allow riders to understand more about the roles available, what employers are looking for and how to build skills or qualifications in different industries. On completing the course, riders will be given digital certificates that they can use to demonstrate their interest in the sector, as well as information on businesses that are actively recruiting in the industry.

Deliveroo will also be fully funding vocational training programmes for 25 riders to enter the railway industry. The financial support will help riders gain the knowledge and experience to work as skilled track engineers and involve a guaranteed job offer at the end of the programme. The newly trained engineers will be responsible for renewal of railway lines and associated services, playing a vital role in the smooth running of the UK rail network.

City & Guilds, global leaders in vocational skills and apprenticeship offerings, will also be providing curated support for Deliveroo riders on how to access public funding for further training opportunities. Through these courses, thousands of riders will be aided in reaching their long-term goals, whether that be starting their own business or attaining skills for a future career.

These initiatives are part of the company’s £2.5 million investment into rider skills, first announced last year following a consultation with riders in which 71% said that access to educational tools or courses to support qualifications would appeal to them. Upskilling riders is a key priority for the business, who aim to support riders entering new workforces.


Deliveroo has worked with the GMB Union on this offer. In May 2022, Deliveroo announced the first-of-a-kind, voluntary partnership with the GMB union, which recognised that Deliveroo riders are self-employed and assured collective bargaining and consultation rights for riders. Deliveroo is the only food delivery platform with such an agreement in place and believes that others in the sector should follow suit in order to raise standards across the sector.

Will Shu, co-founder and CEO of Deliveroo, said: “For the last ten years, Deliveroo riders have been the beating heart of our business, and we are proud to launch a number of new initiatives off the back of our partnership with the GMB that will support those looking to learn new skills and seeking new and exciting career opportunities. This is about setting riders up for success, supporting their growth, and giving them access to the advice and tools they need to train and upskill for their futures.”

Andy Moss, Managing Director at City & Guilds, said: “Our partnership with Deliveroo supports our ongoing commitment to help people get the in-demand skills they need to compete in the labour market. The training programmes we are offering will equip Deliveroo’s riders with the foundational skills necessary to access great jobs in sectors that are crying out for skilled workers, including care, hospitality, construction and rail.

“The courses will give Deliveroo’s riders the opportunity to access high-skill careers with increased earning potential and significant scope for ongoing progression. We are really proud to be part of Deliveroo’s efforts to support their riders to develop their skills for the future.”

Andy Prendergast, National Secretary, GMB Union: “The GMB and Deliveroo have worked with City and Guilds to offer riders a great opportunity to train for the next step. As a Union we support the riders to get the best from their role with Deliveroo and part of that is about equipping them with the skills necessary not just to develop in their current role but to explore opportunities for those who want to move in new directions. Training initiatives such as this give riders a real chance to learn new skills, and we will continue to work with the company to ensure that we get the best deal for our members who work so hard serving the public.”

Deliveroo will also be expanding its existing partnership with academic learning provider Open Classrooms. Having been in partnership with Open Classrooms since 2019, Deliveroo will increase their academic learning offer for riders with 50 scholarships and 20 new pre-apprenticeship options linking to full time roles across a range of different companies. Riders and their family members will also be able to access 700 free online short courses. These educational, mainly tech-based, courses will be available across the ten markets where Deliveroo operates.