Life-long learners
At Essex County Council we have developed inspirational and diverse learning opportunities to support our people to grow both personally and professionally. Learning is a continual process, as we learn all the time from our experiences, interactions, training courses and a diverse range of other resources we consume on a daily basis, be it books, magazines or podcasts. We encourage our people to be curious and look for opportunities to grow through experiences to learn on the job, from others (within the team, as well as the organisation and the wider system) and more formal learning which will enable you to flourish in your career.
A learning organisation
We are committed to building an organisation which enables every one of us to be the best we can be. We want to ensure that in our organisation learning is part of everything we do, enabling us to be the best in our daily roles and beyond.
You’re in control
Learning is integrated with all the work we do. Every member of our organisation takes ownership of their own development. You will also embrace being the master of your learning journey.
We don’t just offer formal programmes either. A wide range of support is available. This includes:
- A large suite of online training and tools
- Dedicated learning events such as ‘LearnFest’ – our flagship annual celebration of learning
- Apprenticeships for both new and existing colleagues
- Financial support to achieve professional qualifications
- Support from subject matter experts
- The opportunity to share your own expertise to up-skill colleagues
- Leadership and executive coaching
- Learning on demand
- Career pathways










Discover LearnFest: Your Path to Growth and Innovation
At Essex County Council, we believe in the power of continuous learning and innovation. That’s why we host LearnFest, our annual learning festival dedicated to enhancing organisational effectiveness and performance. Since its inception in 2019, LearnFest has become a cornerstone of our culture, evolving each year to offer a blend of virtual and face-to-face sessions.
For 2024/25, we were excited to launch a new format. Kicking off in December 2024, LearnFest featured two days of insights from leading experts in Change, Digital and Sustainability, open to other public sector organisations. This has been followed by quarterly chapters in March, June and September 2025, exclusively for our employees.
This year’s theme, ‘Pioneering Our Future: Innovate, Lead, and Grow’, focuses on three key areas:
- Digital Frontiers: Innovating for Tomorrow – Explore how technology can transform your work and drive innovation
- Sustainability Pioneers: Leading Sustainable Initiatives – Learn to lead eco-friendly practices and make a lasting impact
- Change Leaders: Adapting and Thriving in a Dynamic World – Develop resilience and leadership skills to thrive in a dynamic environment
LearnFest is designed for all council employees, with special sessions tailored for our leaders to foster a culture of growth and development. Engagement with LearnFest has grown each year, making it a highly anticipated event that showcases our commitment to personal and professional development.
See what Learnfest is all about in the video below:












My Learning Platform
Our strong learning culture is supported by My Learning, our state-of-the-art learning platform to which all our employees have access to. On this platform, you can access new development opportunities and resources, strengthen your skills and share your learning, knowledge and skills with your colleagues across the whole organisation. My Learning offers a personalised learning experience, by curating learning content that is relevant for your role and of interest for you. Its powerful search engine will allow you to browse the ample catalogue of learning resources by topic or type of learning (workshops, online courses, videos, reading materials, curriculum).
