Unemployed people in Worcestershire are being encouraged to take
advantage of a free tailor-made training project which gives them
the chance to develop their job search skills and get involved in
vocational training to boost their chances of finding work.
The Skills for Jobs project is managed by Worcestershire County
Council (WCC) and Worcester College of Technology. The project is
funded by the West Midlands Councils' and the Skills Funding
Agency's regional European Social Fund programme. It is open to
anyone in Worcestershire who is over 18 years old, regardless of
academic ability, ethnicity and employment experience, who have
found themselves unemployed for a year or more.
Val Ruddle, adult learning support adviser at WCC, said:
"This project is particularly unique as it is open to everyone -
from graduates to those who have been made redundant - who simply
want to boost their skills and get the training they need in order
to get back into the world of work. It is tailor-made to the
individual and addresses all of their needs to support them in
their search for employment in the local job market."
After an assessment interview to determine the skills the
learners want to build on and the area of work they want to train
in, the project gives them tailored help with their vocational
training, CV, interview technique, confidence building and covering
letters, to get them to the point where they feel ready to apply
for jobs and attend interviews.
Worcestershire County Council works in partnership with
Worcester College of Technology to provide learners with one-to-one
vocational training and the opportunity to gain qualifications in
the career they want to work in, from forklift truck driving to
childcare.
Val Ruddle adds:
"The job market is still pretty tough and it can be particularly
hard if you suddenly find yourself out of work after being made
redundant, or are struggling to get work despite applying for jobs.
This project gives people the best opportunity to find employment
again as it combines boosting vital job skills as well as getting
hands-on training during a work placement in an appropriate
commercial environment. This provides vital experience for their
new job of choice."
Cllr Phillip Atkins, Chairman the West Midlands Councils,
said:
"It is great to see how ESF money is helping such a wide
spectrum of unemployed people in Worcestershire. People can become
unemployed for many reasons, but by boosting job skills and
providing them with training opportunities, these individuals are
being given the support they need to get them back into work again
- and maybe even re-train in a different career."