New Year sees new help for employers

Jan 22 2008 By The Journal

JOBCENTRE Plus has announced plans for its latest campaigns to help more people back into work in 2008. They will spell out the advantages for individuals and their prospective employers and are designed to open up new opportunities for all.

In recent months, Jobcentre Plus has worked closely with employers of all sizes to find out the kind of training THEY would like to see. This has helped Jobcentre Plus provide highly-suitable candidates for employers’ recruitment drives and to get a feel for the needs of industries in general. Additionally, work trials, where individuals can work for an employer for two weeks while continuing to receive benefits without obligation, have helped to give many unemployed customers the chance to prove themselves before joining an employer full-time.

A survey released at the start of this year confirmed that many existing workers use the new year as a time for reflection and change of career. For Jobcentre Plus customers, this reflection can lead to a desire to return to work, or at least begin preparations by enrolling in training or updating their employability skills.

And the organisation recognises this time of year as the ideal occasion to promote the opportunities for customers and employers alike. In January 2007, for example, the Jobcentre Plus website received more than nine million visitors. But Dom Brankin, customer service director for Jobcentre Plus in the North-East, recognised it’s not just about January for his organisation.

He said: “Every day in the UK, Jobcentre Plus helps more than 6,000 people into work, conducts 45,000 work-focused interviews, takes over 70,000 calls and receives almost 17,000 vacancies from employers.

“Furthermore, Jobcentre Plus helps more than 100,000 people with a disability or a health condition back to work, by working closely with customers and agreeing actions that will help them to update skills and receive ongoing support where needed.”

Jobcentre Plus aims to harness the desire to act, the opportunities available and its links with employers to ensure all of its eligible customers are ready to return to the workplace this year.

But it is the working relationships established with employers that will help to shape the choices that many of these people make.

For more information on working with Jobcentre Plus to fill your recruitment needs, and to find out about the different services available, contact Dorothy Bowmaker on (01642) 413723