TEWKESBURY News
New employment scheme in Tewkesbury
8:00am Tuesday 17th January 2012
RESIDENTS in Tewkesbury will be the first in Gloucestershire to be given the opportunity to try out a new scheme aimed at getting people into employment.
Opportunity Tewkesbury went live yesterday and is a partnership between Jobcentre Plus, Tewkesbury Borough Council, local employers and a variety of partner organisations - with the overall aim of getting more people back in to work.
The project includes delivery of intensive face-to-face interviews, which will offer additional advice and support for jobseekers in the Tewkesbury area. The interviews will assess the jobseekers’ readiness for work, aspirations and experience.
The interviews will be complemented by the Government’s Get Britain Working measures and other services such as vocational tasters and training, work experience, apprenticeships, sector-based work academies, Princes Trust Team Challenge, work clubs and additional mentoring to ensure local people are well equipped and better prepared to compete for, and move into, new job opportunities.
Not only will the initiative be good news for jobseekers but it will also ensure that local employers can access a motivated and well prepared source of potential local employees as well as playing a large part in delivering real fresh new opportunities for the community.
Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Lead Member for Economic Development and Promotion, Coun Dave Waters, said: “Tewkesbury Borough Council is committed to supporting the local economy and we’re pleased to have been able to help develop this fantastic project which will help jobseekers towards and into work.
“This project means Tewkesbury Borough is ahead of the game in using this sort of approach to tackle unemployment.
“We have been very pleased with the response from employers with several job vacancies already being notified by local firms.”
Local residents who are registered with Tewkesbury Jobcentre will automatically have the opportunity to become part of the programme.
Any employers who have vacancies or who are interested in helping local people through offering apprenticeships, work experience or vocational training can contact Tewkesbury Borough Council at economicdevelopment@tewkesbury.gov.uk.