Job centre work coaches across Northamptonshire are making a difference and changing lives for the better

Talking about how people become job ready, Julie Pritchard from the Northamptonshire’s Employer and Partnership team said:

Northamptonshire’s Jobcentres are hosting a full range of activities, including a successful jobs fair on the 1st of November 2023 in Rushden. It offered time slots for customers over 50s as well as customers with anxiety at quieter times of the day. 90 customers attended the event. 54 people moved closer to work on the day, customers benefited in an number of ways - ranging from job interviews, Trial shifts and even tours of companies’ premises.

Jobcentres have a wraparound service which enables customers with health issues to access specialist support through a Disability Employment Adviser, this approach has been successful and has helped many people to achieve their full potential.

“Unlocking the skills and abilities of people can improve employment prospects. Support is available to everyone, whatever their age, health condition or if they’re just looking to improve their career prospects. Importantly job seeking parents on Universal Credit, can now get extra financial help through increased childcare payments.

“Locally we are working hard with employers to fill their vacancies an example of this is the work that our local Jobcentres are doing with the NHS to recruit staff.

The NHS are working with Kettering and Northampton’s Jobcentre’s specialist employer advisers to support their recruiting of level entry roles in their Northamptonshire Trust Sites, the NHS have vacancies are in Kettering General Hospital, Northampton General Hospital and Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust.

Our Employer Adviser have arranged NHS application and interview support sessions for DWP customers wishing to work in the NHS.

Christmas Vacancies

“Now is a great time for jobseekers to give their career aspirations a kick-start. One way is to apply for some of the hundreds of Christmas jobs being advertised locally, as a steppingstone to get back into the work routine, while developing new skills and sharpening existing ones. With the support of their work coach jobseekers can get the help they need to take full advantage of opportunities available now.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP said:

“We are leaving no stone unturned to help people into work, with a record number of employees on payrolls - up nearly 400,000 in the last year alone with 3.9 million more people in work than in 2010.

“With our ambitious welfare reforms, including the expansion of free childcare and extra support for people with health conditions, we are taking long term decisions that will grow the economy and change lives for the better.”

Background

• Payroll employment is at a record high at 30.2 million - 398,000 higher than this time last year and 1.2m higher than before the pandemic.
• There are 3.9 million more people in work than in 2010.
• The unemployment rate is below many of our international peers, including Canada, France and Spain. Long-term unemployment continues to fall, down over 10% on the year and over 60% since 2010.
• Economic inactivity has fallen by 285,000 since the pandemic peak and is lower than the average for the G7, the EU and the OECD.