Jet impacts on unemployment

02 March 2010

An organisation which is working with long-term unemployed people in RENEW areas and across North Staffordshire is celebrating its first successful year.

Jet (Jobs, Enterprise, Training) which is supported by North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership’s Employment and Skills team has helped hundreds of local people into work and is supporting hundreds more through training schemes.

Just one year on, the City Council backed scheme passed the magic 500 mark and placed a total of 506 local people into employment with a further 700 jobs lined up and waiting to be filled – thanks to Jet’s joined-up approach to recruitment, training and liaison with employers.

Jet has seen 1,400 people who have been out of work for more than 12 months come through its doors for training in areas such as Introduction to Care, Business Administration, Logistics, construction industry CSCS training and customer care.  In addition the scheme has run courses in confidence and team building, interview techniques and CV writing.

There are currently 700 people going through Jet training courses and an estimated 700 local jobs on the cards in sectors such as retail, care and call centres.

Jet’s business advisers have also established relationships with 108 local employers who recognise the value of Jet as a training organisation.

Hazel Lyth, Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Culture said: “In the midst of the worst recession in decades we are very proud of Jet’s success.  We recognise that long-term unemployment is a real issue for this city and we have developed a scheme which meets the needs of our communities. 

“It can often be difficult to get back in to work after a long period of unemployment with many challenges creating a barrier to getting back into the jobs market. The Jet advisers help you to work through these issues providing practical advice and support. 

Jet programme manager Nigel Barrett added: “Jet represents a significant achievement for the region in helping people who have been out of work for a long time to build new lives for themselves. 

“Working in the heart of the worst-affected communities has proved highly successful and we plan to make Jet even more focused with advisers seeing people in their own communities, no matter where they live.

“While we’ve made significant inroads into helping long-term unemployed people we are far from complacent and we have set demanding targets to engage with up to 6,000 people and help 500 secure employment over the next 12 months.”

To find out more about Jet and how it works with the local community visit www.jet2work.org.uk