Published: 21/06/2016
COPELAND Council is spearheading a series of projects aimed at boosting the borough's job prospects.
Supported through Copeland Work and Skills Partnership, projects will train advice workers, run courses to help people get into work, fund items like interview clothes or specialist work equipment, and subsidise traineeships.
The Partnership is part of the council's Social Inclusion Programme, and supports one of the organisation's main corporate plan priorities: Employment, Skills and Social Wellbeing.
Copeland Community Fund will fund the projects, while Copeland Borough Council is funding a staff member for three years to devise and deliver them.
Deputy Mayor and portfolio holder for Regeneration, Coun Lena Hogg, said: "These projects are really practical, productive ways of getting more members of our communities into work.
"We have worked hard to see where the gaps in provision are, and what is stopping some people moving into employment. These schemes address those difficulties directly and will hopefully result in more people being ready to enter the world of work.
"Although the opportunities for apprenticeships and traineeships in the nuclear sector are many, we wanted to extend that to other sectors, where the opportunities are not so well-supported. I know good employers will want to get involved, and I look forward to seeing the results of all of these schemes over the next three years."
The projects, which in total will be delivered over three years, mean:
- Six staff members from partner organisations within the Partnership will gain NVQ qualifications in information, advice, guidance and mentoring.
- 45 unemployed people will gain work experience, interview preparation and other qualifications and skills, making them ready for the world of work. Employers will help deliver this and it will be aimed at companies in the non-nuclear sector.
- Unemployed people will be able to apply to an Employability Fund to help them access work or training. For example, if people do not have clothes suitable for interviews, or a potential employer requires safety clothing they cannot afford, the fund could help.
- There will be subsidised traineeships or apprenticeships, delivered through smaller and non-nuclear employers.
The council has developed projects which support the aims of Cumbria's Local Economic Partnership - to increase the number of people qualified to level 2 or above, and to increase employment.
The partners in the Copeland Work and Skills Partnership are: Copeland Borough Council, Citizens' Advice Bureau, Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Council for Voluntary Service, the Department for Work and Pensions, Gen2, Home Group, Home to Work/Works 4 You Ltd, Howgill Children’s and Family Centre, Impact Housing, Inspira, Lakes College, Millom Network Centre and Phoenix Enterprise Centre.
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