Why there's hope on horizon in jobs hunt

FORTUNATELY, the advice available to redundant workers is slightly more sophisticated than the "get on your bike and find it" approach that emerged during the downturn of the 1980s.

The area's workforce has already been hit hard, and it will undoubtedly be hit harder still in the year to come.

Even after the economy starts to recover, jobless figures are likely to continue rising.

But now experts are imploring both employers and employee to act before jobs are lost, rather than after they have gone.

Jobcentre Plus is notified when any company in the area intends to make 20 or more redundancies and, with the employer's agreement, the Rapid Response Scheme is put into action.

In conjunction with trade unions, advisers are sent in and anyone at risk of losing their job is given help.

High street casualty Woolworths and administrators at Wedgwood are among the high profile businesses which have opened their doors to the programme.

Phil Wright, pictured below, external relations manager for Jobcentre Plus in Staffordshire, said: "We go in and provide pre-redundancy support. We can help update CVs, we can give people jobseeking advice, advice on how to claim benefits and we can identify which of their skills would be transferable to another type of employer.

"Even before someone has left employment we can fund training for them. We have secured someone a taxi licence before they left work, right the way up to an HGV licence before they even became unemployed."

Some employers decide not to allow Jobcentre Plus in, while for every thousand jobs lost at household names like JCB and Wedgwood, many more go unreported – and the same services are available to workers who walk into their local Jobcentre Plus without having the benefit of pre-redundancy support.

The statistics, though, are stark, with unemployment rising across North Staffordshire and vacancies falling.

Mr Wright said: "We know that the total number of employed people across the Stoke-on-Trent travel-to-work area has gone up by 50 per cent.

"This time last year there were just over 7,000 people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance. Last month there were 13,500.

"Having said that, although we're month-on-month seeing a steady increase in people coming in to Jobcentre Plus, last month we saw the highest number of people coming off Jobseeker's Allowance for many, many years.

"Each day, on average, Jobcentre Plus receives about 10,000 new jobs on its website. The number of vacancies is certainly down, and the jobs market is not buoyant, but it's holding up."

This month's Budget allocated more funding to Jobcentres, and in Staffordshire there is a push to build links with employers to make life easier for job hunters and providers.

More advisers are being taken on to cope with demand, help for unemployed professionals is being improved and businesses are being signed up to Local Employment Partnerships.

Under these agreements, a hiring company outlines the skills they are looking for, Jobcentre Plus provides specific training for potential candidates and everyone who attends the training gets an interview.

It is an approach which is bearing fruit - Festival Park fashion outlet New Look recruited 35 new starters in this way.

Another policy, which is becoming popular with employers since it was introduced in April, is the Recruitment Subsidy.

Any employer who hires someone who has been out of work for more than six months receives £1,000.

"It's as simple as that," said Mr Wright.

"The candidate takes a voucher along with him telling the employer what he is entitled to and we make the process as straightforward as possible.

"If you want to take on several people over the coming twelve months we will also set up a simple direct billing system."

Mr Wright understands many North Staffordshire residents are concerned about the future.

In one way or another, almost every company has been affected – from huge multi-nationals to the mechanic operating out of a lock-up.

Either directly or indirectly, everyone knows someone affected by a recession which could be the worst in decades. They may have lost a job themselves, they may know someone who has lost a job, they may feel insecure, their pay may have been frozen or they may be working a four-day week.

But Mr Wright is convinced the light at the end of the tunnel will be a lot closer for people who make the most of what is on offer.

He said: "We have got extra staff, extra advisers and there are jobs coming in.

"People need to remain positive and not get downhearted. I know that might sound a bit glib but there is a wealth of support and advice out there."