This week’s employment statistics highlight the great being done by Jobcentre Work Coaches across Northamptonshire.
Corby and East Northants Work Coaches are doing really well in helping all people of all ages to find work, there has been a 9% reduction of all people in the constituency claiming working age benefits, this includes an amazing reduction of 11% of those aged 18 to 24 years old and the 50plus year old customers register has been reduced by 4%
Julie Pritchard from Northamptonshire’s Partnership Team said:
“We’re looking forward to another successful year. The priority remains to build excellent partnerships with local businesses, so we can help to fill their vacancies with the right people. For jobseekers our work coaches have a range of support on offer including access to training and voluntary work experience. This along with specialist services through the Disability Employment Advisors, can act as a springboard to a new career.
“Currently there are vacancies in virtually every sector, whether that’s hospitality or health care. A recent jobs fair in Kettering was very successful:
Following the news that Little Moons in Kettering, the mochi ice cream manufacturer was set to close at the end of December 2024 with 200 staff at risk swift action from the DWP Rapid Response Service.
Little Moon’s HR Business Partner Jane Carr and Kettering Jobcentre Plus Employer Advisers Adriano Cicceri and Sarah Passam worked in collaboration to host an onsite job fair for all their employees on the 4th of December with 16 employers and 8 providers committed to attend offering full wraparound support for these employees.
Live vacancies with GXO Wellingborough, Fox Resourcing, Echo Personnel, TeamWork Partnership, Morrisons/Mytons Thrapston, Pertemps, Tato, BakeAway, MM Flowers, Staffline, Eurokey, Verani, Compleat, Tresham College and the Civil Service secured and registered 143 interviews, 15 interviewed on the day already booked to a second interview meaning most of those employees who attended had guaranteed interviews with the prospect of continued work elsewhere across the county.
Bespoke providers ensured all the needs were met for those facing redundancy for training, employability and redundancy support involving The Learning Centre and Tresham College, National Careers Service delivered by “Workpays” Kettering, Learning and Skills Academy, Citizen Advice for debt advice, Accommodation Concern housing queries, Kettering MIND for mental health support and Jobcentre Plus for supporting making claims to benefits, pension credit, Find a Job matching service, Disability Employment Advisers advising on Disability Confident, Access to Work and jobcentre Work Coaches supporting Little Moons employee’s finding work.
Jane Carr of Little Moons said
‘It’s been amazing to have the business’s in and around Kettering support our employees with finding new roles. This Jobs Fair was put together at such short notice it really has been a very quick turn around and I thank everyone involved.
We have had a large number of our employees return today and it has been wonderful to see them again. Any new employer will be lucky to have this team. There is a big Thank you to go out to DWP for their support in helping enable this event.’ Kettering Jobcentre Employers Advisers said ‘We want to thank all our local employers and providers we currently work with for their prompt call to action supporting this event and ensuring that where possible, employees of Little Moons will quickly move into other work’’.
Regional Key Message for East Midlands
· 2.486 million people in employment – up 24,000 on the quarter and up 79,000 on the year.
· The employment rate is 75.8% - unchanged on the quarter and up 1.1%pts on the year.
· 97,000 people are unemployed – down 19,000 on the quarter and down 31,000 on the year.
· The unemployment rate is 3.8%, down 0.8%pts on the quarter and down 1.3%pts on the year.
· 269,000 people are in non-working households.
Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall MP said:
“Today’s figures are more evidence that we must Get Britain Working, which is why the Government is relentlessly focused on driving up opportunity and driving down barriers to success in every part of the country.
“With real wages continuing to rise we are working to boost living standards and get the economy growing as part of our Plan for Change by reforming Jobcentres, joining up fragmented local support and guaranteeing every young person has the chance to be earning or learning.”