With 1.16 million job vacancies across the UK, our focus is firmly on supporting people to move into, and progress in, work. We are investing £3.8 billion more in further education and skills over the Parliament as a whole, to ensure people can access high-quality training and education that leads to good jobs. I am delighted that unemployment has fallen to 3.7% - the lowest level since 1974. I will keep championing investment in education, employment, and training to ensure that this is delivered locally. If I can ever be of any assistance to you, then please do not hesitate to contact me.
Local Opportunities:
Black Country Healthcare Employment Services:
Black Country Healthcare (NHS) offer employment services to support people with mental health conditions to find work and offer opportunities via the Bridges to Work and Thrive into Work schemes.
- Building Better Opportunities offer individually tailored employment and vocational support for people aged 25 or over who struggle with their mental health, have complex needs or are a carer.
- The IPS Employment Service provides support to those being supported by secondary care mental health services to individuals who wish to enter some form of paid employment (part or full-time) or those who wish to change their employment to better suit their needs.
- The Employment Retention Service can help support people who are currently in employment and accessing secondary mental health services by providing advice and support to clients to help them retain their jobs.
Find further information here: www.blackcountryhealthcare.nhs.uk/our-services/employment-services
Wolves at Work and Workbox:
The Council’s and Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) employment programme has helped more than 6,000 local people into work since March 2017. Whether you need support with completing application forms, interview practice, or if you would like to benefit from employer links and exclusive vacancies, Wolves at Work can help you. Support offered includes your own dedicated Work Coach to assist you in pursuing your career aims; CV Support, help to complete the perfect application and interview practice; work-related training courses; access to hundreds of jobs through our employer links; advice on In-Work benefits; 12 weeks in work support once you find a job. For more information and to arrange to meet with a Work Coach telephone 01902 554400, email wolvesatwork@wolverhampton.gov.uk, or contact me.
Apprenticeships:
Apprenticeships are a fantastic way of learning new skills while working and earning at the same time. Since 2015, more than 3,000 people have started apprenticeships across Wolverhampton South West. In recognition of the value apprentices of any age can bring to our economic recovery, the Government is providing £1,000 to employers for each new apprentice they hire, to help more people into the workplace while developing key skills. Vacancies available via the City of Wolverhampton College can be found at www.wolvcoll.ac.uk/apprenticeship-jobs. More information for potential apprentices and employers can be found at www.apprenticeships.gov.uk.
Lifetime Skills Guarantee:
We will offer free, fully-funded courses to adults without A-levels or equivalent qualifications. This offer will be available from April in England, paid for from our National Skills Fund, and delivered by FE providers. The City of Wolverhampton College is offering a wide range of free courses to help local people retrain, get qualified, and advance their career. Find out more information at www.wolvcoll.ac.uk/lifetime-skills-guarantee
Sector-Based Work Academies (SWAPs):
The Government is tripling the number of places available through Sector-Based Work Academies, supporting those who are out of work with the new skills they need to re-enter the jobs market.
Sector-Based Work Academies are short-term courses typically lasting up to six weeks to help accelerate return to employment. They consist of pre-employment training, work experience placements, and guaranteed interviews. The Government will scale up these academies, providing an additional £17 million to triple the number of placements available in 2020-21, supporting 32,000 more vocational training placements. Take a look at the courses on offer at The City of Wolverhampton College:
- Construction Plant Operations including Groundworks
- Plastering and Skimming
- Laying and Maintenance of Rail Track
- Electric Vehicle and Green Technologies
Read more information at https://jobhelp.campaign.gov.uk/government-services/sector-based-work-academy-programme-swaps/
Regional Opportunities:
Adult Education Budget:
The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB). This budget totals £1.34 billion in the 2022/23 financial year. The AEB fully funds, or co-funds, skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3 qualifications. This supports adults to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.
Mayors Mentors:
Mayor’s Mentors was launched by The Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, to help give young people the life skills and advice they need to flourish. More than 10,000 young people have already gained access to a mentor across the region. Mentors typically meet with a young person, either face to face or virtually, once or twice a month for an hour to discuss the young person’s studies and career opportunities. Find out more about how to take part in this programme at www.wmca.org.uk/mayors-mentors.
Careers Webinars:
The West Midlands Combined Authority is holding a series of virtual careers events for West Midland residents of all ages. The events will explore the benefits of working within different sectors as well as the rewards and career progression. The events will also feature local employers who will talk about the employment opportunities available now and how to apply. Find out more at https://beta.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/careers-webinars/
Apprenticeships Levy:
Nearly 2,000 apprentices have benefited from the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Fund set up by the West Midlands Combined Authority, in which large employers pledge their unspent levy to SMEs in the West Midlands. Find out further information online at www.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/productivity-skills/the-apprenticeship-levy-fund/
Digital Bootcamps:
Working with the Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, we are extending digital training boot camps - free, employer-led training to start a new career in the digital sector. The Government has already committed £8 million to expand successful pilots - including in the West Midlands where nearly 1,500 local people are benefiting from the free training. The Government has made available £7 million available to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to hold its popular digital boot camps, which are flexible courses being delivered full or part-time. To find out more, visit https://beta.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/power-up/.
Workwise: Get cheaper travel to work
You could get half-price travel to work for the first 3 months of a new job or increasing your hours to 16 or more in a job you already have.
National Opportunities:
Get the Jump: 'Skills for Life' campaign:
The ‘Get the Jump’ Skills for Life campaign brings together, for the first time, all education and training choices for young people in one place. This campaign brings together information about all the choices that are available to young people at post-16 and post-18 to help them make an informed decision about their next step and choose the path that is right for them.
Job Finding Support:
If you’ve been unemployed and claiming income replacement benefits for less than 13 weeks, you may be able to apply for the Job Finding Support (JFS) programme. This offers at least 4 hours of one-to-one online support focused on what will help you find work, and at least one online group session. You will receive advice and practical support to help with your job search.
Job Entry Targeted Support:
Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) is a programme designed for people who have been out of work and claiming Universal Credit or New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance for at least 13 weeks. If you take part in the JETS scheme, you’ll receive additional support designed to help you get back into employment as quickly as possible. This will include advice and guidance from employment experts including interview coaching, help identifying growth industries and help with your CV. The Government is investing £90 million to extend the Job Entry Targeted Support scheme for a further year, to the end of September 2022. So far, over 176,000 jobseekers have been supported by the scheme, and over 43,000 people on the Scheme moved into work.
The Restart Scheme:
The Restart scheme, launched in July 2021 with referrals running to Summer 2024, provides up to 12 months of intensive, tailored employment support to help jobseekers who have been unemployed for over nine months increase their prospects of finding work.
The Skills Toolkit:
The Skills Toolkit offers high-quality, online courses giving people easy access to skills that could unlock job opportunities in a competitive market, or help them get ahead in their current role – from communicating effectively at work or building a professional online presence, to practical maths and boosting digital skills. With a range of courses available, there is something suited to everyone. Find out more about ‘An Hour to Skill’ and The Skills Toolkit by visiting gov.uk/theskillstoolkit.
Help to Grow’ Initiative:
From June 2021, small businesses have been able to access two programmes: a 12-week business management course and online support including a discount of up to 50% towards the costs of buying approved software, worth up to £5,000.
Traineeships:
A traineeship is a course with work experience that gets you ready for work or an apprenticeship. It can last from 6 weeks up to 1 year. You can apply if you are eligible to work in England; unemployed and have little or no work experience; aged 16 to 24 and qualified up to and including Level 3 (equivalent to A-Level). The Government is investing £111 million to pay businesses £1,000 to take on trainees, with triple the number of places there are now, to get young people ready for work.
New Courses:
Giving young people who have just left school the skills they need to find work in high-value sectors, such as engineering, construction and social care. We will provide £101 million to help 18 and 19-year-olds to take high-value courses at Levels 2 and 3 where work opportunities are not available.
National Careers Service:
Expanding the National Careers Service to help more young people find work or training. We will provide £32 million to recruit more careers advisers for the National Careers Service so that it can provide advice to 269,000 more people. If you are unsure about what to do, you can speak with a careers adviser. Just call 0800 100 900 or visit https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk.
Work Coaches:
The Government doubled the number of work coaches to 27,000 in just over eight months and is now continuing to invest over £900 million for each of the next three years on work coaches, to ensure Universal Credit claimants receive the best support to find employment. Work Coaches can help to arrange more structured support, along with helping people to improve their CV, prepare for interviews, and undertake job searches. We will also provide an additional £150 million into the Flexible Support Fund to remove barriers to work and boost the DWP's Rapid Response Service. Contact your nearest Jobcentre Plus via this webpage: www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus.
Youth Offer:
Offering a guaranteed foundation of support to all young people on Universal Credit with a new Youth Offer. From September 2021, we provide a guaranteed foundation of support for all 18-24-year-olds on Universal Credit. The Youth Offer will include 13 weeks of intensive support – including a referral to work-related training or an apprenticeship; new Young People’s Hubs for those who need additional tailored work coach support; and Youth Employability Coaches for those with more complex needs.
Flexible Lifelong Loan:
We will move to a system where every student will have a flexible lifelong loan entitlement to four years of post-18 education and will make it easier for people to break up their study into segments, transfer credits between colleges and universities, and enable more part-time study. The Government is currently consulting on these plans.
Disability Employment Support:
The number of disabled people in employment has now increased by 1.3 million since 2017. There is still more to do to tackle the disability employment gap. The Government has announced more than £1.1 billion of funding over the next three years for programmes that enable people with disabilities or long-term health conditions to find and sustain employment. These include the Access to Work scheme and the Work and Health Programme. You can also access personalised support.
The Midlife MOT
The midlife MOT is free online support to encourage people in their 40s, 50s and 60s to make more active planning in the key areas of work, wellbeing and money. It is aimed at both employees and employers and can help you to make choices that will ensure the future retirement you want. The new, enhanced 50+ offer is worth over £20 million and support older jobseekers to return to, or remain in, work and benefit from fuller working lives. Find further help and support for older workers.
Further Support:
- https://jobhelp.campaign.gov.uk/
- https://employerhelp.dwp.gov.uk/
- https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/plan-for-jobs
Page Last Updated: 10/01/23