Around 100,000 people who lost jobs in the pandemic are on the
road back to work thanks to a government programme providing
targeted support to relaunch their careers.
On average, nearly 500 jobseekers a day across Great Britain have
started on the Government’s £238 million JETS – Job Entry
Targeted Support – scheme over the last seven months.
And just under 13,000 have already returned to work after
securing new roles through JETS.
With opportunities opening up as the country proceeds carefully
along the roadmap to Covid-recovery, it means the Department for
Work and Pensions is well on the way to hitting its target of
helping 250,000 by September.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Thérèse Coffey
said:
“Behind these figures are real people dealt a rough hand by the
pandemic who are now receiving vital support to get back into
work, at a time when they need it most.
“Our Plan for Jobs is delivering and opening up opportunities in
every region and nation across the country, and we remain
relentlessly focused on turning our jabs into jobs as we build
back better.”
The support helps people out of work for three months by giving
them access to the tailored, flexible support needed to move back
into work quickly. That includes specialist advice on how they
can utilise existing or build new skills to move into growing
sectors where jobs are available such as green energy and
construction, as well as CV and interview guidance.
Elliot Dock, aged 33, from Eastbourne is one of the successful
JETS graduates now in work as a direct result of the scheme. He
was struggling to find a job during the pandemic despite having
previous experience of working on a farm. This was where his
passion lay and his Work Coach set him up on a skills course to
boost his employability.
He is now working for an agricultural contracting company based
in West Sussex and is thankful for all the support he received in
firing up his career again.
Elliot said:
“My experience of JETS has been outstanding. I’m so grateful for
all the help in finding work, and not only any old job but
something I’m actually interested in, at a place where I can
build a career.”
Chief Executive of the Shaw Trust, one of the eleven
organisations delivering the support, Chris Luck said:
"I’m delighted that through JETS we have supported Elliot back
into the career field he enjoys. We know that good work is more
than just a job; it gives purpose and brings a sense of
well-being.
“At Shaw Trust, in partnership with the DWP, we are proud to
support hundreds to return to work and see them begin to rebuild
their lives."
The announcement follows new employment figures released last
week that showed the unemployment rate had fallen for a third
month to 4.8% – with Government continuing to ramp up support to
get people back into work.
Once enrolled the tailored programme also gives job hunters the
boost they need to return to employment through an action plan
agreed with their personal adviser, peer support and signposting
to opportunities to build vital skills.
JETS is a key pillar of the Government’s Plan for Jobs which is
helping people of all ages into work. The flagship Kickstart
Scheme has seen an average of 400 young people a day start a job
over the last month, with over 200,000 new high quality jobs
created.
To help deliver the Plan, the DWP has recruited an additional
13,500 Work Coaches to protect, support and create jobs across
the country, providing one-to-one support tailored to individual
claimants and local jobs markets.
