Merthyr jobseekers who lack interview experience are being reminded that help is available to brush up their skills.
It’s provided by employment specialist JobMatch and is helping local people to get back into work. Damien Owen of Morgantown was job hunting for a year before being put in touch with JobMatch through the JobCentre Plus ‘Pathways to Work’ scheme.
He was helped to create an up to date CV, practise his interview skills and its advisors kept in regular contact to encourage him in his job search and let him know about any new opportunities. It resulted in success, with 35 year old Damien now working for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council as a housing options advisor initially on a six month placement.
Damien, who had previously worked in customer services, said: “It was a very quick turnaround with JobMatch, within just a couple of weeks I was receiving pre-interview guidance for my current position. I had previously worked in sales and customer service jobs but it had been quite a long time since I had been for an interview and so JobMatch went through the proper interview techniques with me to refresh my memory and prepare me beforehand.”
Damien is now delighted to be back in a job he loves, providing general housing advice to members of the public.
Welsh Assembly Government Deputy Minister for Regeneration, Leighton Andrews said: “Damien’s story is yet another example of JobMatch proving its effectiveness for local people. The initiative continues to help people across the Heads of the Valleys area to be more fulfilled and financially better off with obvious benefits for the local economy.”
Since November 2007 support provided by the JobMatch partners in Merthyr has involved help with training and gaining new qualifications, linking people with suitable job opportunities, and encouraging self-employment.
Following a highly successful trial period in Blaenau Gwent, JobMatch has been extended to cover large areas of Torfaen County Borough, Caerphilly County Borough, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough and Rhondda Cynon Taff.
It is part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) through the European Union’s Convergence programme administered by the Welsh Assembly Government.
JobMatch is part of an integrated approach to sustainable regeneration of the former coal and steel industry areas, and the message to unemployed people of working age is: “You’re better off in a job.”
Jobseekers are urged to call JobMatch on 0800 066 5452.
