Wales’ Social Justice Minister Carl Sargeant has announced over £430,000 to help unemployed people in Newport gain the skills they need to access the job market.
The Employment and Skills Preparation Programme will offer training opportunities to unemployed people. Participants will attend courses to develop general work place skills such as time management and working in a team, to improve their employability and gain the confidence and motivation to begin work.
Participants can also take part in a two-week work placement, benefiting from on-the-job experience to make them more attractive to future employers. Training can lead to vocational qualifications, improving participants long-term work prospects.
The Welsh Assembly Government backed project will be delivered by Newport City Council and will operate across all Communities First areas in the city, reaching some of Wales’ most deprived communities.
Carl Sargeant said,
“This Communities First funding offers a fantastic opportunity to help unemployed people get on the path to finding permanent work. The programme can help people to refresh basic skills and possibly learn a new craft that could lead you in a completely new direction.
“I hope that participants will leave the scheme with worthwhile skills and experience and the confidence to take that next step into permanent employment.”
After completing the programme, participants will be encouraged to look for permanent work, take up a voluntary post or undertake further training.
Councillor Matthew Evans, leader of Newport City Council, said,
“This project is being delivered across the city with the aim of helping 350 unemployed people, the majority aged between 18 and 24, improve their job prospects.
“It is expected that, as a result of their participation in this project, many of them will then move onto employment or schemes such as the Future Jobs Fund.
“I would like to thank Newport’s overarching partnership board (OAPB), which supports the work of the Communities First Programme and will deliver this project in partnership with Council, for developing the proposal after realising there were people missing out on vital training and work opportunities.
“The OAPB is also today launching its five year strategy for improving the lives of residents in all 11 Communities First areas.”
Communities First is a Welsh Assembly Government initiative to improve the living conditions and prospects for people in the most disadvantaged communities across Wales.
For information on employment opportunities under the scheme, contact Keir Duffin at Newport City Council on 01633 656656.
