Agenda item

Report of the Acting Strategic Director, Communities and Environment and the Strategic Director, Care, Wellbeing and Learning

The Committee received a report and presentations as part of the fifth evidence gathering session on the review to address skills shortages and increase employment opportunities.

The Committee were reminded that previous sessions have included information on the importance of early years, careers progression and skills gaps.  This session is about focussing on what is being done now.

Gateshead Council have recently launched, as part of National Careers Week, Work Inspiration Gateshead, a programme which will enable young people to be educated, informed and inspired about the careers and opportunities available to them. Work Inspiration is a partnership between the Council, Gateshead College and local businesses.

The main aims of the programme are:

·         Employability Skills Development

·         Applying for career opportunities and interviews

·         Hands on work tasks on employer premises

·         Insights into progression routes – FE, HE etc

·         Real life challenges

The Committee were also informed about the launch of a new partnership with Gateshead Council, Gateshead College, Northumbria University and DWP – Gateshead Works.  The Project will:

·         Extend our current service to wider Gateshead businesses

·         Broaden and maximise opportunities for residents

·         Engage more proactively with employers around job quality

·         Prepare early for opportunities resulting from development

The Committee then heard from Neil Pilkington.  Neil is an Employment Adviser based at Greensfields Business Centre.  Neil works with Gateshead residents who need additional support to get back into work.  The people Neil is working with may have a number of barriers such as health, finance, being a single parent or other issues.

Neil introduced Michaela who was previously a user of the services he provided.  Michaela advised the Committee that she was a care leaver, was now 26 and had been in care from the age of 4.  She explained to the Committee that Neil arranged for her to attend different courses and she started on an SSU Programme where she was made to feel very welcome.  The course had group activities and she was gutted when it ended.  Neil also helped Michaela with her CV and she put her CV into Burger King and was interviewed and got the job.  Michaela is a single parent and Neil helped her work out her finances in terms of whether she would be better off in work or not.  The service also provides financial support for travel to and from work in the initial stages until a service user is on their feet and received some wages. Michaela advised the Committee that she also suffers from a pro-lapsed disc in her back. 

The Committee then heard from Claire Cook, Claire advised that as part of her role she will be involved in the delivery of the Gateshead Works Model.

Claire advised that her role is to identify barriers to employment for unemployed residents, to identify recruitment needs for employers and deliver an appropriate level of support and work in partnership with other council services, key stakeholders and employers to ensure that residents have access to opportunities.

The service is currently involved in partnership with several contracts including:

·         BBO – Building Better Opportunities

·         Generation North East (18-29 year old)

·         Links to Work Programme

·         Syrian Resettlement Programme

·         Families Gateshead

·         GATES – Gateshead Access to Employment Service

·         Direct Payments Team

·         Looked After Children Team

·         DWP

·         External Partners

Claire advised that Committee that recruiting people isn’t just about the qualifications or experience, it is about personality, talent and culture.

The bespoke services offers a co-ordinated recruitment and skills package including:

·         Labour market information

·         Advice and guidance on the recruitment process

·         Pre employment training

·         Advertising of vacancies

·         Pre screening of applicants prior to submission

·         Premises to conduct interviews

·         Recruitment events

·         Dedicated point of contact throughout recruitment process

The service has been involved in recruitment events for Teleperformance, Taco Bell, Burger King and KFC, to name a few. 

The Committee were advised that in the last year there have been 106 opportunities with 80 positions filled and 56 residents into employment.

The Committee queried whether it was possible to have Michaela or others to act as mentors.  It was noted that there are plans to formalise the work of the Inspiration Champions as part of Work Inspiration Gateshead.

It was noted that Follingsby is quite an exciting development and it was queried how we can guarantee the job opportunities for Gateshead residents.  It was noted that at the Follingsby development Section 106 powers will be used during the planning process to make sure.  It was also noted that as part of projects where the Council

has contributed funding it has been written into the funding contract. 

It was queried if the service works with other teams / services in the Council, such as Early Help.  It was noted that the service works with other services across the Council, in particular when a job becomes available.

It was queried, given the construction / building work ongoing whether we were working with companies to establish what their requirements would be to take on apprentices / local tradesman.

It was noted that we will be doing some targeted recruitment and training.    It was also noted that it will be written within the development agreement with a specific number of jobs and to work with the Council to take on Gateshead residents.

RESOLVED -              That the views of the Committee on the presentation and report be noted.