Eastleigh: College introduces new help for jobless

As part of Eastleigh College’s ongoing commitment to improve the skills of the unemployed and help them move back into work more quickly, the College recently designed and delivered a three-week Introduction to Working in Care course to individuals from the Eastleigh area.

Through government funding, the College has been able to work with Jobcentre Plus customers to provide industry recognised skills. Each student received a College certificate for the programme and an accredited qualifications in First Aid and Manual Handling.

Any adult who is unemployed for six months, facing redundancy or under consultation, can register for the free training. The programme can be individualised allowing clients to ‘pick and mix’ their training sessions from a range of courses on offer. These include skills such as CV writing, team working, leadership and management as well as literacy, numeracy and IT in the workplace.

Eastleigh College’s head of workforce & business development Matthew Phelps said: “The College intends to do all it can to help people through these difficult economic times. We are here to help and will do all we can to assist both the employer and the employees of companies facing redundancy issues. However, we are also seeking employers who are in a position to offer job opportunities to those who have been re-skilled and are ready for work again.”

Eastleigh College’s ESF project coordinator Marian Sexton commented: “The group have taken everything on board and have shown their capabilities. There are very enthusiastic about learning, showing it is never too late to learn new skills”.

On the last day of the course Ronald Tromans secured full-time employment and all of the other learners have either made job applications or attended interviews since completing the course. He commented: “I was fortunate to gain an interview on the last day of the course and found full-time work as a Domiciliary Care Worker for Caremark. This course has given me the confidence to move forward and begin a new career in an area I have always been interested in.”

If you have been made redundant, are under notice of redundancy or have been out of work for six months or more, contact Eastleigh College on 023-8081-1195 or email [email protected] for more information.