New skills support to lift jobless out of unemployment

New measures were unveiled today by John Hayes, Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning (BIS) and Chris Grayling, Minister for Employment (DWP) to gives jobseekers more help identifying needs and learning new skills that will help them back to work.

Jobseekers will be given access to careers advice, starting with a pilot programme that will significantly boost the number of careers advisers providing services in Jobcentres and help shape the new National Careers Service, which starts in April 2012.

The pilot will take place in 22 Jobcentre Plus locations across the country.

The co-location is part of a wider package of skills support for those looking for work which launched in August. It is designed to provide a more flexible and tailored approach to skills involving Jobcentre Plus, careers advice, colleges and employers. In the past jobseekers tended to be presented with a prescriptive list of skills options that weren’t always necessarily aligned with the demands of the local labour market.

More details here: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2011/sep-2011/dwpbis104-11.shtml