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Skills forum hails success over jobs
THE Fylde is bucking the trend at getting people back into work. That's the verdict from a major skills and employment conference held in Blackpool.
More than 150 delegates from local agencies and employers attended the event at the Hilton with the aim of getting more people back on the payroll.
The Skills to Work Across the Fylde scheme is an 18-month, county-backed partnership between Blackpool and The Fylde College, Positive Steps and Fleetwood-based Start Now.
Its aim is to get some of the many hundreds of jobseekers back into some kind of employment by March 2010.
They have received funding of 450,00 for this financial year from the Lancashire Economic Partnership.
And so far the consortium is exceeding its targets in providing assessments, support and training to people who are out of work.
The scheme is similar to Blackpool's Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI), which has seen more than 100 people taking apprenticeships in trades such as plumbing and plastering in South Shore.
From that number, more than half of the new recruits have been placed in employment with local companies.
It is hoped some of the funding from the grant can be used to get people working at new businesses at the Hillhouse estate in Thornton as well as programmes in Fleetwood and the most deprived wards in Blackpool.
The conference heard keynote speeches from Blackpool Council boss Alan Cavill, Blackpool and The Fylde College principal Pauline Waterhouse and Blackpool North and Fleetwood MP Joan Humble.
Scores of unemployed people from across Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde have now found jobs thanks to the scheme.
Mrs Humble said: "It is important to provide people who are out of work with the skills necessary to take up employment.
"The Government has recognised the problems that unemployed people face in seeking work and has put in schemes in place to ensure that each person's needs are properly assessed.
"This project is working in exactly this way and I wish the consortium and its clients success."
Tracey Macnamara, from the Skills To Work partnership, said: "The event was extremely successful with over 150 delegates from local agencies, employers, councillors and funders.
"It showcased successful case studies and introduced clients that have successfully gained employment from Wyre, Fylde and Blackpool."
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Wednesday 30 May 2012
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