New online one-stop-shop to boost Fylde coast people's employment chances

ESCALATE is a web-based tool which brings together for the first time Lancashire’s varied opportunities available for those looking to start their journey into work.

Opportunities, which are available across the whole of the Lancashire area, include employment resources, skills provision, confidence building, mentoring, volunteering and pre-employment training courses.

This means that both individuals and advisers will be able to have access to the details of a suitable opportunity near them with just a few clicks of a mouse.

ESCALATE will also help referral agencies easily find the right offer for their customers.

Dr Michele Lawty-Jones of the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub said: “Bringing together hundreds of Lancashire’s different employment and adult learning opportunities into a single, digitally-based portal has been a complex task, especially with the huge number of organisations involved in delivering a diverse range of services.

“Now, thanks to all of Lancashire’s different agencies and partners collaborating, we have created the new ESCALATE platform. Ultimately ESCALATE is designed to get people on a pathway to employment. This will not only bring benefits for themselves, but for the wider Lancashire economy.”

Sharon Riding, District External Relationship Manager, for Jobcentre Plus said: “Historically this provision has never been brought together in one digital place with a sophisticated search function.

"This means that some people keen to get back into work, or who have tried to enter employment for the first time, may have missed out on certain types of support. Through ESCALATE this will now be resolved, our Work Coaches will have a powerful new resource.”

To help people find out more what ESCALATE offers and how it works, the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub and delivery partners have organised a series of local launch events throughout March.

They include one on Friday, March 16, from 10am – 2pm, at the Lancashire Energy HQ, Squires Gate Lane, at Blackpool Airport.