CORNWALL’S Jobcentre Plus staff continue to support local jobseekers and employers, with bespoke training courses set to run into the New Year.

“Over the last year our jobcentre has stepped up to support local people and businesses affected by the pandemic by tailoring sector-based work academies to meet the business need,” said Judith May, who’s a work coach based at Newquay Job Centre.

“Our first HGV course was a great success, 10 of 15 candidates have recently completed their HGV licence and have immediately gone into work, with others imminently to follow.”

The next two HGV sector-based work academy programmes are planned for January, one for the east and one for the west of the county with spaces for 10 on each.

Young people aged 16 to 24 and on Universal Credit will be able to benefit from the Kickstart Scheme for a little while longer as the initiative is being extended to March 2022. The ‘Find a job’ GOV.UK website is currently advertising 205 Kickstart opportunities in Cornwall, including an analyst for King’s Business Ltd, Quintrell Downs and a roofer for Horizon Roofing Ltd.

“Many employers have been encouraged to use our premises for interviews,” says Judith. “Newquay Jobcentre has hosted successful recruitment events such as Pall, St Columb, where the calibre of the interviewees was excellent.

“We have also recently worked in partnership with Whitehead Ross, who provided successful hospitality courses for Fistral Beach and the Esplanade Hotel, which then resulted in job opportunities for participants. Likewise, McDonalds has recruited for its Newquay and Fraddon stores.”

The labour market remains buoyant, says Judith, with many businesses in the hospitality and retail trade offering great opportunities. Merchants Manor in Falmouth, for instance, have offered £1,500 for three weeks’ front of house work over Christmas.

A selection of some of the other Cornwall opportunities being advertised via the DWP Twitter account include: Operations team leader for Smiths News, Redruth; Full time receptionist, Aria Resorts, St Columb; Professional service administrator, Launceston; Depot operations administer, DPD, St Austell; office admin, Happy Days, Newquay; and machinery sales administrator, Bude.

In 2022, a sector-based work academy programme for teaching assistants will run across the whole of the South West. This will be a three-week online course, supporting various career pathways into the education sector.

“We are also continuing to work with our brilliant Real Ideas youth hub,” says Judith. “From January they will be offering a virtual five-week programme for 18 to 24 year olds who are not quite Kickstart ready.

“This will help people to develop key transferable skills, CV and interview support, which will help them move into any job in any sector.”