College funds to help jobless

OLDHAM College will get a slice of government funding to help get the borough’s long-term unemployed back to work.

A total of 37 colleges across the North-West will share £83 million to offer training places to around 75,000 people who have been out of work for more than six months.

In the current economic climate this group find it harder to find work as many more people compete for jobs.

Courses will be matched to the local job market, from retail to hospitality, right up to vocational training at the equivalent of A-level standard. People on the courses will also be able to continue their training once they get a job so they can learn a range of skills to help them secure sustainable employment.

Beverley Hughes, Regional Minister for the North-West, said: “I’m pleased that 37 of our colleges will benefit from the investment — more than any other region.

“This money will help thousands of people across the North-West beat the recession and get back into work by learning new skills.

“We want to make sure that people who have been out of work for a long period of time are given new opportunities for training. We need to make it as easy as possible for them to find new jobs.

“I hope people in the North-West will consider taking advantage of this scheme by applying to study at a college. Job seekers need to make themselves as attractive as possible to potential employers as the economy recovers.”

The extra support also means that for the first time further education colleges will be paid to get people back into work.

It is part of a move to make the £5 billion spent annually on adult skills and training work harder for those hit by the recession.

The new measures will help people get the skills and qualifications that will boost their prospects of getting a new job and take advantage of likely expansion areas as the economy improves.