Oldham Council named ‘Employer of the Year’

Oldham Council’s Economy and Skills team collecting their ‘Employer of the Year’ award at The Growth Company’s first ever Skills for Employment Awards Ceremony

Oldham Council has been named ‘Employer of the Year’ as part of The Growth Company’s first ever Skills for Employment Awards Ceremony.

The award recognises the council’s exceptional commitment in creating opportunities for Skills for Employment customers.

Oldham Council was also shortlisted for the ‘End to End Provider of the Year’ and the ‘Contribution of the Year’ award (Jenna Rogers of Oldham Council).

Seven awards were presented by The Growth Company, an organisation that helps to generate investment and growth in the north-west by working in partnership with businesses and individuals to boost the economic prospects of people and place.

Their new event recognises the achievements of the supply chain, partners, and customers over the last 18 months as well as highlighting key objectives of the next stage of the programme under the Local Growth Fund.

Oldham’s Skills for Employment programme, which started in April 2016, helps residents to improve their skills and confidence in order to find sustainable employment. This is conducted via one-to-one support from a Personal Learning Mentor who helps to establish a resident’s barriers and, from that, help unlock their potential.

Through this programme residents can access a wide-range of accredited courses and quality work experience placements - more than 50 per cent of residents who have started a placement have now found work.

This service is invaluable for residents who are not job ready and need extra support to gain skills and work experience to move back into sustainable employment.

Councillor Shoab Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Employment and Skills, said: “This award recognises the fantastic work that our Economy and Skills team are doing to get residents across the borough back into work, and it is well deserved.

“It is essential that we are equipping people with the skills and experience which will benefit them in their return to working life, and with our Skills for Employment programme this will go a long way to helping us engage with 6,000 residents and fill 5,000 work-related opportunities over the next five years.”

You can sign up to Oldham’s Skills for Employment by dropping into Get Oldham Working’s base located on the first floor of Metropolitan Place, Hobson Street, Oldham, OL1 1TT.

You can also make contact for an appointment and and a member of staff will respond with an appointment, date and time:

employability@oldham.gov.uk

0161 770 4674