Ministers Visit Harlow Employment and Training Centre to Launch New Redundancy Service - May 2009


Press Release

 

Bill Rammell, MP for Harlow and Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Richard Howitt, Labour MEP for the East of England officially launched a new service delivered by local training provider Seetec, which will help people who are at risk of redundancy, have been made newly redundant or are currently unemployed.

 

The ‘Response to Redundancy’ service is funded by the Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Fund and will see Seetec deliver personalised packages of jobsearch support and career training to over 2,300 individuals across the East of England over the next 18 months.

 

Richard Howitt welcomed the new programme commenting that “it is imperative that skills and employment are joined up to empower people across the region to secure new employment, and European funding for training and skills is playing a vital role in this process”.

 

Ruth Langham, Centre Manager for Harlow showed the visitors around the centre and spoke at length about Seetec’s employment and training programmes, detailing the type of advice and support available to people who are unemployed in order for them to boost their skills and secure lasting employment. 

 

As an experienced training provider with over 25 years experience of helping people back into work Richard was particularly keen to talk to Seetec about the use of European funding, specifically through the European Social Fund (ESF).

 

Both Richard and Bill were introduced to customers currently undertaking the ESF funded ‘Flexible Routeway’ service, a part time programme designed to help long term unemployed people who want to work but need additional help in achieving their job goals.

 

The visitors also met with two Seetec staff, Chris Quinn and Lindy Brooks, who were made redundant from Woolworths at the end of 2008.  Both accessed Seetec’s Programme Centre and Rapid Response Service via Jobcentre Plus and are delighted to have secured permanent employment.  Chris says “I really enjoy my new role, and having been made redundant myself, I know what my customers are going through when they come to the centre.  I can identify with how they are feeling and this really helps when I do job search with them.”

 

Both Bill Rammell and Richard Howitt were impressed with the achievements of Seetec’s customers and the commitment of the team to help people move into work.

 

If you are an employer or individual that wants to find out how Response to Redundancy can help you then contact 0845 330 6439.

 

Notes for Editors:

·   Seetec is one of the UK’s leading Government Funded training providers with 25 years experience of delivering Welfare to Work Programmes and helping people back into work.

·   Response to Redundancy provides employability focused skills training to those at risk of redundancy, newly redundant or unemployed across the East of England Region (Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire & Luton, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk).

·   Participants will receive a range of tailored support and training including occupational training with certification; help with creating an up-to-date CV, interview techniques guidance and support with job search.  

·   Response to Redundancy is being funded by the Learning and Skills Council and The European Social Fund.

·   Flexible Routeway is funded by the Department of Work and Pensions and The European Social Fund and is delivered by Seetec across Essex as a sub-contractor to In-Training.

·   Photo attached with article: Top row L to R: Alison Bunney, Richard Howitt, Bill Rammell, Ruth Langham. Bottom L to R Lindy Brooks and Chris Quinn

 

For further media enquiries please contact:

 

Seetec

Penny Cole or James Fanthorpe

01702 20 10 70

penny.cole@seetec.co.uk or james.fanthorpe@seetec.co.uk

http://www.seetec.co.uk/