Member Article

Cross-region partnership sets about solving Yorkshire longterm unemployment

A Yorkshire business has partnered with Liverpool-based Action 4 Employment (A4e) to tackle long term unemployment through offers of permanent work to job seekers.

Wakefield-based blinds manufacturer, Interior Goods Direct and public service provider A4e have banded together to work on a solution for people who have been out of work for six months or more.

Interior Goods Direct have recruited eight unemployed people from the Government’s controversial Work Programme, delivered by A4e on behalf of Interserve Working Futures.

Operations have also since expanded from Interior Goods Direct’s 40,000 sq ft Yorkshire base, with further offerings of permanent work to unemployed people this year.

One staff member, Sally Whitehouse, who was hired through A4e, commented: “I started out working on the production line as a quality controller and worked my way up in the organisation to become the Production and QC Manager.”

“Being made redundant from a previous job was an extremely stressful and worrying time for me and my family.

“My experience of working with A4e to gain new employment with Interior Goods Direct was a positive one which has given me a greater appreciation of the Work Programme and the work A4e does.”

Marketing manager, Lee Fisher, added: “We are continually expanding as a business and by working with A4e we hope to attract more hard working individuals to the company.”

“We have also utilised the Youth Wage Incentive Scheme set up by the government to reduce youth unemployment by giving 18-24 year olds the chance to attain great quality hands on experience”.

“Our relationship with A4e is a fantastic one; it has enabled us to fill various job vacancies in quality control, production and general housekeeping.”

Unemployment is currently at approximately 9% in Yorkshire and Humber, and the Government’s Work Programme is in its third year of operation.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .