JETS helps more than 7000 people return to work

Since launching in October 2020, more than 7362 people have been referred to JETS, the Local London Work and Health Programme: Job Entry Targeted Support.

The scheme provides up to 6 months of advice and support for people who have been out of work and claiming Universal Credit or New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance for at least 13 weeks to help them return to work.

The huge number of referrals from Jobcentre Plus is an indicator of the damaging impact that Covid has had on people in East London.

To date the JETS employment scheme, delivered on behalf of Local London by Maximus UK, has helped thousands of people back into work, including Maria who was struggling to find employment, during the pandemic. With JETS support, Maria is making the most of her honed interpersonal skills in a new sector.

Thanks to the support from JETS London, Maria is now working 

Previously a childminder, Maria Debenham from Newham, had not worked for a business for over 22 years, so was lacking up-to-date experience.

Although keen to get a job, Maria was unsure of where to start when she was referred to the Job Entry: Targeted Support (JETS) service in June for support.

Abul Jakaria, Maximus Recruitment Advisor, helped Maria identify her transferable skills and set about creating a new CV. As she had been out of work for a number of years Maria needed support with her employability skills, job-searching, and interview techniques.

With her ability to form strong relations and her effective communication skills Abul quickly recognised that these were a massive asset to Maria, and they began looking at roles within a customer service environment where they would be a huge asset.

As Maria’s confidence grew so did her ability to understand the numerous ways to apply for different job roles. However, she hit an obstacle because many of the vacancies she applied for required recent experience.

Undeterred, Maria continued applying for jobs and focused on improving her interview skills to highlight the abilities she did have.

Persevering, she applied and successfully interviewed for a Sales Assistant role with a large retailer in October, demonstrating her ability to understand and empathise with others.

Maria conveyed her skills at being able to work in a methodical manner to deal with customer queries showing how she can adapt to differing and sometimes demanding situations. These were key elements to her successful interview.

Maria continues to be supported by the in-work-support team to ensure she settles back into the world of work.

The JETS scheme also provides help with IT skills, job searching, CV writing, interview support and support to consider different employment sectors, routes and ways of working including home working. Clients can also access mental health support to develop self-belief and self-motivation and build confidence.

For more information about JETS, visit the scheme website.

JETS is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.