JETS programme takes off to support unemployed

A new employment programme set up in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has gone live.

The Local London Work and Health Programme Job Entry: Targeted Support (JETS) service will offer rapid help to thousands of people across nine Local London boroughs, supporting them to learn new skills, build their CV, engage with local employers and find a job.

The programme is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and delivered on behalf of Local London by Maximus UK, our Work and Health Programme provider. Maximus UK are working with hundreds of employers in our boroughs to give them access to skilled local candidates.

In line with Government guidance and restrictions in place across London, the service will be largely delivered remotely via online video, phone and email. We are working with Maximus UK to plan community-based delivery centres across nine boroughs to offer face-to-face support to those who need it once Government restrictions are eased in the coming months.

To deliver the service, Maximus UK is recruiting more than 50 new front-line staff across the Local London boroughs, to offer expert recruitment advice and employer engagement.

Cllr Darren Rodwell, Chairman of Local London, said: “We are delighted that more than 10,000 of our residents will receive much-needed JETS support to help them get back into work. The impact of Covid-19 on our residents in Local London has been particularly acute, and helping residents who lost their jobs as a result is an important first step in our recovery, and in helping our residents to re-build their lives and confidence.  Working at sub-regional and borough level, we are able to bring together our partners and local authority services to provide training opportunities for residents to enable them to move into new employment sectors.”

Gareth Parry, Programme Director for Maximus UK, said: “JETS is a new service that will support thousands of people to move back into the labour market in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re committed to helping people in communities across Local London to access support during this challenging time, using digital tools to make the service accessible to everyone who needs it.

“With sectors such as hospitality and retail struggling, we’re focused on how individuals can use their transferable skills to enter new growth sectors such as logistics and digital, as well as how they can gain new qualifications to unlock opportunities.”

Therese Coffey MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said: “JETS will give recently unemployed people the helping hand they need to get back into work, boosting the prospects of more than a quarter of a million people across Britain.”

For more information on the JETS programme visit: www.maximusuk.co.uk/JETSLondon