Council’s Redundancy Support programme helps 148 people secure new jobs

Cheshire West and Chester Council offers Redundancy Support through Work Zones across the borough.

Since the start of the pandemic the teams have offered employment support to many individuals and many local businesses.

The teams are offering advice and guidance to employers and employees facing redundancy issues in west Cheshire. Work Zones work with private and public sector organisations, to promote the advice available and broker the right support for business and individuals.

Facing redundancy is daunting but the pandemic has also inspired an entrepreneurial spirit resulting in new businesses being started.

The Council offers business support for people thinking about starting their own business or going self-employed. There is a guide that summarises the available support on the Let's Talk Business website: www.letstalkbizcw.co.uk . The website provides information on the support available, including access to finance, commercial sites and premises and grant funding available in response to the COVID 19 pandemic. 

Councillor Richard Beacham, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth, Economy & Regeneration said: “The past year has been tough for everyone. The Council has been absolutely committed to supporting residents and businesses in our borough throughout successive lockdowns, and we recognise that many people have faced significant challenges. 

“With local progress on vaccinations being so promising, when it is safe to do so, I look forward to us beginning the careful process of re-opening the parts of west Cheshire’s economy that have been closed since Christmas.

“The Council’s Work Zones rapidly changed to being an online service at the start of the pandemic and since then we have helped almost 150 residents to find new employment. If you have lost your job, or are worried about losing your current job, contact your nearest Work Zone as soon as possible - they are there to help.”

A good place to start a job search is via the new Cheshire and Warrington Opportunities Portal which pulls together all available jobs advertised on other sites, updating every 30 minutes and enables personalised searches in terms of role, location etc.  The portal can be found at: www.candwopportunities.co.uk .

If more individual employment support is required, it is available through the Council’s Redundancy Support Portal on the main Council website. Anyone looking for work and needing some help, can submit their CV through this portal and a member of the team will be in touch. Most recently, the team has supported a recruitment drive for positions at the new Asymptomatic Testing Centres. 13 local job seekers are now preparing for shifts following Induction/Training Days as Multi-Skilled Operatives at the Testing Centres in Winsford, Ellesmere Port and Chester.  

By applying to the Redundancy Support Portal, people can also get help from a Work Zone Employment Mentor. The Mentors can help to shape CVs, share job search skills and help with preparations for interviews.  

If there are new skills needed, they can be identified, and courses arranged which could be retraining or refreshing English, maths, and ICT before starting a new job. The Work Zones in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Northwich and Winsford have a full Adult Education curriculum in addition to courses from other local training providers.

The Redundancy Toolkit is a free seven-module online learning programme providing all the information needed to help preparations for the next job.

Work Zones also run online Job Clubs, the Employment Mentor will help with the process of preparing and searching for work. To enrol on an online Job Club, email: skillsandemployment@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.

The Work Zone services are free and can be tailored to suit individual needs. To discuss your requirements in confidence, contact Redundancy Support by emailing:

skillsandemployment@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk