Every little helps

Tesco’s Local Employment Partnership Scheme has helped 106 unemployed residents back into work.

Tesco pledged to employ a large number of long term unemployed people to open their new Middleton store and have achieved this through their ‘Tesco Local Employment Partnership Scheme’.

The Scheme aims to help unemployed local people who have been out of work for six months or more. It gives people who might not necessarily feel confident enough to go through the usual interview process, an opportunity. They go that extra mile to help some of the most disadvantaged jobseekers back into work, as well as celebrating the personal achievements of employees whose lives are being transformed by the Scheme.

Many different partners in the Borough have been involved in the partnership scheme; for example, Hopwood Hall College have provided the training for over 100 local people to give them some relevant qualifications and make them work ready; this comprehensive 8 week training programme involved many different aspects of training and also incorporated some voluntary work.

The voluntary work included such things as; a canal tidy-up in Castleton for British Waterways, where the trainees maintained vegetation, removed rubbish and dug out overgrown paths. The difference they made was tremendous. Some groups also did fundraising activities, for example, two groups did a charity ‘bag pack’ for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign at the Tesco’s in Silk Street, raising over £425 for the charity.

The feedback from Scheme’s participants has been fantastic; for many it has given them a much needed sense of purpose, it has built their confidence and some instances it will be life changing. It is safe to say that as well as learning some valuable skills, many will make lifelong friends and long-standing work colleagues.

The programme will finish with an official Graduation Ceremony on Friday 28 May.

Natalie Davies, who coordinated the training at Hopwood Hall College, explains its importance to the local community, “The benefits first and foremost are reducing unemployment in the Borough, engaging the long-term unemployed properly to enable them to meet the challenge of work. It is also hoped that it will also create a sense of pride amongst the people of Middleton and that will hopefully be reflected in the service that will be received within this much needed superstore”.

All 106 people have now all been offered official jobs with Tesco.