It was wonderful to host the Minister for Skills, Rt Hon Baroness Jacqui Smith here in Brierley Hill for a visit to Dudley College’s Black Country Skills Shop on the 29th June.
The Skills Shop, located in Merry Hill shopping centre, is doing some amazing work supporting people into employment, education and training. The facility provides a one stop shop for adults who want to explore their career options or study for new qualification, and is such a welcoming, supportive environment for people. During the visit, the Minister was given a tour of the facility by Diana Martin, chief executive and principal of Dudley College of Technology, and got the opportunity to meet with people using the service, who shared how beneficial such personalised support, as well as meeting peers in similar situations, was for their confidence, as well as their job search.
The Skills Shop also supports local employers, including the Merry Hill Centre, Waterfront, Midland Metro and other nearby local business to fill vacancies – providing tailored support to those applying, and liaising directly with employers to find out more about their needs.
Alongside this local support, it’s great to see the work that the Government is doing to support those not in education, employment or training. From the 30th June, employers can receive £3,000 for every eligible 18–24 year old they hire, alongside wider support through the government’s £2.5 billion Youth Guarantee, which is investing in jobs, apprenticeships, training and skills for the next generation.
This is about giving young people the chance to develop their talents through more tailored support, and help them secure good quality work, not writing them off. I’m so pleased that national policy will also now start to support more people into work, to match the incredible work that is going on in so many local communities already. Thank you so much to all those at the Skill Shop who helped to make the visit such a success. You can find more information about the Skill Shop here – Black Country Skills Shop – Dudley College of Technology
