Thousands signed up to Liverpool City Council’s job-ready programme
THAT was the year that was for Liverpool City Council’s Ways to Work programme!
The training and employment programme has smashed all targets and helped more people than ever before to get the help they need in finding the job they want.
Anyone in the city who is not working or studying full-time can join the programme.
The programme offers a range of services, including weekly Job Clubs that help people search for work. It also offers techy-tips on how to be smarter on the web, write a winning CV and application letter and anything else that helps improves employability. Ways to Work also acts as a gateway to Liverpool City Council’s extremely successful Adult Learning Service.
Funded through the European Social Fund, the programme was originally set a target of signing up just under 6,000 people. This year the Ways to Work team is celebrating surpassing this target by more than 1,000 people.
Liverpool Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Business, Economy and Skills, Cllr Gary Millar, said: “Ways to Work continues to achieve excellent results in terms of recruitment onto the programme. These latest figures mean that it is now one of the most successful schemes of its type in the city region and beyond. We are lucky enough to have an extremely talented and professional team who can provide support based on people’s specific needs. They work with other organisations across the city to find the right routes into training and employment for their clients.
“We are delighted to say that since the programme began we have helped more than 2,000 people in jobs or educational opportunities.”
And there are exciting times ahead because the Ways to Work programme has now launched a new phase in its operation that seeks to work with residents who have additional barriers to getting into work.
Liverpool City Council’s Mayoral Lead for Equalities, Cllr Anna Rothery, said: “We are very proud of the work that is delivered through the Adult Learning and Ways to Work Employment and Skills teams. We provide one-to-one support to help all of our residents and in the communities that need it most. We help people gain confidence and enable them to progress on their journey through further learning and finding suitable volunteering opportunities that can take them onto finding the right job.”
2019 promises to be another bumper year for Liverpool’s Ways to Work and Adult Learning programmes who new courses starting early in the new year.
- If you want more information give the Council’s Adult Learning Helpline a call on 0151 233 3026, or visit liverpool.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/adult-learning/.
Case study:
Zahra’s back on track
WHEN mum-of-three Zahra was working full-time she was bursting with confidence. Here roles within a bank and as a clerk to the courts meant she had a keenly-honed set of skills and enviable experience.
However, all that changed when the 41-year-old took an extended sabbatical to care for her severely ill and disabled mother. The devoted daughter’s round-the-clock regime of care left her feeling detached from the world of work and her skill set suffered. Zahara came to rely on her children to help her with simple tasks such as using the computer and opening emails.
When Zahra’s mother sadly passed away, she felt she had lost her independence, social skills and confidence…and she wanted them back.
The first step on her journey was finding out about Ways to Work through the website, She followed this up with a visit to the job club at Granby Adult Learning Centre. There she met Ways to Work tutor Shadia, who takes up the tale:
“We talked about Zahra’s strengths and created an action plan,” said Shadia. “Her goals were to gain confidence, improve her IT skills, create a CV and look for work.”
Within a few sessions at the job club, Zahra was polishing up her resume, taking stock of her skills and feeling more positive about the future. Soon she had started an IT course which she thought was essential for everyday life and for work as well.
As her confidence grew she began to volunteer at the local primary school as a teaching assistant. And when the pupils asked for help with their computer work, Zahra could step up thanks to her new skills.
Today Zahra’s on a journey of continuous self-discovery and she’s constantly searching for new ways to improve her skills. She’s decided that her calling lies in being a teaching assistant and she’s now applying for jobs.
Zahra said: “Signing up with Ways to Work has been one of the best things I’ve ever done. My tutors have given me the support I needed and made me realise my true potential. I have enjoyed the journey so far and I am very hopeful for the future.”
