Employment Zone

Jobseekers | Employers | Success Stories

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Jobseekers

The Employment Zone contract is just one of the many Government Welfare to Work initiatives delivered by Pertemps Employment Alliance in Birmingham. The value of the Zone is demonstrated by both the astounding success in placing clients into work, and the excellent in-work retention rates providing sustainability for so many employees.


Employment Zones were launched across 15 locations in England and Wales in April 2000 to assist long term unemployed jobseekers over the age of 25 into work.

We successfully secured the Employment Zone contract for Birmingham, the largest single zone contract awarded in the United Kingdom and have recently been awarded contracts in the Employmnet Zones of Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Liverpool.

Our delivery strategy in Birmingham has focussed on bringing services to deprived communities and integrated delivery within seven development centres.
Each centre would provide a service encompassing 26 residential wards of the city, offering interview, training and job search facilities all under one roof.

Of the nationwide Employment Zones, Birmingham has the highest ethnic mix, with 48% of its participant intake from ethnic minorities.

In response, we have developed effective working links with many minority community organisations and employers, embracing their expertise, experience and specialist knowledge.

Working in partnership with organisations including Housing Associations, Drug Action Teams, Youth Offending Teams and the Probation Service, we can provide flexible learning, development and employment opportunities, allowing us to meet the needs of such diverse client groups.

Each development centre has a dedicated team of staff, providing one-to-one advice and guidance, job search coaching, job preparation and motivational training.

Individual assessments help identify barriers to employment and employment co-ordinators work with their clients in formulating effective action plans to facilitate rapid engagement with the labour market.

Provision is tailored to individual need and staff have the flexibility to access a variety of support and development opportunities in order to support the progression of clients into employment.

This might include the application of innovative confidence and motivational building techniques through the medium of sport or music, mock interviews involving local employers, occupationally specific job search sessions or debt and counselling.

We can even provide access to business start-up equipment and funds for clients moving into self-employment.

Birmingham Employment Zone has helped:

·Over 9,000 people into employment.

·15% were out of work for over 10 years.

·56% were from ethnic minorities.

For general enquiries about the Birmingham Employment Zone initiative, use the Contact Ussection.

Further information on the Employment Zone initiative can be obtained via the Departments for Work and Pensions (DWP)Employment Zone website at www.employmentzones.gov.uk

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Employers

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Success Stories