City Wolverhampton Council and city partners have launched a website to offer residents, businesses, and providers improved access to skills, training and employment opportunities.
Employers and training providers today (Thursday) gathered at an event at Molineux Stadium to view and support ‘Workbox’, which will act as a one-stop hub, forming part of the wider Skills and Employment Action Plan to tackle unemployment in the city.
It will provide flexible and customised provision to prepare people better for work and employers will contribute by designing bespoke training to ensure a larger proportion of people become job ready over time - creating a more reliable local labour supply.
Employers, in the future will also be able to advertise local jobs on Workbox and it feeds into the Wolves@Work employment programme, where work coaches offer advice and support to residents.
This is the first phase of Workbox, with further development set to take place to make it more interactive and tailored to the user’s needs.
David Danger, Chair of Employment & Skills Group, and Managing Director of UTC Marston Aerospace, added: “Workbox is a priority of the city Skills and Employment Action Plan and aims to create a virtual system that makes it easier for local people to obtain information, advice and guidance.
“It is a tool to really help co-ordinate and connect people to local opportunities, and has been developed with many partners, residents and businesses, with further development to come in its offer and interactivity.”
Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for City Economy, added: ““Workbox will act as a ‘front door’ to information, advice and job opportunities.
“Organisations at today’s event were able to further input into the design as well as support the launch.
“This is the start of the journey for Workbox and it will continue to develop and change to reflect the needs of the city.”
Workbox has been co-designed with City of Wolverhampton College, University of Wolverhampton, Community Learning Platform, Department for Work and Pensions, Adult Education Wolverhampton, Connexions, schools, residents, employers and training providers.
It will provide an intensive local support system which has not existed before in Wolverhampton. Residents will be able to sign up to local information about opportunities and access support. It will also be a tool for frontline staff and a Workbox training programme will support those staff who are working with young care leavers and offenders so these young people can gain access to local training, apprenticeships and employment opportunities.
