More people looking for help into work in Coventry
It's as the job shop has seen a rise in footfall.
More people than ever seeking help from a Coventry service that supports people into work. Footfall at the city’s ‘Job Shop’ has more than doubled since moving to West Orchards this spring, staff said at a launch event today, 10 July.
The council-run centre now sees 70 more people on average per day than at its old site in the Bull Yard. The service works by linking people up with job coaches and has supported over 15,000 people into employment in 12 years.
Manager Karen Booret said the rise in footfall could be due to the work of its staff and positive publicity.
She said: “I think maybe it could be the fact that our coaches, we’re here to help, we listen. Everything we do, we do because we want to support people.”
Ms Evans added: “I think the actual building, the inside and the facilities we have has not only attracted more customers, as well as kind of working with partners.” They have a “lot more partners” using the centre’s rooms, she said, and the centre is working with the NHS and the National Careers Service.
“It’s all bright and new, so it’s welcoming,” said Ms Booret. “I think it’s a place where people want to come into. So it’s more attractive.”
“A lot of customers when we first opened up it was just ‘wow, wow.’ Those are the sort of responses we were getting,” she added. “They were saying it’s so much better, it’s so nice.”
The Job Shop had to move from the Bull Yard due to development for the City Centre South scheme. But its new base at the old Debenhams in West Orchards comes with benefits.
It also has two soundproof booths where people can talk about sensitive issues with job coaches. Asked what the main issues are affecting people who cannot find work in the city, Ms Booret said people feel there are not so many entry level jobs as there used to be.
“Especially in hospitality I would say since Covid,” she added. “So they are just desperate to get into work.” The service has a range of vacancies but it’s “getting people’s confidence back up as well,” she said, for example by looking at their CV and encouraging them to get as much experience as possible.
As well as moving to a new city centre location, the Job Shop is also reaching more people through being in more places throughout the city, Ms Evans said. The ‘outreach’ centres are based in family hubs, community centres and leisure centres.
“We offer the exact same service in the communities they just don’t need to travel into the city centre,” she explained. Ms Evans also said the centre is different from agencies as they want to make sure people get into “sustainable” work.
Ms Booret added that the centre looks at not just jobs but “positive destinations” like education and training. The aim now is to get more employers into the shop to meet with them and find out how the service can help them, for example by hosting coffee mornings.
“Our focus has always been on the customer but also we want the employers now to understand exactly what we’re able to do to help them fill their vacancies because they might not think about the Job Shop.” Senior councillors praised the service at a launch event today, with council leader Cllr George Duggins saying the city “should be proud” of its achievements.