[dropcap type =”circle”]W[/dropcap]orkers facing redundancy are being reminded of the range of support that the council offers.
Although north Oxfordshire experiences low levels of unemployment, Cherwell District Council is underscoring the support it offers to workers who face losing their jobs.
Figures from the Department of Work and Pensions show that fewer than 300 people are currently claiming Jobseekers’ allowance in Cherwell district.
Cherwell’s job clubs take place in Banbury and Bicester on alternate Fridays. The next Banbury Job Club is tomorrow Friday, 27 January and the next Bicester Job Club is on Friday, February 3.
The council runs job clubs, which offer support and advice to help people back into work. It also publishes redundancy checklists and a Look for a Job guide to help jobseekers get organised.
Cllr Lynn Pratt, Cherwell’s lead member for estates and the economy, said: “The jobs market is constantly changing and topics like networking and social media more important than ever before.
“Given that 70 per cent of jobs are never advertised and 90 per cent of employers check Facebook and LinkedIn, these are vital skills which are well worth brushing up on for people who might have been working in the same job for a number of years.
“Our job clubs offer a friendly and professional environment for people to hone these skills and many others, to help them take the next step in their career. We are lucky to enjoy a dynamic and resilient economy here in north Oxfordshire, but the council is here to help if workers or companies do fall on hard times.”
The redundancy checklists remind people to check their entitlements, which can include redundancy pay and accrued holiday pay. They also provide links to advice on how redundancy may affect pension rights and maintenance payments.
The Looking for a Job Guide and redundancy checklist can be found on the council’s job club web page: http://www.cherwell.gov.uk/jobclubs