More than two people every week have been helped into a new job throughout the pandemic by Dundee’s employability teams, despite the economic impact of Covid-19.
While some parts of the city’s economy struggle, sectors including cleaning, care, essential retail and take away/delivery have been growing and as a result recruiting new staff during the coronavirus.
Mark Flynn convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee said: “There is absolutely no question that parts of the economy are finding things challenging and unfortunately people in the city are losing their jobs, but the picture is not completely bleak.
“There are reasons to be optimistic, not only about the sectors that are currently recruiting but also in the amount of work that is being done by the council and its partners right now to prepare people and businesses to build back when this is over.
“For example the Fuel Well Dundee Programme launched less than a month ago, which goes beyond fuel poverty to signpost to other support and services, has recommended 100 people to the employability team who might not normally have found themselves there.
“While it seems like a simple thing to do to match an employer who has a vacancy with a person who wants a job, it is never quite as simple as that, which is where the employability service comes in.
“The service helps create quick and efficient matches between employers and job seekers and also uses that information to give people looking for work the right skills to get a job.
“One of the elements offers what amounts to a free recruitment service to employers which includes matching them with people looking for a job, help filtering applications/CVs, pre-screening candidates for interview and supporting the interview process itself.
“At the other side of the equation employability services also help people who want to find a job to brush up their CVs, develop skills that employers are looking for, boost their confidence and even get help with money advice.”
Since the pandemic began more than 100 people have got a job after help and support from the employability team. Between April last year and the end of January 103 people were helped into employment/self-employment through adult and youth employability services.
Employability services in the city are directed and delivered by the Discover Work Partnership which includes the Department for Work and Pensions, Dundee City Council, Developing the Young Workforce, Dundee and Angus Coge, Fair Start Scotland (Remploy), Skills Development Scotland and representatives of the Third Sector.
As well as almost £1m for employability services committed by local partners the Scottish Government is backing initiatives in Dundee to the tune of £3.6m over the next two years.
Operating under the “Discover Work” banner and with a presence on all of the popular social media channels it is easy to get hold of the right support.
Cllr Flynn added: “While the help on offer now is vital, it is also critical that there is plan for the next five years to help guide job seekers, employers and the wider city economy out of the downturn created by the pandemic.
“Among other things, that will see the Discover Work partnership focus its efforts on the people who need help most, scope out which sectors and occupations will have job and growth opportunities and how the labour force can meet their needs, and making sure no one is left behind no matter what challenges they may face getting into work.”
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
