New initiative launched to support people who have just lost their job get back into work

Islanders who have recently lost their jobs are being encouraged to join a new programme designed to help them get back into work as soon as possible.

The Career Advantage Programme is a joint offer from the Job Centre and the Guernsey College of Further Education and will seek to:

• Support people to clearly recognise their current knowledge and skills in order to create a portfolio of evidence that could be used to either:

– gain a recognised qualification and/or
– offer them coaching and CV update skills.

• Identify skills gaps for further development, such as maths and English.
• Explore future progression or retraining opportunities.
• Support job application processes, eg develop CVs, letters of application and interview skills.

This programme will be offered virtually, working with staff from the Job Centre and College of Further Education lecturers while the college is closed. Its aim is to give those currently out of work the best chance to regain employment either during this ongoing crisis or later.

There is no fixed timeframe for how long the programme will operate, as it depends on the availability of College lecturers, so anyone interested in getting involved is encouraged to contact the Job Centre via email at job.centre@gov.gg or by calling 07839 288985.

Louise Misselke, Principal of the Guernsey College of Further Education, said:

‘We recognise that these are very strange and challenging times. Many in our community have found the last few weeks to be extremely difficult if they have suddenly lost their job. The team at the College is ready to work with anyone who finds themselves in this position and who needs support to recognise the years of experience and skill they have got from previous employment. This will help people be ready to apply for jobs as they arise. We are glad to be working with colleagues from Employment and Social Security to support our community. I would encourage anyone in this position to please get in touch to find out how we can all help.’