27 January 2009 – Short-list revealed for Local Employment Partnership Awards 2009
Marriott, BUPA, McDonalds, Asda, Marks & Spencer and Royal Mail are among the UK employers which have made it onto the shortlist for the Regional and Country Local Employment Partnership (LEP) Awards 2009.
The LEP Awards were introduced by Jobcentre Plus to recognise the important role employment partnerships are playing in getting people back to work. The LEP scheme is on target to get 250,000 long-term unemployed people back into work and with the extra money allocated in the Pre-Budget report last November, people who have just lost their jobs will now be able to benefit.
Overall, Jobcentre Plus received more than 1,000 entries to the awards which have been rolled out regionally across the UK after the success of the national LEP Awards in 2008.
Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform, Tony McNulty said:
“The response to the awards has been tremendous and mirrors the success of LEPs in getting people back to work. By working in partnership with employers we aim to find sustainable employment for 250,000 people by the end of 2010.
“Now more than ever it is important that we do everything possible to support people to get back into jobs. We will continue to work with employers to provide opportunities for those who find themselves out of work.
“These awards recognise the commitment of everyone involved in the success of LEPs and demonstrate, through real life examples, the difference these jobs can make to peoples’ lives.”
Nominations have been received from employers who have recruited through LEPs, their employees and partner organisations across a range of six awards from Unlocking Talent to Recruitment Innovation.
Winners of the Regional and Country awards will automatically be entered into the National awards, to be held at One Whitehall Place in London on 9 June this year and hosted by Tim Campbell, winner of the first series of The Apprentice and founder of the Bright Ideas Trust.
For more information about the individual award categories and full details of each Region and Country short list visit http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Employers/lep/Awards_2009/index.html.
Notes to Editors
The Bright Ideas Trust is a charity which works with young people with good business ideas and provides them with advice, guidance and funding to help them get their ideas off the ground. For more information visit www.brightideastrust.com.
Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs) are based on a ‘deal’ with employers:
- The Government, through Jobcentre Plus, takes steps to understand employers’ requirements and gets disadvantaged people ready for work;
- Employers with vacancies give people a fair shot at the job – through a range of measures which might include offering work trials or guaranteed interviews, work placements, mentoring etc.
- LEPs are on course to provide more than 250,000 opportunities for disadvantaged jobseekers by the end of 2010.
Jobcentre Plus, part of the Department for Work and Pensions, brings together employment and benefit services for people of working age and is a key element in the Government's objectives to help people based on ‘Work for those who can, support for those who cannot’. It provides a professional and modern service to meet the diverse needs of employers and those seeking work.
For further information on the services that Jobcentre Plus provides employers and people of working age visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk.
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