REDEPLOYMENT SERVICE LAUNCHED FOR BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY COVID19 REDUNDANCIES

The National Careers Service is working with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the South West (covering Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, Bath, Swindon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire) to create the Regional Redeployment Service in order to match those recently made redundant with new work in sectors experiencing a surge in employment demand.

There are redundancies currently being made by businesses as a result of COVID-19. At the same time, gaps in the labour market are appearing in key sectors. The aim of the Regional Redeployment Service is to support employers needing to make redundancies to ensure a smooth transition for employees into new work and to support employers who are looking to recruit.

The Regional Redeployment Service for employers

This service will connect employers who have urgent vacancies with individuals who are available to start work – while also listening to employers who have to make redundancies to see if there are opportunities for their staff arising in the region.

Maninder Hayre, Head of Delivery for the National Careers Service in the South West and Oxfordshire region said: “Employers are facing unprecedented challenges at this time, from having to make staff redundant to needing to fill urgent vacancies in order to meet current demands. The National Careers Service is delighted to be working with local enterprise partners to provide employers with reassurance and support at this difficult time, helping them both to meet their skills needs and to support employees who are being made redundant into new work.”

The Regional Redeployment Service for individuals

Support will also be available to those who have lost their jobs or whose jobs have been affected during the crisis. The service can provide valuable advice and help people to be ready for the next steps in their career, including moving into a new role or sector, getting new qualifications, updating their CV, developing online interview skills or identifying training opportunities. 

Katharine Horler, responsible for delivering National Careers Service in the South West and Oxfordshire, said: “Right now a lot of people need support making critical life decisions in their careers. We want to maintain that support and reassure everyone that, despite the face-to-face not being available at the moment, they can still contact us in other ways for the same advice.”

“We can provide extra support for people who may need help structuring their time, building resilience or finding online qualifications. We can also support people whose jobs may be at risk, or who have been made redundant, to move into sectors experiencing high demand, such as food retail, care and distribution.”

With the crisis affecting more people every day, the free, impartial advice provided by the National Careers Service could be of vital importance to citizens. It is only a phone call or a few clicks away: anyone aged 13 or over can access the service remotely via phone, through webchat, video or social media.

The National Careers Service can support individuals to:

• Build confidence
• Complete a skills assessment
• Review/update their CV
• Develop online interview skills
• Identify online training opportunities
• Get new qualifications
• Plan the next steps of their career

To contact the service call the helpline on 0800 100 900, open 7 days a week from 8am until 10pm, or visit https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk

For more information adviza.org.uk/services/national-careers-service/regional-redeployment-service/