Chloe Smith MP launches the Norwich For Jobs initiative supported by local businesses, education groups and job support services. PHOTO BY SIMON FINLAY

Employers pledge more than 100 jobs for Norwich For Jobs campaign

By VICTORIA LEGGETT
Friday, March 1, 2013
11:15 AM

Employers have pledged to help young people make the most of 101 jobs, 36 apprenticeships and 78 work experience placements as part of the Norwich for Jobs campaign.

In their first official update, one month after the launch of the initiative, the Norwich Foundation for Jobs has revealed the extent of the support flooding in from businesses and organisations across the city.

In total, 20 employers have pledged their support for the campaign ranging from Marks & Spencer, Specsavers and McDonalds to Tribe PR, Norwich Laundry Service and May Gurney, with more than 20 others also in discussions with the NFJ team.

Norwich For Jobs aims to halve the number of 18 to 24-year-olds in Norwich claiming jobseekers’ allowance by the end of 2014.

Many organisations, including Virgin Wines, Serco, and the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, have been able to pledge specific opportunities that they have available.

While job seekers of all ages will be given an equal chance to make the most of those opportunities, the employers’ commitment to the campaign will allow the Jobcentre Plus in Norwich to encourage young people to apply.

Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North who leads a steering group of five key figures on the campaign, said the number of opportunities pledged were “fantastic”.

She added: “We are delighted by the reaction to the launch of the Norwich for Jobs campaign. Inquiries by potential employers and those willing to offer work placements have exceeded our expectations.

“We’ve made good progress in our first month in engaging with employers, partners and young people and wish to continue this success in subsequent months.”

Among the campaign supporters is Norwich-based Tribe PR.

It is aiming to offer a four-to-six-week work experience placement and also plans to recruit a new trainee later this year.

5 comments

A phony pledge of phony jobs for phony Chloe Smith's phony campaign!

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Police Commissioner ???

Saturday, March 2, 2013
This all sounds pretty pathetic especially as regards to the 78 work placements. Many companies use these placements as a form of cheap labour and have no intention of offering a job at the end.

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Joe Mullets Uncle

Friday, March 1, 2013
are we going to carry on voting for this . . For the last fifteen years 75 per cent of jobs have gone to people from outside this country. Soon the borders will be open again and people from romania and bulgaria are going to have the legal right to come and work and claim benefits . Are you going to carry on voting for the three main parties who will let this happen . Only the bnp have got a common sense policy on jobs. British jobs for british people. Its a better deal than british workers are getting at the moment from the coalition or had from labour

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milecross

Friday, March 1, 2013
But we love a good pledge - anything for Chloe to desperately latch on to. She needs some good news after a bit of nasty negative publicity last week, which didn't make her look at all good, luckily EDP did not dwell on it (chloesmithwatchdotwordpressdotcom). Anything that gets them off the jobless total will count, but I do hope they will be "proper" paying jobs, and not merely a revolving door of short-term placements and superficial apprenticeships, a bit like that Government workfare-type initiative recently ruled illegal.

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Mr Cameron Isaliar

Friday, March 1, 2013
Pledged? Let us know when the jobs actually start, if they do.

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alecto

Friday, March 1, 2013

Employers pledge more than 100 jobs for Norwich For Jobs campaign

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