Knowledge Centre
15th September 2009
Far-reaching changes are needed in the Jobcentre Plus network to reconnect job seekers with job creators and to tackle rising unemployment, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has said.
And the organisation has called on the Government to encourage a joined-up approach between Jobcentres and other employment services, to focus on local business and their skills needs.
In its unequivocal report, The job centre is not working, the FSB suggests tying the employment centres in with the Government's Business Link online portal and skills boards.
Another proposal in the report - which is timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the one-time Labour Exchange - is to install a dedicated small-business manager in each Jobcentre, with the aim of improving the understanding of the workings and needs of small businesses.
Other suggestions include overhauling the Jobcentre Plus website "to make it fit for 21st Century online recruiting", and commissioning research into how Government funding earmarked for unemployment, training, and business support initiatives is spent.
The report comes after FSB research found that 34% of its members thought Jobcentre Plus was ineffective, while a further 49% had no idea if the service worked well or not.
The organisation criticises the Jobcentre Plus network as appearing "focused on processing benefits applications", as opposed to supporting attempts to get users into work.
FSB national chairman John Wright said that members "feel let down" by Jobcentre Plus, and said it was time that the Government "made it work effectively".
"The FSB is concerned the lion's share of funding from Jobcentre Plus currently goes to large companies and multinationals, which would still provide training if public funding were not available," he added.
Employment minister Jim Knight said that more than 230,000 unemployed people had found work through Local Employer Partnerships since 2007.
"As the economy moves into recovery we will continue to work with the small business sector so that when they are ready to take on new staff they benefit from the savings of working with Jobcentre Plus," he added.
IMAGE AP Photo/Alastair Grant
Jobcentre Plus reform needed, says FSB
And the organisation has called on the Government to encourage a joined-up approach between Jobcentres and other employment services, to focus on local business and their skills needs.
In its unequivocal report, The job centre is not working, the FSB suggests tying the employment centres in with the Government's Business Link online portal and skills boards.
Another proposal in the report - which is timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the one-time Labour Exchange - is to install a dedicated small-business manager in each Jobcentre, with the aim of improving the understanding of the workings and needs of small businesses.
Other suggestions include overhauling the Jobcentre Plus website "to make it fit for 21st Century online recruiting", and commissioning research into how Government funding earmarked for unemployment, training, and business support initiatives is spent.
The report comes after FSB research found that 34% of its members thought Jobcentre Plus was ineffective, while a further 49% had no idea if the service worked well or not.
The organisation criticises the Jobcentre Plus network as appearing "focused on processing benefits applications", as opposed to supporting attempts to get users into work.
FSB national chairman John Wright said that members "feel let down" by Jobcentre Plus, and said it was time that the Government "made it work effectively".
"The FSB is concerned the lion's share of funding from Jobcentre Plus currently goes to large companies and multinationals, which would still provide training if public funding were not available," he added.
Employment minister Jim Knight said that more than 230,000 unemployed people had found work through Local Employer Partnerships since 2007.
"As the economy moves into recovery we will continue to work with the small business sector so that when they are ready to take on new staff they benefit from the savings of working with Jobcentre Plus," he added.
IMAGE AP Photo/Alastair Grant
Tags: Employment
Post to:
What are these?
No comments have been published yet.
- 20th January 2011 Unemployment figures hit 2.5 million
- 14th January 2011 Government 'must introduce fuel duty stabiliser'
- 7th January 2011 FSB call 'to reverse VAT rise'
Site by Acknowledgement