Lack of training for the unemployed a 'disgrace'

A LOCAL training agency has offered to give jobless teenagers the skills they need to find work because it feels they are not being given enough help. Approved Personnel managing director Gina Le Prevost has branded it a disaster that an unemployed teenager can claim more than £200 a week in benefits and rent allowance. She thinks the situation is so desperate that she is offering to teach youngsters basic skills for nothing to help them find a job but has asked why it should come down to a privately-owned business.

'It riles me that I am having to pay my taxes to pay for these people when something could be done to get them back into the workforce and to encourage them to better their skills,' she said.

'It is a disgrace, in this day and age, that we have no training for unemployed people in the island. It is about time the government woke up to the fact that we are a competitive jurisdiction and training the workforce will only help to encourage new businesses to come to the island.'

Sixty of the 73 people currently registered with Social Security as out of work are under 21. Several of the youngsters hit back at claims that they were too lazy to find work. One 17-year-old said that there were no jobs suitable and walked out of a job after two days because it did not suit.

'The Social Security Department is being far too soft, so there is no incentive for them to go back to work. That teenager shouldn't have got the money,' said Miss Le Prevost.

'I would have thought they could be of service, certainly in retail and in the run-up to Christmas. They should be made to go and assist.'

She said the government should look to Jersey, where a training and employment partnership scheme, Tep, in conjunction with social security, gives youngsters free training, and other countries such as Cyprus and Mauritius, where training grants are available.

'We have provided free training in the past to improve skills and are happy to supply more help, but it is extremely disappointing that Social Security has yet to introduce a scheme to provide training to get them off the dole queue,' said Miss Le Prevost.

'Instead, they are happy to see them walk in every week and collect their cheque.'

Schools could be doing more to help, she added. Many young adults come to the recruitment agency without having being taught any basic interview techniques.

'I'm surprised secondary schools aren't preparing youngsters to be able to conduct themselves in an interview - just basic things like what to wear and questions to ask.'

Social Security minister Mary Lowe denied that the department was taking a soft approach and said that in some cases, it was doing more than it should. Job centre staff work closely with the youngsters and help them to fill out forms and apply for work.

'We assist and encourage youngsters wherever we can and work closely with several businesses that are interested in assisting those who are unemployed.

'But there is no doubt that there is a need for more training and maybe there needs to be more from the Education Department to follow through and help youngsters get into the community.'

She said that businesses also had a responsibility and a basic duty to at least respond to application forms, which has not always been the case.

'It is no wonder that so many get disillusioned when they don't even get a reply,' said Deputy Lowe. 'And too many adverts say experience is required, but people have to start somewhere and businesses should have a duty to help.'

She said that there were several agencies and departments working together and they were actively looking to expand on existing schemes, but it is not something that happens overnight.