Minister welcomes early success of JobStart scheme as employers launch new job opportunities
Date published:
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has hailed the success of the JobStart programme as hundreds of employers have applied to take part.
The scheme provides an opportunity for those who are unemployed or economically inactive and currently claiming working age benefits to enter the job market through six-month opportunities with a range of employers across all sectors in Northern Ireland.
Since JobStart launched last month, 385 employers have already applied to the Scheme offering 1,060 new job opportunities.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said:
“I am delighted JobStart has been so successful in these early days. It is the biggest jobs programme of its kind and is already well on its way to reaching more people and employers than before.
“I have no doubt we will continue to see a high volume of applications from employers and participants as we continue to build upon the success of previous JobStart programmes recently delivered by the Department.”
So far, 125 JobStart employer applications have been approved. At present there are 102 employers offering 239 positions live on the Department’s JobApplyNI website
The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) previously participated in the JobStart programme and has recently signed up for the latest scheme.
NCU Chief Executive Callum Atkinson said:
“The Northern Cricket Union has been proud to work in partnership with the JobStart Scheme over recent years, and we’ve seen first-hand the positive impact it can have on people and on our organisation.
“One of our recent employees began his career with us through the scheme, going on to progress through several roles in our organisation, developing both professionally and personally over a 3 year period, before moving on to pursue his passion for PE teaching.
“His journey is a great example of how JobStart can inspire people to discover their area of interest and take the next step in their careers.
“The scheme has been a great success for us as an employer too, bringing energy and enthusiasm into our organisation. We’re eager to continue working with JobStart to provide more people with the opportunity to gain employment, develop their skills and discover their own passions along the way."
The new JobStart Scheme will support over 1,200 working age benefit claimants into work, providing support for people across Northern Ireland to enter and thrive in the labour market.
The programme features two strands, the first offering paid employment of 25 hours per week for a six-month period at National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage.
The second strand – aimed at those with recognised additional barriers to entering the workforce – will offer 15 hours of employment per week for nine months. Additional flexibility will be available to enable Work Coaches, across the department’s Jobs and Benefits office network, to tailor the opportunity to the needs of the individual.
The portal allowing employers to register for the scheme can be accessed through the Department's website
JobStart opportunities for participants are now live on the Department for Communities’ jobapplyni website with further opportunities set to be made available in the coming days and weeks.
Notes to editors:
- The new scheme will allow 1,234 working age benefit claimants to participate.
- Across the previous JobStart schemes, over 4,000 employer applications have been approved; more than 3,000 jobseekers participated on the schemes; with more than 2,000 participants gaining employment and over 150 moving into education or training.
- The first JobStart employment scheme was launched as a COVID response in 2021 to improve the employability and chances of sustained employment for young people aged 16-24.
- Since the first scheme launched in 2021 the department has developed additional schemes continually adapting to meet the changing needs of both employers and jobseekers. Today’s launch sees the widest ranging programme yet, open to claimants of all ages.
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