James was referred to esg. from Jobcentre Plus back in July and he was assigned a case manager from our delivery partner Stoke Jet. On his first appointment - 13 July - they worked together using the iDENTIFY tool to ensure the plan of action and service was exactly right for James, and tailored to his individual situation.
Having been out of work for over five years James was finding it hard to break the cycle of unemployment and dependence on benefits. But his dedicated case manager worked hard to help James improve his job searching skills. They also worked on his organisational skills so that when offered an interview he would have the means to travel to it on time, look smart and be comfortable answering questions. James’ CV was immediately sent over to a local company, fairly new to the Stoke-on-Trent area called Barwood. An interview was arranged for the 5 August, just one month from his referral date!
Additional support from Jet was given to James to make sure he was fully prepared for the interview. On meeting the employer which was a great success, the role was offered to him right then and there. James accepted right away and officially joined the world of work on August.
James said: “I am so grateful to Jet for the help they gave me and I can’t believe the fast turnaround service.”
His caseworker has stayed in touch and helped him get ready for his first day of employment, like his better off calculation and his Working Tax Credits so he can save up for a car which would make getting to work and life in general easier.
Barwood were introduced to Jet via Inward Investment (Stoke on Trent City Council) who helped them to find the property in this area.
Diane Wardle, Jet Liaison Team Leader said: “We went out to visit them when they were in Burton-upon-Trent to find out what they were looking for and the culture of the company and they have now re-located in Newcastle-under-Lyme. We hope to continue building strong partnerships with local employers.”