Jobseekers given army experience

Back to Work has joined forces with the Jersey Field Squadron to give a group of unemployed young people a five-day programme of exercises and activities to help boost their employability.

 

The pilot programme is being run for a group of 18 to 25 year olds and will focus on developing key skills, including team building, problem solving, leadership and communication, to help young jobseekers find the motivation and attitude they will need to get a job. The activities will run from Thursday 11 July to Monday 15 July and will be followed by sessions on ‘how to get that job’ and intensive job hunting at the Job Club.

 

Social Security Minister Senator Francis Le Gresley said “The Jersey Field Squadron have put together a fantastic week of activities to help those taking part find the ‘can do’ attitude they need to look for and maintain paid work. The programme provides a disciplined and structured environment in which young people will learn new skills, work together and gain a lot of useful experience in a short space of time.”

 

 

During the week, candidates will take part in a number of outdoor activities and community projects and will get a fantastic opportunity to see and experience different trades in action. All the candidates taking part in the programme are locally qualified for work and registered as actively seeking work with Social Security.

 

“This pilot is one of the initiatives that has been developed to help us tackle youth unemployment in Jersey and boost the efforts of those who are finding it hardest to get work in a highly competitive labour market,” said Senator Le Gresley.

 

The Jersey Field Squadron’s Capt Andy Anderson said that although the week was not designed as military training exercise, the army had the experience and man management skills to deliver a programme which would give participants the opportunity to stretch themselves within a disciplined environment, where they would be required to complete a number of challenging tasks both on an individual basis as well as within a team.