|
|
|
|
Employers | |
 |
||
Winners announced for the West Midlands Local Employment Partnership Awards
Employers in the West Midlands were celebrating on Thursday 12 March 2009 at the Local Employment Partnership (LEP) awards ceremony held at The Botanical Gardens in Birmingham. The awards recognised the outstanding contributions made by employers, employees and partners involved in LEPs with Jobcentre Plus - the Government's partnership approach to help disadvantaged jobseekers back into work. The ceremony was hosted by Karen Brady, the CEO of Birmingham City Football Club. Amongst the winners was Richard MacKenzie who won the Getting Back to Work Award. Through the support available from a LEP he has overcome his learning disability and has followed his dream to work in catering at The Bradmore Arms. He is flourishing in his role as a kitchen porter and making the most of his opportunity. Richard MacKenzie said: "It's given me a new sense of life. My confidence is going from strength to strength. I now get out and have a social life. Something to look forward to - more friends!" University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust scooped the recruitment innovation award for their approach to recruitment and training to help unemployed people get jobs and existing hospital staff to stay in work, which include the new training centre - the Learning Hub, offering work trials, flexible working, onsite leisure facilities, a social club and an occupational health service. David Taylor, Head of Regeneration said: "We entered into a LEP for business reasons but also to offer something to Birmingham as a community. We wanted to give disadvantaged communities the chance of training and employment and help them compete in the labour market".
Video of event |
