Hereford Jobcentre Plus is working with Herefordshire Council to help recruit social workers and social care staff for posts throughout the county. The Jobcentre Plus office in St Nicholas Street is hosting a recruitment day for people who want to become social workers, in particular to work with children, on Wednesday 7th March from 10am to 1pm.

Gareth Niblett, vacancy service manager at Hereford Jobcentre Plus, said: “Social work and social care are really rewarding jobs. Both have good career paths and offer lots of job satisfaction from making a positive difference to people’s lives. Social workers are professionally trained to provide specialised social care services. Social care includes a range of services delivered to individuals needing support.”

Financial support is available for people willing to study to become a social worker and can include bursaries, paid tuition, and childcare costs. Herefordshire County Council offers comprehensive training, career development, flexible working, and a professional, supportive and friendly working environment.

Members of Herefordshire County Council’s recruitment team will also attend the open day to give information about local authority jobs.

Notes to Editors:

More information about becoming a social worker, including general information about social work training, applications, and the financial support available.

Information on the types of jobs available can be viewed on the 'Search for a Job facility' on the Jobcentre Plus site or on the Herefordshire Council website

Jobcentre Plus, part of the Department for Work and Pensions, brings together employment and benefit services for people of working age and is a key element in the Government's objectives to help people based on ‘Work for those who can, support for those who cannot’. It provides a professional and modern service to meet the diverse needs of employers and those seeking work, including:

• Personal advisers to provide practical support and advice to help those in need find and keep work, including training provision and benefits guidance
• A dedicated service to support employers in filling their vacancies quickly and successfully
• Ability to place and search for jobs both online and over the phone (via Jobpoints and through Jobseeker Direct and Employer Direct)
• Swift, secure and professional access to benefits for those entitled to them.

Customers can access Jobcentre Plus services through around 1,000 locations across the UK, including around 750 newly refurbished Jobcentre Plus offices. Touch-screen terminals and Customer Access Phones are also available in a further 120 sites such as libraries and local authority premises. Jobcentre Plus works with over 400,000 employers to place 20,000 people into work every week. Over 300,000 vacancies are listed each week on its website and more than 3 million job search requests are received, making it the number one UK recruitment website.

Further information on the services that Jobcentre Plus provides employers and people of working age

Media enquiries  0121 626 2991 - Simon Ballinger, DWP Regional Press Office
Out of hours 07659 108883
Public enquiries 020 7712 2171
Website  www.dwp.gov.uk