CARMARTHENSHIRE Jobcentre staff have been busy over the past month providing opportunities for local jobseekers to get back into work.

The Llanelli Jobcentre Plus was one of the busiest in the last month, playing host to a number of events for jobseekers to showcase some of the opportunities on offer by local employers.

On November 13, it hosted Cathedral Hygiene – a leading supplier of washroom services – who is looking for energetic, hard-working people to join its expanding team. Eight suitable jobseekers were interviewed at the centre, with four being invited back for final interviews.

On November 14, a Carmarthenshire Employability Network Group meeting was held at the centre where partners including Communities for Work+, Careers Wales and Coleg Sir Gar attended and topics such as the latest on the Pentre Awel Development, latest training updates at the college’s new Skills 24 Scheme. The DWP District 50+ lead also provided an update on the help and support for jobseekers aged 50+ to support them in extending their working lives.

CSA Recruitment also attended the centre on November 16 where they interviewed some jobseekers for some of the latest local job vacancies that were available. CSA also registers people interested in work in other sectors including administration, cleaning, labouring and security. Nine were registered at the event, who will be matched to local opportunities. They also attended on November 30 where there were another nine jobseekers were registered.

On December 6, they visited Carmarthen Jobcentre with another nine jobseekers in attendance.

Prospero Teaching visited Llanelli Jobcentre on November 28 for a recruitment day, with seven jobseekers registered and awaiting employment opportunities in local schools such as teaching assistants, lunchtime school supervisors and special education needs workers.

PLANED also attended in Llanelli on November 29 and talked about the Catalysts for Care project. Eight jobseekers – including five over 50 – were given contact details to register where they may be able to start their own care or support enterprise.

There was also a NACRO wellbeing event held on December 7 to give information on employment opportunities.

Fred Hatton said: “It has been a busy, positive year at our jobcentres with everyone working hard to help jobseekers and employers. We have built new partnerships with businesses, some recruiting in our offices, and a great example of this is the list of those employers and agencies who come back again and again to interview jobseekers and provide support and guidance in order for them to be successful in gaining employment.

“Looking to the new year we have vacancies in virtually every sector, whether that is hospitality or health care, retail or manufacturing, customer service or administration. We will also be looking to expand our services to open up the possibility of guiding parents and people with a health condition into fulfilling employment.

“Importantly job seeking parents on Universal Credit, can get extra financial help through increased childcare payments.

“The number of Carmarthenshire customers on benefits has decreased by 5% since this time last year. A great deal of this success can be put down to Jobcentre staff working hard and making a difference and changing lives of jobseekers for the better.”