News: Rotherham employee wins national award

Gary Fuller, a care assistant at a Rotherham care home has won the individual award for outstanding achievement in learning and training at the first annual Local Employment Partnerships (LEP) Awards organised by the Department of Work and Pensions. Stephen Timms, Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform, said: “I would like to extend my congratulations to each of the winners. Each of the winning employers has gone that extra mile to help some of the most disadvantaged jobseekers back into work, and is an example to other employers of the way that local businesses and communities can benefit from Local Employment Partnerships. Particular congratulations go to Mark Farrell and Gary Fuller on the personal achievements they have made to win their awards, which are true inspiration to others.” As a single parent, Gary had been on benefits over eight years and Lonnen Grove's Keeley Rowley said: "As soon as Gary started at Lonnen Grove it was evident he was going to be a real asset to us. He’s a very calm and consistent person. And if we hadn’t got this Local Employment Partnership, maybe his potential would have been undiscovered."
LEP website

Sheffield Telegraph article

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News: Rotherham employee in running for national award

Gary Fuller, a care assistant at a Rotherham care home has made it onto the shortlist for the first annual Local Employment Partnerships (LEP) Awards organised by the Department of Work and Pensions. Gary has benefitted from Rotherham based Exemplar Healthcare's partnership with local Jobcentres to work together to help long term benefit claimants into work. As a single parent, Gary had been on benefits for about eight or nine years but through his employment has seen his confidence and self esteem grow and he is now nominated in the Individual award for outstanding achievement in learning and training catergory. Lonnen Grove's Keeley Rowley said: "As soon as Gary started at Lonnen Grove it was evident he was going to be a real asset to us. He’s a very calm and consistent person. And if we hadn’t got this Local Employment Partnership, maybe his potential would have been undiscovered." Exemplar has gained national recognition for the LEP in The Telegraph with co-founder Julie Quarrington discussing the positive impact on the business. Exemplar has employed over 40 care assistants, in catering and maintenance during the past year and has another 20 on training courses that started this month. The company has hired 80% of the individuals who have completed it. Julie told the paper "Anybody that needs to recruit staff should certainly look at it. The way that we have been helped and supported through the process, any employer that does not give it a chance needs to think again. It really is so helpful."
LEP website
The Telegraph article
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News: Rotherham employers leading the way

Employers in Rotherham are leading the way in a new initiative to help people get into work. A launch event was held recently for the DWP's Local Employer Partnership scheme were the Rotherham Primary Care Trust and Aston Hotel at Catcliffe were officially signed up. The PCT are offereing work trials and flexible working patterns and the hotel are working with JobCentre Plus on their recruitment as part of the agreement. Lesley Twigg, manager of Aston Hotel told The Advertiser: "As the business grows we continually have vacancies for staff. To respond to this we are keen to draw on the hidden talent in our local communities." The Star reports that the number of people in Rotherham completing apprenticeships has gone up by almost 90 per cent in the past three years. According to figures released today around one in 15 young people in the town are now taking up an apprenticeship when they leave school. Wentworth MP John Healey told the paper: "Upskilling our population is good for the economy - we live in an increasingly competitive world and we must unlock the talents of all our people to remain strong and prosperous."
DWP LEP website

Aston Hotels website

Rotherham PCT website
The Star article

Rotherham

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