11th September 2006 - Working to put jobless at heart of Eagle Centre

WORKING TO PUT JOBLESS AT HEART OF EAGLE CENTRE

BY DAVID WALSH

09:30 - 11 September 2006 A project to help Derby's unemployed to apply for the new jobs which are being created at the Eagle Centre is being launched.

Workstation is a partnership aiming to improve skills of the jobless to give them a better chance of taking advantage of the new openings.

The Eagle Centre will double in size when its £330m extension opens at the end of next year, and part-owner Westfield estimates that 2,850 jobs will be created.

The shops to have already signed up are Marks and Spencer, Debenhams, Topshop, Next, Zara, H &M, Monsoon, 3G, Beaverbrooks, Eltex, Pearl Boutique, New Look, Dorothy Perkins and Accessorize.

Workstation is a £695,000 project, funded by organisations including Westfield, Derby City Council and the Job Centre, which aims to fill those vacancies.

Project manager Suman Gupta has already been appointed and the scheme is now advertising for a second project manager to operate in the Normanton area, which has the city's highest level of unemployment.

Also being advertised are two recruitment adviser roles and two jobs as project co-ordinators.

It is hoped all five vacancies will have been filled by early November, when Workstation will begin talks with retailers coming to the Eagle Centre to understand their needs.

Ms Gupta said: "There is a massive amount of jobs that will come to Derby when the Eagle Centre extension opens, and what nobody wants is a brand new centre with no staff to run it.

"Hopefully, we can help recruit the staff that are needed and at the same time help unemployed people get back into jobs."

There were 4,955 people seeking jobseekers allowance in Derby in July. The largest levels were in the council wards of Normanton (632) and Arboretum (885). As well as covering the city centre, Arboretum covers the northern part of the suburb of Normanton.

Ms Gupta is based at council offices in Friar Gate, but talks are under way to secure permanent premises, possibly in Albert Street.

Along with Ms Gupta, one recruitment adviser and project co-ordinator would encourage people from across the city to take part. The second project manager, recruitment adviser and project co-ordinator would operate in Normanton.

There would also be a Job Centre employee seconded to the project.

Training courses will be offered to anybody who signs up. The content of the courses will be based on the responses of retailers as to their requirements.

When retailers eventually decide to advertise for jobs, their first port of call will be Workstation.