Brighton MP opens ‘skills and jobs’ shop

Caroline Lucas opened a “skills and jobs” in her constituency today on behalf of City College Brighton and Hove.

The Green MP for Brighton Pavilion praised City College principal Phil Frier and the college’s partner in the venture Brighton and Hove Albion.

The City Skills and Jobs shop occupies part of the old Albion shop in Queen’s Road, Brighton, opposite the club’s current premises.

BrightonandHoveJobs.com is also backing the shop which is intended to provide a link between employers and potential employees.

Phil Frier

Mr Frier said that he also hoped that the shop would help the college’s efforts to boost the number of local firms offering apprenticeships. The Apprenticeship Training Association will also be located within the shop.

He said that the shop was joining forces with the Want to Work project being run by Albion in the Community – the football club’s charity and community action offshoot.

And Brighton and Hove City Council had also provided support along with money from the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.

Jobcentre Plus, American Express and the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce were also backing the shop, he said, adding: “City Skills & Jobs’ highly visible accessible location along with its website and social media presence will make it very immediate to young people and I really think they’ll appreciate what a vital resource it can be for them.”

Councillor Sue Shanks, the council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “We are delighted to be a partner in this important project to support some of our most hard-pressed residents.

“Building the skills and improving the employment prospects of the city’s residents, and especially of young people, are key priorities identified in our City Employment and Skills Plan and in the Brighton and Hove Apprenticeship Strategy.

“The City Skills and Jobs shop promises an accessible and user-friendly approach so this should make a big contribution towards helping Brighton and Hove people find the training and jobs they need to get on in life.”

Donna Keenan, managing director of the City Business Skills department at City College, said: “Our main aim for City Skills and Jobs is to provide a fun, friendly, supportive environment, particularly for unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds, which will lead to work experience, training and job opportunities.

“We realise that some people might feel a little apprehensive about coming in to ask for advice so, from the outset, it’s vital that there’s nothing remotely intimidating about the shop that might stop them walking through the door and engaging with us.

“What will make City Skills and Jobs unique to Brighton and different from the retail-led skills shops elsewhere in the country is that the partners involved have worked hand in hand to make this a joined-up approach within the city.

“This is a genuine one-stop shop with a joined up approach and a cohesive offer for the individual so that people don’t need to be directed to various different places to get the advice, support and opportunities that they need.

“It’s essentially about City College working with our partners for the good of the local community.”