Banbury Jobseekers Get Employment Boost

Jobseekers in Banbury are being given a helping hand to get back to work after the coronavirus pandemic.

Not-for-profit organisation Fedcap Employment is delivering the Department for Work and Pensions’ Restart scheme in the town.

Victoria Prentis KC, MP for Banbury and the Attorney General, officially opened Fedcap’s new office at Packington House in Horsefair on Friday 28 April, and met customers who have already benefited from support provided by the team of employment advisers, including Keith Pratt.

Keith, 61, lost his job in 2018 which resulted in a short period of homelessness and he had struggled to find work since then. When he was referred to Restart in March 2022 he struggled with long standing back ache and was grieving after the death of his mum.

With Fedcap’s support he secured an interview with Stagecoach and after completing his driver training in February, Keith is now enjoying his new permanent role as a full-time bus driver.

He said: “From the first meeting with my adviser, I have received fantastic support in all aspects of finding a job and the team could not have done more to help me.”

The Restart scheme is helping people who have been out of work to pick up the skills they need for the modern workforce and helping them with tailored support to find suitable, sustainable jobs.

The organisation’s frontline team are on hand to help with everything from updating CVs and impressing at interviews to tackling health concerns or launching new start-up businesses.

The team, which began delivering the scheme to successfully find new jobs for people across the South Central area of England in 2021, are already working with some of the region’s leading employers, including OneAdvanced, Stagecoach and Continental Landscapes.

Victoria Prentis KC, MP, said: “I was really pleased to attend the official opening of Fedcap Employment’s new office in Banbury. It was great to learn more about their work delivering the Department for Work and Pensions’ Restart scheme, which is helping more people into sustainable, long-term employment.”

Brian Bell, Chief Executive at Fedcap Employment, added: “We’re very happy with the progress we’ve already made here in Banbury but there are thousands more people we’re here to support. We’re not about quick fixes or revolving doors, rather making a long-term positive impact to people and the community to improve their economic wellbeing.”

Read Keith’s story here