Cash advance for new starters

No more cash incentives for Businesses wishing to help the unemployed

Despite backing from MP's and positive endorsements from Private Enterprise, the Government scheme offering cash incentives for businesses wishing to employ and train individuals that had been out of work for over six months, has been stopped.

Personally I'm disappointed by this; as an employer I utilised the scheme, and as an employer I most definitely benefited from it.

Since the election and the subsequent switch to the Coalition, much has changed in Job Centre Plus. Government employment schemes are currently being totally overhauled. I've been reliably informed (by Job Centre plus) that some of these changes will become clear during September 2010. I do hope there's something similar in the pipeline. I think subsidising the genuine effort on the part of private enterprise to train and develop new starters with valuable job skills, is most definitely a good idea.

The Public Sector should continue to engage with private enterprise, not just in (PPP) private / public venture partnerships, but right at the heart of Job Centre Plus. Rather than waiting on organisations to supply the vacancies to the Job Centres, I'd like to see real collaboration. That's what subsidised mentoring was all about. It formed a crucial part as far as I'm concerned of the original New Deal scheme.

Let's see what they come up with next...