Call for nominations for Apprentice of the Year in York

Has your apprentice made a real difference to your business? Do you want your business or your apprentice to be recognised by the city?

apprenticeshipsCity of York Council is calling for nominations for a set of awards that recognise and celebrate the best apprentices working in the city. The deadline is 7 October 2016.

There are five award categories:

  • York Apprentice of the Year aged 16-24 (smaller employer)
  • York Apprentice of the Year aged 16-24 (larger employer)
  • York Apprentice of the Year (aged 25+)
  • York Smaller Employer of the Year (less than 50 employees)
  • York Larger Employer of the Year (50+ employees)

Nominations will be assessed by an independent panel, all nominees will be recognised on the evening and the winners will be presented with prizes supported by the Master Guilds and the council.

For an apprentice to be eligible for an award, they must have completed their apprenticeship qualification between 1 November 2015 and 31 October 2016.

Cllr Keith Aspden, Deputy Leader of City of York Council with responsibility for Economic Development and Community Engagement, said: “Those young people who choose an Apprenticeship do so because they want to commit to a career, and local businesses and employers welcome their choice. This award scheme is a further way in which we can show how Apprentices in York are valued for the business benefits they bring and for the promise of a well-trained workforce in the future. Please do nominate your business’s best Apprentices and give them the recognition they deserve.”

Deadline for submitting nomination forms is Friday 7 October and the nomination form is here: https://www.york.gov.uk/yorkapprenticeships or for more information, please email: york.apprenticeships@york.gov.uk

Jobs Fair in York – Friday 30th September

Looking for work?
Want an apprenticeship?
Need to change job?

York’s next job fair on Friday 30 September is the ideal chance for doing all that and more.

Job-Fair-color-peopleTo be held at the York Railway Institute (RI), Queens Street, from 10am-3pm, the event is supported by City of York Council and Job Centre Plus.

At the last fair in April this year, 800 people attended and there were 370 live jobs on offer. At this one, over 70 organisations and training providers are expected under one roof and will include:

  • Hiscox
  • Marks and Spencer
  • Sainburys
  • Premier Inn.

Besides lots of live job vacancies to apply for, there will be support in place to brush up CV writing skills and making job applications.

Councillor Keith Aspden, Deputy Leader of City of York Council with responsibility for Economic Development and Community Engagement, said: “Our job fairs are hugely successful and have been supported by council funding for the last four years. At the city’s last event in April, over 800 people attended and found hundreds of jobs on offer, providing significant opportunities for both employers and employees.

“In July we agreed to continue investment to support a further two job fairs as part of our ongoing efforts to help York residents access job and training opportunities.

“I’d urge anyone to go along and check out what’s on offer on Friday. Opportunities include live vacancies at every level, full and part-time positions, and apprenticeships targeting 16-24 year olds.”

Number of York jobseekers stable

DIFF-HAPPY-JOBS-940Preliminary statistics have shown no change to the number of residents claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) in August compared to the previous month’s figures meaning there are 550 claimants in the city.

In August 2015 there were 765 claimants.

The number of residents claiming Universal Credit rose by four throughout August, bringing the total to 638.

The  figures released by the Office of National Statistics today which show a 28.1 percent reduction over the past year of the number of people claiming jobseekers allowance in York.

The Jobseekers Allowance claimant count for York represents 0.4 per cent of the working population and contrasts to the regional average which stands at 1.7 per cent. The figures are also much lower than the national average which stands at 1.3 per cent. (more…)

Small unemployment fall in York over last month

US-unemployment-jobs-fair-007Preliminary statistics have shown a fall of 10 residents claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) and Universal Credit (out of work) in July compared to last month’s figures meaning there are now 890 claimants in the city.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics have shown a 29 per cent fall in the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance in York in the past twelve months.

The Jobseekers Allowance claimant count for York represents 0.4 per cent of the working population and contrasts to the regional average which stands at 1.7 per cent. The figures are also much lower than the national average which stands at 1.3 per cent.

The statistics also demonstrate the number of young people (aged 18-24) claiming Jobseekers Allowance has fallen by 54.6 per cent in the past year. The news comes as York will host its sixth Apprenticeship Recruitment Event at West Offices on Wednesday 24 August, from 4-7pm, which offers people the chance to meet with recruiting employers, training providers and receive specialist careers advice.
(more…)

York to hold its sixth apprenticeship recruitment event

apprenticeYoung people will be able to find out about hundreds of apprenticeship vacancies with employers across York and the surrounding area, at City of York Council’s sixth York apprenticeship recruitment event later this month.

The recruitment event, which takes place at West Offices between 4pm and 7pm on Wednesday 24 August, the week after A Level results are announced, looks to highlight both the business benefits of hiring apprentices and the individual benefits of pursuing an Apprenticeship job with training.

The event will provide an opportunity for young people aged 16-24 and their parents to meet with recruiting employers as well as find out about alternative routes to Level 3 qualifications and university.

As well as the chance to speak to employers the event will also offer the opportunity for attendees to book one-to-one advice and guidance sessions to help them with their next steps after school or college.
(more…)

Record low number of jobless in York

Number of York Job Seekers falls again

US-unemployment-jobs-fair-007Figures released by the Office for National Statistics have shown a 31 per cent fall in the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance in York in the past twelve months.

Preliminary statistics have shown a fall of 80 residents claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) and Universal Credit claimants (out of work) in June compared to last month’s figures meaning there are now 825 claimants in the city.

The Jobseekers Allowance claimant count for York represents 0.4 per cent of the working population and contrasts to the regional average which stands at 1.8 per cent. The figures are also much lower than the national average which stands at 1.4 per cent.

The figures also demonstrate the number of young people (aged 18-24) claiming Jobseekers Allowance has fallen by 60 per cent in the past year.
(more…)

York Council meeting to debate EU referendum fall out

Three of the four motions up for debate at the York Council meeting on 21st July spring directly or indirectly form the result of the referendum.

Big City smallStrangest is one from an Independent Councillor who spectacularly mixes up cause and effect when asking the government to reduce housing targets because international (in the case meaning the EU) migration will fall in the future. 

The growth in housing numbers in York is mainly driven by economic expansion targets. Many would say that the numbers included in the Local Plan are over ambitious but would the Council have the courage to scale down its job creation forecasts?

We think not.

If 13,000 (net) new jobs are created over the next 20 years, then those who will fill them are already alive somewhere. Only a very small number – because of York’s low unemployment rate – already live in the City. That means that many more will be inward migrants either from elsewhere in this country or from overseas.

The real issue is not immigration – it is getting a balance in economic growth targets which preserves the character of the built and natural environment of the City.

Residents have an opportunity over the next few weeks to have their say on how that issue can be reconciled.

Elsewhere Labour Councillors are seeking action against racist intimidation, the Tories want more on bus information systems while the LibDem Councillors will be seeking to ensure that Yorkshire keeps its current level of government funding (at risk because of EU exit).

Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to guarantee that York will still receive millions in EU funding and that the positive contribution EU citizens living in the city make is recognised.

The Lib Dems will move a motion at next week’s Full Council saying the Government should ensure that York and Yorkshire receives investment at least equal to that planned to be provided by EU programmes. Between now and 2020, the region will directly receive £661m from European programmes to support small businesses, help residents find work, and support farmers and rural communities.

The motion says that in future negotiations, the UK’s vital trading relationship with the EU should be protected and the Government should put in place a support package to help local businesses deal with the short-term economic shock and the transition to the UK’s new relationship with the EU. The Lib Dems are also calling for the rights of the 5,000 plus EU citizens currently working and living in the city to be protected. (more…)

New figures reveal 1.2% increase in York population last year


Figures released this week
 by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) reveal that York’s population rose from 204,439 to 206,856 between mid 2014 and mid 2015.

This represented an increase of 2417 persons (1.2%)

Most of the increase was due to younger people, aged between 18 and 3, moving into the City. They accounted for 1431 of the total.  This is unsurprising given the expansion in higher education that there has been in the City in recent years.

More significant may be the make-up of any change.

High growth predictions for the City have so far been based on a widening gap between the number of births and deaths in the City. Although that trend continues, the gap between the two has narrowed (1993 births against 1848 deaths last year).

UK population changeAs the graph (left) shows this new trend towards lower birth rates is also reflected elsewhere in the UK. 

There were 637 (net) migrants arriving in York from other parts of the UK.  

The biggest growth component were migrants from other parts of the world (1,643 net). Many of these were students.

In some towns, including Harrogate and Scarborough, the population actually reduced last year  

It would be wrong to read too much into a single year’s figures. But, with the additional uncertainties about the country’s capacity for economic growth in the wake of the EU referendum result, the York Council might be wise to take a more cautious view about expansion than is currently displayed in its draft Local Plan.

The figures do however confirm that – with unemployment levels at an historic low in York – higher economic growth can only be achieved if many of the new jobs are taken up by migrate workers

Population growth in York

Fall in the number of jobseekers and people claiming benefits in York

unemployed_queue_benefits_DWPFigures released by the Office for National Statistics have shown a 31.7 per cent fall in the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance in the past twelve months.

Preliminary statistics have shown a fall of 50 residents claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) and Universal Credit claimants (out of work) in February compared to last month’s figures meaning there are now 940 claimants in the city.

The Jobseekers Allowance claimant count for York represents 0.5 per cent of the working population and contrasts to the regional average which stands at 1.9 per cent. The figures are also much lower than the national average which stands at 1.5 per cent.

The figures also demonstrate the number of young people (aged 18-24) claiming Jobseekers Allowance has fallen by 48.3 per cent in the past year.

Statistics released today by the Department for Work and Pensions have shown that the number of people claiming benefits in York has fallen and shown York to be the third best performing local authority in the region.

As of November 2015 the number of people claiming benefits is 9,120, a figure which represents a fall of 190 from August 2015. The figure represents 6.7 per cent of the working population in York, compared to 13.3 per cent in the region and 11.8 per cent nationally.
(more…)

York Economic Development strategy report – the unanswered questions

A new economic strategy report is being discussed later this week. It is something of a curate’s egg of a document ranging from an awkward preamble about which of two scenarios we may see over the next 20 years (neither as it happens) followed by a series of rather familiar statements many of which have previously been trailed by the discredited “Big City” lobby.

Sadly, it is another document which is City Centre focused with little comment on the suburbs or indeed most of the existing major employers (retail, tourism, social care, education)

The strategy is right in several areas.City debt

York does need a higher proportion of well paid jobs. It needs “ambassadors” to promote what the City has to offer to the business world. It would be good news if more – well qualified and entrepreneurial –  students from local Universities remained in the City after graduation.

It is also time that progress was made on the York Central development (albeit not at the expense of local taxpayers).

A useful analysis of the present York economy is included.

The report is short on the consequences of what is a, faintly disguised, “Big City “ mind-set.  It says nothing about the assumptions made on the numbers of replacement and the number of additional jobs that need to be generated in the City.

These are the numbers that drive the Local Plan land allocations, not least in satisfying any demand for additional housing, as well as the impact that growth will have on transport and other infrastructure.

The report strategy is over reliant on borrowing money for investment (by the Council) which, it claims, would be repaid from the additional Business Rates generated by the new developments. This strategy conveniently forgets that successive governments have tinkered with the proportion of Business Rates that they allow local authorities to retain. There is no reason to assume that there would be a consistent approach over the next 20 years.

Local taxpayers could be left with an impossible debt burden (currently already circa £300 million)

It seems irresponsible to agree a new economic strategy just days before a new Draft Local Plan is due to be published.

Both complement each other and should be considered together.

Economic Strategy 2016