Apprentices across York invited to graduate

York’s apprentices are being invited to a graduation ceremony to celebrate and showcase their work across the city next month.

ApprenticeshipThe fifth annual York Apprentice Graduation Ceremony, organised by the York Apprenticeship Hub at City of York Council, is taking place on Thursday 19 November at the Royal York Hotel between 7.30pm and 8.45pm and young people are being encouraged to register their attendance.

This event is a celebration of the achievements of apprentices across the city and also highlights the benefits to businesses of recruiting and training apprentices. Each apprentice will be awarded a certificate by The Guilds of York as part of a formal ceremony to which family and friends are invited to reflect on the successes and hard work over the course of their apprenticeships.

Over 1,000 apprentices who have completed their apprenticeship training and qualification between August 2014 and September 2015 are eligible to graduate and employers are encouraged to register their own, eligible apprentices by emailing York.apprenticeships@york.gov.uk.

After the success of last year’s awards, this year’s event will also announce the winners of prizes for the categories of:

  • Apprentice of the year (aged 16 – 24)
  • Apprentice of the year (aged 25+)
  • Small employer of the year
  • Large employer of the year.

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Number of York jobseekers falls for seventh consecutive month

Job-HuntingFigures released today that show the number of York residents claiming Job Seekers Allowance has fallen by 47.6 per cent in the last 12 months.

The statistics, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), show there are now 722 claimants in York, a fall of 41 from last month and of 653 from September 2014.

Today’s figures showed the number of jobseekers in York has fallen for the seventh consecutive month and also highlighted a 67.2 per cent fall in the Youth unemployment count since September 2014.

The claimant count represents 0.5 per cent of the working population and contrasts to the regional average which stands at 2.2 per cent. The figures are also much lower than the national average which stands at 1.6 per cent.

The news comes following last month’s York Jobs Fair which attracted over 800 residents taking the chance to gain advice and speak to a number of businesses about vacancies in the city.

There are a large number of job vacancies in York at present (click) including a number at the Council (click)

York beating relative poverty? Latest figures are encouraging

Deprivation map 2015

The latest deprivation statistics which can be viewed on the North Yorkshire open data site reveal that no York neighbourhoods are now ranked among the 10% most deprived in the country.

The Kingsway West area – the subject of an innovative anti poverty initiative by the then LibDem led Council – is one of those that has now climbed up the league table.

Deprivation is measured on a number of indices where 10 is the best that can be achieved.  These are: Income  (Kingsway 2), Employment  (2), Barriers to housing and services (2), Crime (2), Education, skills and training (2), Health and disability (1), Living environment (6), Income affecting children (2), Income affecting older people (2).

Elsewhere in North Yorkshire there are nine deprived areas (in the bottom 10% in the country) in Scarborough, one in Harrogate and one in Selby

Middlesbrough, Knowsley, Kingston upon Hull, Liverpool and Manchester are the five local authority districts with the largest proportions of highly deprived neighbourhoods in England. More details can be found by clicking here

Event to help young people make Steps to Success

Job-Search-AppsCity of York Council’s annual Steps to Success event is back at York Racecourse on Tuesday 20 October.

Held in the Knavesmire Stand from 3.30pm until 8.00pm, the event will provide information about the range of education and training opportunities available (including apprenticeships and other work based training).

The event looks to support young people in the city as they consider their options for Key Stage 4 and Post-16 education, training or employment, particularly as all current year 11 pupils now have to remain in training or education until the age of 18.

Young people will be able to access information from five different information zones at the session; Key Stage 4, Post-16, Progression to Higher Education, Career Pathways and Support Services, as well as the opportunity to hear about the experiences of current learners.

Attendees will also be able to view a series of presentations of around 15 minutes offering advice on Options for Key Stage 4 and Beyond, Options for Post 16 Education and Training, apprenticeships, Progression to Higher Education and Future Job Opportunities will run throughout the event.

Councillor Jenny Brooks, Executive member for Education, Children and Young People said: “This popular annual event provides young people and their parents and carers with information and advice about their options for the future. As a council we are committed to supporting young people across the city and helping them meet their aspirations. Through work with a range of schools, employers, training providers and universities, Steps to Success looks to offer the opportunity for young people to consider their next steps as well as the longer term progression routes and higher education options that are available to young people.”

City of York Council has worked in partnership with the University of York and York St John University to stage the event, as part of its commitment to widening participation in Higher Education.

For any additional information please contact Beverley Wills, 14-19 Support Adviser, City of York Council on 01904 553008 orbeverley.wills@york.gov.uk .

What’s on: York Jobs Fair 2015

Tues 29 Sept

jobs-15_376x188 (1)

Our last jobs fair in March was a huge success and our biggest to date, with over 70 employers and training providers speaking to 1,100 hopeful empolyees.

We’re excited to tell you that our next Jobs Fair will be held on Tuesday 29th September 2015 at York Railway Institute. If you would like to stay up to date with the Jobs Fair, follow us on Facebook Facebook.

York Jobs Fair is a FREE event bringing employers, employment support agencies and education and training providers together to offer local people job opportunities, information and advice.

You can benefit from meeting employers face-to-face and find out more about jobs, retraining and improving your skills and qualifications.

York to host seventh jobs fair

US-unemployment-jobs-fair-007City of York Council’s inviting jobseekers and residents wanting to change jobs or improve their skills and qualifications to attend a jobs fair at York Railway Institute on Tuesday 29 September.

The event, which has been organised through partnerships between the council, York Learning, Job Centre Plus and Learning City York is sponsored by Hiscox and will be open to residents from 10am to 3pm.

A range of employers will be present at the event, along with training providers and other agencies offering free advice for people to improve their skills and assist them in their search for employment.

The council and its partners have lined up 60 businesses who are currently recruiting in York, including;  Hiscox, Network Rail, Asda, Langleys Solicitors LLP, North Yorkshire Police, Smyths Toys, Richard Preston and Son Ltd (Logistics), Marks and Spencer, City of York Council, Portakabin, TSYS financial services, Best Western (Hotels & Administration) and many others.

The fair will also have a designated quiet area to enable residents to fill in application forms with the help of some excellent local skills and training providers.
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Bid to unlock £100m to help deliver York Central site

Public consultation results - York central access options 2011

Public consultation results – York central access options 2011

City of York Council and the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership have announced that today that they  submitted a bid to government which could unlock over £100 million to help deliver York’s largest brownfield site.

However, the bid doesn’t seem to have been approved by any of the York Councils decision making bodies.

No copy of the bid has been published either on the Councils web site or on that of the LEP.

It therefore remains unclear how much the York taxpayer might be expected to contribute towards the costs of the project. The last Labour Council courted unpopularity by allocating £11 million for the provision of a road bridge into the site from Poppleton Road.

The media release claims,

“If successful, York Central could be designated as an Enterprise Zone which will mean all of the business rates for the site, which would have gone back to government, will be retained in the area. This will provide the funding to be able invest in the infrastructure required to unlock the site and encourage business investment.

Prospective businesses locating on York Central would also get full business rate relief for the first five-years, providing an incentive for inward investment and business growth.

Estimates in the bid suggest this could help to create up to 6,600 jobs in the city, and over £1.1 billion value for the region’s economy.  The jobs created would be high-value office based jobs, helping to grow York’s economy by an estimated 20 per cent and increase average wages in the city.

Enterprise Zone status will also support the infrastructure for housing elements of the site, helping to create new homes on brownfield land and protect the greenbelt.
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Unemployment level in York fairly stable – 0.7% now seeking work

Figures released today by the Office of National Statistics confirm that employment levels in York remain fairly stable.

  • 976 people were seeking work and claiming Job Seekers Allowance/Unemployed Universal Credit at 9th July.unemployed_queue_benefits_DWP
  • This represented 0.7% of the population.
  • Of the job seekers, 665 were men and 321 women.
  • The figures remain below the regional (2.4%) and national (1.9%) averages

Increased Funding to help local businesses hire apprentices

ApprenticeshipSmall and Medium Sized businesses across York are being invited to apply for a grant to help them hire an apprentice and grow their business.

Following an announcement from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) businesses in York can now benefit from a local grant of up to £2,000 thanks to the LEP’s Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE). The aim of the grant is to support businesses and help them recruit young people, aged 16-24, into employment and help them start their career.

The new LEP Apprenticeship Grant replaces the national apprenticeship grant incentive for businesses in West Yorkshire and York as agreed in the first stage devolution agreement with government in March 2015. Funding for businesses will be available until 31 December.
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Business Improvement District poll set for November

It looks like a poll of businesses located in the City centre will be held in November to decide whether to establish a Business Improvement District (BID) in York City centre. The plans were approved by the Council’s Executive last week. The ballot will be run on behalf of the Council by the Electoral Reform Society.

BID

For the bid to be approved it will need to secure the support of over 50% of the businesses in the area both in simple and in rateable value terms. If there is a yes vote, then the first levy on Business Rates will be available for investment during the next financial year starting in April.

Over £800,000 a year is expected to be raised from the levy each year.

The four priorities for funding have been identified as:

  1. Appearance and environment
  2. Events and Festivals
  3. Safe and secure
  4. Business Support and Development

Further details here (and see footnote)

This is the second attempt to establish a BID in York

The BID team still have to clarify several issues before the poll.

  • The impact on marginal businesses – which add to the character of several of the City’s streets – may be adversely affected by the 1% increase in Business Rates that they will have to pay. Businesses with a rateable value of less than £12,500 are exempt from the new charge
  • Similarly any additional investment in the City centre may draw trade away from sub-urban shopping areas like Front Street. The Make it York economic development organisation has yet to address the issue of sub-urban prosperity.
  • The boundaries of the proposed BID area exclude many of the City centre car parks (Bootham Row, Union Terrace, Marygate, St Georges  are not included). These car parks are often the first areas that visitors see close up when they arrive in the City. If part of the plan is to invest in cleanliness, street maintenance and floral enhancements, then car parks should be on the list.
  • The BID board is currently self appointed. Elections to a new board are promised if a BID is agreed. However no guarantees have so far been given that different sectors (visitor attractions, retail, commercial, hospitality, residents associations etc.) will have a seat at the table. Similarly the requirements and aspirations of different geographical parts of the City do vary, so some sort of spatial spread of representation would be desirable.
  • And finally the documents published so far by the BID organisation fail to tell us what “success” will look like. There are no performance indicators or targets. The relationship with “Make it York” is unclear although the terms of an SLA with the Council were agreed last week. Canny businesses will want to see the performance base data before they commit large sums of money to the project.

If these, and other, issues can be addressed before the ballot takes place, then the establishment of a BID in York will be a welcome initiative.

When suggested in the last decade it was the multiple stores that sunk the plan. Now the new BID promoters must convince the likes of Morrisons and Waitrose that they should vote for a scheme which may only be of marginal benefit to them.

We hope that they are able to do so.

The BID plans are described as

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