Caroline Dinenage, local MP for Gosport, today attended a Parliamentary seminar which explored the ways in which training is provided to job-seekers. The event was well attended by representatives from the National Skills Council, Parliamentarians and the wider training community. The Government has said that it will make attending relevant training a pre-condition of welfare support so that as many people as possible are given the opportunity to re-enter the job market.
Speaking after the event, Caroline remarked ‘There are currently 5 million people of working age currently on benefits, 2 million of whom have remained unemployed for over 5 years. I believe it is crucial that those on Jobseeker’s Allowance are given every opportunity to access training. While it is important that this access is universal, it is equally vital that such courses are of a sufficient quality to ensure they are valued by prospective employers.’
Going on to remark about the competitive nature of the job market, Caroline said, ‘Despite the good work the Government has done in repairing Labour’s economic mess, good jobs are as hard to come by as they ever were, both in Gosport and across the UK, and job-seekers need to be given every opportunity to gain that all important edge.’