Tens of thousands of jobseekers in Yorkshire are being helped to boost their skills and become more employable, according to new Government figures.

And in Huddersfield people looking for work are now being sent on courses at Kirklees College to give them the vital skills they need to impress potential employers.

Of the referrals in Yorkshire between August 2011 and February 2014, 75,080 were directed to the National Careers Service for a skills health check.

A further 72,030 referrals were made to a training provider for an initial interview and 80,540 were sent directly to training courses for basic skills and occupational skills training.

The Coalition scheme, which replaced Labour’s New Deal, was rolled out in Summer 2011.

It aims to tackle long-term unemployment by giving jobseekers skills to make them more attractive to employers.

To continue to claim benefits jobseekers must attend courses to which they are referred by Jobcentre Plus.

Huddersfield Jobcentre runs a partnership with Kirklees College at its Huddersfield and Dewsbury campuses.

The college offers courses in literacy, numeracy, IT skills and English for non-native speakers as well as courses tailored to gaps in the job market.

Such areas includes health and social care, hospitality, administration and security.

Some courses offer work experience to improve jobseekers’ CVs.

Huddersfield Jobcentre Plus manager Mary Foulds said: “Jobcentre staff can offer a wide range of support to jobseekers to help them find work, whatever their barriers might be.

“We know that people with lower qualifications might struggle more to get a job, so the more skills a person can demonstrate, the more they have to offer an employer. And for young people, who may also lack experience, it’s doubly important.

“But it’s not just formal qualifications that can boost a person’s employability, softer skills like demonstrating the right attitude, motivation and punctuality are also highly valued by employers.”

Ms Foulds added: “We’ve had some happy stories. One girl, who went on a skills course, got a position with Kirklees College and a guy on a security course was involved with the security during a royal visit.”

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