Berkshire: Successful bid creates 170 jobs

A successful new bid, backed by Berkshire Economic Strategy Board, is set to create almost 170 jobs across the region.

The jobs are to be created as part of an approved Berkshire bid for funding under the Government’s £1 billion Future Jobs Fund, which aims to generate 150,000 new jobs nationwide by April 2011.

The employment opportunities will be spread across a wide range of different business sectors, such as health and social care; ICT and media; leisure, arts, culture and heritage; customer service and warehousing.

The pan-Berkshire bid, led by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, involves a wide range of organisations across the region. These include Bracknell Forest Council, Reading BC, Slough BC, Wokingham BC, East Berkshire NHS PCT, BCA FE College, Slough Enterprise Group, Newbury Community Resource Centre, Affinity Housing, Wates Living Space, Reading UK CIC, The Green Machine CIC, Age Concern Slough, Longbridge Outdoor Pursuits Centre, People to Places, VT (Nextstep IAG Provider). Grow Our Own, a new initiative designed to ensure local jobs for local people, will be the facilitator for skills and pre employment training.

The Future Jobs Fund, a new initiative announced in the Government’s 2009 Budget last April, is designed to generate jobs for those in greatest need, particularly young people, and those living in areas of high unemployment. It aims to keep people connected with the labour market, and to consequently prevent the adverse effects of long-term unemployment.

Speaking about the bid, Barry Deller, interim director of the Berkshire Economic Strategy Board, said: “This project is about giving our young people and the long-term unemployed a helping hand into the work-place. It is about providing real work and opportunities, but also developing their skills and self esteem to support long-term employment success.

“It's a fantastic opportunity for the Berkshire Economic Strategy Board partners to work across all sectors, providing leadership to our communities, residents and businesses in difficult economic times."