Date: 14/09/2012 Category: Economic Development
Unemployment in Medway has fallen by more than 160 over the past three months, the latest government figures reveal.
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that the number of residents out of work and claiming Job Seekers Allowance in Medway has fallen by 167 between May and August 2012, with a fall of 62 in between July and August alone.
This drop has seen unemployment fall from the figure of 7308 in May to 7141 in August.
Youth unemployment, affecting 18 to 24 year olds, has also fallen by nearly 100 in the past three months, from 2315 in May to 2220 in August.
The figures are also a far cry from those in 2010, when unemployment peaked across the country. The latest figures reveal that there are more than 500 fewer residents claiming Job Seeker's Allowance in Medway now than there were in January 2010, when 7659 residents were out of work.
Medway Council has introduced a series of measures targeted towards tackling unemployment and providing training over the past two years,
The council's employment advice centre, Employ Medway, has helped more than 800 people back into work since it opened at the end of 2009 and provided hundreds more with training opportunities.
The council has also garnered hundreds of thousands from the European Regional Development Fund to support a range of schemes tailored to help long term unemployed people or those that need help gaining experience and training, get into work.
As part of this, more than £200,000 has been committed from the council and EU to boosting apprenticeships in Medway in the past year alone, helping more than 200 young people get that all important first step on the career ladder.
Medway Council’s Portfolio holder for Strategic Development and Economic Growth, Cllr Jane Chitty welcomed the recent figures.
She said: “We are determined to help residents get into work and find training opportunities that will help them grow and develop.
"The council has worked hard alongside our local businesses and training providers over the past few years to ensure we make the most of the real opportunities there are here in Medway and take advantage of the European funding streams that are available to help benefit local people.
"It's a delight to see our unemployment figures come down again and we will continue to work hard to ensure we don't lose momentum and we keep these figures falling."
For more information on Medway Council's employment support services, visit the Employ Medway Advice Centre, 99 -101 High Street, Chatham, phone 01634 336682 or visit http://www.medway.gov.uk/business/economicdevelopment/employmedway.aspx