Following the news of the closure of four Wilko stores across Medway, we have offered our support to its employees.
Our Skills, Employment and Adult Education team joined with the benefits team, local job centre, Citizens Advice Medway and the National Careers Service and held jobs and skills marketplaces at the stores in Gillingham, Rainham, Chatham and Strood. They gave advice and offered a range of support including CV workshops, interview preparation, free maths and English courses as well as other employability courses, like digital skills, at Medway Adult Education (MAE).
Supporting employees through this difficult time
Cllr Lauren Edwards, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic and Social Regeneration and Inward Investment, said: “It’s upsetting that we are losing our Wilko stores across the Medway towns. Our priority has been to support the employees through a difficult time in their working lives. Many of the employees I spoke to at the marketplaces had worked at Wilko for decades and appreciated our support to help them retrain and find new jobs in a very different labour market. I’d like to thank the other organisations who partnered with us. I’m pleased that by working together we were able to mobilise quickly to support Medway residents and help them find new opportunities.”