A NEW initiative has been launched by Gloucestershire County Council to help people aged 50 and over back into employment.

The project aims to tackle the high number of people aged over 50 who are not currently engaged in employment. It will see 50 hours of work experience arranged for 50 people, aged 50 and over across Gloucestershire.

A launch event took place at Shire Hall in Gloucester last Wednesday (October 11), attended by representatives from the county council, employers and residents who have signed the pledge, along with organisations who will lend their support, including the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the county council’s adult education department. 

The council says the scheme will also help to solve some of the recruitment issues across the county, where currently there are three times more job vacancies than unemployed people.

A spokesperson added: “By engaging with the challenge, employers can tap into a pool of people who may have left the labour market but are being forced to return from retirement driven by economic or personal factors.”

Thirty-five employers have pledged a work placement opportunity and more than 70 people who are not currently employed have expressed an interest in taking part so far.

Later this month, the county council’s Employment and Skills Hub will be working with people who have registered to identify suitable roles for them and support them to contact host employers.