Skills and employment systems must work more effectively together to support people through the different stages of their working lives. ERSA believes skills training should meet the needs of the local labour market and be better connected to careers advice and guidance, and existing employment support provision.
Future employment programmes must provide value for money to the taxpayer, a high quality service to jobseekers and meet the needs of employers. ERSA believes that future commissioning should build on the existing evidence base and the commissioning process should factor in local labour market knowledge, successfully integrating employment support into the wider support services landscape.
It is essential that jobseekers with complex, multiple barriers to work receive the right support. ERSA believes all jobseekers should have a holistic assessment from day one of their claim, which is regularly updated, and providers should routinely receive information on jobseeker vulnerabilities.
Preventing youth unemployment must be a priority for all political parties. ERSA believes that early interventions should be put in place for those likely to become NEET and those that do become NEET should be immediately referred to high quality specialist support. Independent careers advice backed by local labour market information should be available to all young people.
Employer demands must be at the heart of the system, with services designed to meet their needs. ERSA believes government should make better use of incentives for employers to take on people with disabilities or health conditions and that self-employment should be promoted as a route for jobseekers.