Council celebrates 13 years of Work Match jobs success for residents

Wandsworth Council initially set up the jobs brokerage service to ensure local people benefited from jobs and training arising from new development and economic growth.

The new annual report shows that since launching in September 2013, Wandsworth Work Match has engaged 3,708 residents with the service. Training has been provided for 2,871 residents and 3,052 local people have been supported into sustainable jobs.

Proud of successes

Councillor Lynsey Hedges, Cabinet Member for Opportunity, said: “We’re so proud of Work Match’s successes over the past 13 years. This is a brilliant free service making sure growth in Wandsworth translates into actual opportunities for residents and helping businesses find the talent they need.

“I was delighted to watch trainees learn bar and hospitality skills today at Lockes in Battersea – practical support like this helps residents build confidence, gain new skills and move into local jobs.”

Steve Locke from Lockes Bar said: “At LOCKES Bar Academy we believe hospitality is one of the most accessible routes back into employment. I opened my first bar, Be At One, here in Wandsworth in 1998 and grew it to over 30 venues nationwide - so I know this is an industry where you can start with no experience and build a real career.

"That's why working with Wandsworth Council's Work Match team matters to us: it lets us give local people, particularly young people getting back into work, the practical training and industry connections they need to succeed. This is the kind of partnership that turns training into real, local employment."

Construction training

Residents from across the borough, from Roehampton and West Hill to Battersea and Tooting, have engaged with Work Match to find new opportunities, including training on housing construction as part of Homes for Wandsworth developments.

Two construction training candidates gained skills on Wandsworth’s Platt Estate, SW15. Jamie, a Putney resident, completed slinger and telescopic-handler training through Work Match on the estate, where he grew up. He said: "I’ll be walking past this project every day knowing I built this, and that’s something money can’t buy.”

Ismail, from Roehampton, trained on the slinger and signalling course on the estate with "outstanding" support from Work Match. He said: “My confidence levels have gone up, everything has improved.”

About Work Match

Work Match is a free council service, working with employers, training providers and community partners to help residents access local jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities and supporting residents at different stages of their employment journey.

The annual report highlights the impact of this one-to-one support, including residents who have moved into roles with local employers after completing pre-employment training and receiving tailored help with applications and interviews.

This year, Work Match held their biggest ever Employ Wandsworth jobs fair to date, with over 1,200 residents coming along to find out about job vacancies, training and speak directly to recruiters and employers exhibiting at the fair.

The first year of Wandsworth Work Match’s Connect to Work programme is also highlighted in the report. Currently supporting more than 100 resident, the programme helps people with disabilities, long-term health conditions or complex life barriers to find and keep sustainable work, or to stay in work if they are at risk of losing employment.

Case studies from local employers show the value that Work Match brings to the recruitment process, with one business describing Work Match as “incredibly efficient and supportive” and saying candidates were well-prepared, understood the expectations of the role and integrated smoothly into the team.

Residents and businesses can find out more about current opportunities by visiting the Work Match website or emailing wandsworthworkmatch@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk.