Help wanted: ‘Into Work’ employment workshop to be held in Gisborne

Our country-wide workshops connecting local businesses looking for workers and local people seeking employment will be held in Gisborne.

Businesses across the country are crying out for workers. You cannot walk into a supermarket, café or retail shop without seeing a ‘Help Wanted’ sign.

National Party’s Social Development & Employment spokesperson, and National Party MP Louise Upston, wants her ‘Into Work’ workshops to be for anyone finding staff, looking for work or an agency helping others find jobs.

“The workshop aims help solve challenges for businesses and reduce barriers for those seeking work,” Upston says. 

“If you are a senior getting back into the workforce, a parent returning to work, a local employer searching for staff or someone on Jobseeker Support, this ‘Into Work’ workshop is for you.”

Despite record job vacancies, 177,000 people across the country remain on the Jobseeker Support - a weekly payment that helps New Zealanders while they look for work.

“In Gisborne there are 2,232 people on Jobseeker. Shockingly, this adds up to 6.3% per cent of the East Coast working age population, higher than the 5.6% national average.

“We want to hear about local initiatives that are getting people off welfare and into work at these workshops, especially from agencies working with Jobseekers.”

To be eligible for Jobseeker, you must be over the age of 18 and be willing to accept suitable employment or take steps to find work.

“Jobseeker is supposed to be a temporary, short-term payment to keep people afloat while they look for a job. It’s not supposed to be a long-term income source for people who can work.”

The free ‘Into Work’ workshops will be held at the Gisborne Bowling Club, 15 Rawiri Street, Kaiti, Gisborne.  RSVP for planning purposes essential.