Member Article

Jobless 33 check in at new city store

A partnership between a Newcastle retailer and Ingeus, which delivers the government’s Work Programme in the North East, has helped 33 long-term unemployed people back into work, and has enabled discount retailer Bargain Buys, situated on Newcastle Shopping Park, to start trading in record time.

With support from Ingeus, the management team at Bargain Buys interviewed job-ready people a few days after signing the lease on the 11,000 square foot store, which meant the retailer could open its doors to the public just a week later.

“Although the ability to move quickly is very important to us, it’s also vital that we employ the right people for our jobs,” said store manager Imogen Buick. “That’s where Ingeus really stepped up to the mark, helping us find those with the right skills and motivation to work in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment. As a result, 33 people who were previously unemployed now have jobs and are already proving themselves as really good members of our team. As a result of the hard work the Newcastle team has put in to the store it’s been one of our most successful openings to date.”

Brian Gunn, 53, from Heaton has just started work as a customer services assistant. He had notched up many years’ experience working in construction, but a serious illness led to a decade of unemployment. “I thought I would never work again,” he said. “However, through Ingeus and the Work Programme, I signed up for courses in retailing and IT, and the belief I once had in myself began to return. Now back in work I am determined to succeed – I have a purpose in life once again.”

Adam Gibson, who’s 19 and lives in Fenham, spent some time working in a shop after leaving school. “Like most people of my age, I want to create a future for myself. This is a great opportunity and I’m grateful for all the support I’ve received from Ingeus and the faith that Bargain Buys has placed in me. I won’t let them down.”

And although 32-year-old Tom Wadsworth from West Jesmond spent much of his time over the past two years hunting for a job, he also volunteered in a charity bookstore in the city. “Being without a job can really sap your confidence, and I was determined not to let that happen to me. I now work on the tills here at Bargain Buys, as well as replenishing stock on the shelves and helping customers find what they’re looking for. I’m really enjoying it and it’s got me back into a routine – I never appreciated just how important that is until now.”

“Working closely with Bargain Buys and knowing what they expect from their staff has meant that 33 unemployed people now have a job and the chance to prove themselves,” added Louise Clifford from Ingeus, who partners with employers in the city to help them fill their vacancies with the best candidates. “Ingeus takes time to find out what employers want and how they work and then put forward jobseekers who have the right personalities and the determination to be successful – it’s a formula that has worked time and time again.”

Ingeus is one of the UK’s leading welfare-to-work providers, delivering employability services to support unemployed people into lasting work. The company offers a free recruitment service to employers which ranges from CV-sifting to hosting full recruitment days and continues to support new employees for up to two years once they start work, helping employers to increase staff retention.

Bargain Buys has been launched by the same father and son team behind national single price retailer, Poundworld. The store chain has over 245 locations nationwide. Poundworld plans to roll out the Bargain Buys chain across the UK, opening 50 stores in the next 12 months. Newcastle Retail Park is the 13th store in the new retail chain to open.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ingeus .