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Fees for businesses who employ migrant workers have helped fund 19 courses for 170 local residents to improve their skills in hospitality, retail and construction, as part of a programme to invest £300,000 per year in skills.
A £50 annual fee per Registered permission was introduced last year to reduce the reliance on non-local labour and fund training and initiatives to mitigate long term skills shortages in the island.
The Registered permission have partly funded the courses which were developed following feedback from a survey of businesses. They have included so far coaching skills for manager and supervisors, principles of customer service and Microsoft Excel and Outlook courses.
The next programme of courses will soon be available to applicants and will include a number of new leadership and management courses.
Brett Brimble, owner of Salon SB, whose staff attended the customer service course, said: “The team said the delivery of the course was very engaging, upbeat and relevant. Although all are experienced professionals, they felt the course helped them to think about the way they approach their clients and deliver excellent customer service. You are never too old to refresh your skills. We would definitely be interested in following up with other courses.”
Assistant Chief Minister, Senator Paul Routier, said: “It is encouraging to hear that employers from across the sectors are keen to encourage their people to develop skills and build on their existing knowledge. This enables staff to become more confident and create a strong foundation for themselves, while also strengthening the local labour market so we can rely less on people from outside Jersey because we have the necessary “home grown” skills across a range of sectors.
“The feedback about these courses has been very good. It is welcome news that they are seen as worthwhile and valuable by employers. It also helps strengthen links between our industries when participants from different sectors can share their views and experiences with each other.”
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