Job search website launched

A new job search website to help Shropshire’s businesses ease their recruitment problems has been launched by a specialist charity.

Wellington-based supported employment and training charity Landau has launched the free Connectjobs4u website to help match job seekers with employers that have vacancies to fill.

The first businesses to be given the opportunity to advertise on the site will be the 33 employers that  attended Landau’s jobs fair at Shrewsbury Prison earlier in the summer. It will then be opened up to other companies to advertise their vacancies.

Phil Taylor, chief operations officer for Landau, said: “Our mission is to support people who might otherwise be overlooked in the job market into employment. There is a pool of talented people who could fill many of the county’s vacancies with just a bit of extra support and the new website aims to connect those people with businesses looking to recruit.”

The site will support the Building Shropshire project which was launched at the start of this year on a pilot basis to help tackle the ongoing recruitment challenges in the construction, hospitality, leisure, retail, logistics and warehousing sectors.

As the main lead on the project, Landau has been responsible for creating an employer brokerage service to match employer vacancies and needs to unemployed and economically inactive residents.

“As an organisation, a huge amount of our work is dedicated to identifying individuals who are furthest from the jobs market,” said Phil.

“We then help train them, upskill them and build their confidence so they feel ready to work whether that be in an employed role or on a self-employment basis and we are doing this through a range of in-house programmes as well as projects run in partnership with other organisations across Shropshire.”

The Shropshire Building Better Opportunities programme which runs until March 2023 is one such project which is being managed by Landau – a 2021 Queen’s Award for Enterprise winner.

Co-funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and the European Social Fund, the project has already successfully supported hundreds of isolated individuals across the county and further field into training or work.

Landau’s IN2 Training and IN2 Employment programmes are also providing dedicated training to young people aged 16-24 with specialist learning tutors working directly with schools, colleges, businesses and other organisations to ensure young people are supported with tailored skills training ready for the world of work.

Through its We See You campaign, launched in 2021, Landau also works with businesses to drive diversity and inclusivity in the workplace and this work will continue to play an important role as the county strives to resolve the ongoing recruitment crisis.

Pictured: Phil Taylor, chief operations officer for Landau