DWP helps former chef into new career with Go Northwest

The new trainee drivers were recruited by Go Northwest Buses with the help of the Job Centre and its Sector Based Work Academy programme.

One new driver is former chef Gungor Ekici, who helped find his new career after first claiming universal credit this January with the help of work coach Khurram Rana.

Mr Ekici said: “The SWAP recruitment helped me a lot and thanks to the team at the Job Centre for giving me this opportunity. 

“I’d highly recommend this type of recruitment to everyone.

“Everyone was very helpful right from the beginning and there was a friendly and very welcoming atmosphere on the course. 

The DWP programme has helped people into jobs across Bolton (Image: DWP)

“The tutors made everything very easy and because of them and the people at Go Northwest, I have almost completed all my training. 

“All the time people were guiding me and helping me to get my bus driving licence. 

“Everybody has been very helpful and friendly and made things so easy. 

“I would recommend this programme to every jobseeker.”

Mr Ekici has now completed his training and is close to taking his bus driver test.

He said: “This has given me a feeling of belonging to something much like a family. 

“I wake up every morning and am very happy to go to work. 

“I can’t wait to finish all my training and become a fully trained member of the Go Northwest family, and it will be great to start helping the public to get to their destinations.”

Manchester training provider The Growth Company has also worked with candidates to help them work towards a customer service qualification.

This also includes a personal well-being course and after this the candidates then take part in an intensive eight-week driver training course with Go Northwest.

Go Northwest HR officer Chris Coombs said: “The SWAPs partnership between Bolton Job Centre and Go North West offers significant benefits for the community by helping unemployed people back into work.

“Through SWAPs, job seekers undertake a pre-employment customer service course designed to equip the knowledge and skills to help prepare them for a guaranteed an interview with Go North West upon successful completion of the course.

“This connects job seekers with real job opportunities in an ever-growing industry with great routes for progression.”

Staff at the Job Centre say they hope this will show how they can help other people looking for work into new roles.

Employer adviser team leader Melanie Yemm said: “The Sector-Based Work Academy Programme is delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions, working with employers with vacancies and training providers to design a bespoke package of support for claimants. 

“The programme allows claimants to get the skills needed to move into the workplace through training and a work experience placement linked to a genuine job or apprenticeship vacancy. 

“Each SWAP will be different, but all are made up of three parts: pre-employment training, a work experience placement and a guaranteed job interview for a job or apprenticeship vacancy with an employer in the sector.  

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“This year alone, this popular scheme has placed 92 Bolton residents into work, and we are proud to support a variety of employers such as Park Cakes, Warrens Distribution, The Exclusec Group and the NHS with their recruitment needs. 

“We urge all local employers to use our free services. 

“Just pop into any of the Job Centres in Bolton and one of our friendly Employer Advisers will be on-hand to help you out.             

“Importantly parents on Universal Credit can receive help with childcare payments.

“Jobseekers can search our DWP FindaJob website, to check out the thousands of jobs on offer.”