European Social Fund in England

EnPloy (JC+)

EnPloy is a unique project that supports local businesses to improve their environmental performance and helps the unemployed into long-term sustainable employment. The project supports businesses in the Objective 2 areas of Bristol (the wards of Ashley, Lawrence Hill, Easton, Windmill Hill and Filwood). The initial stage of the project will last for 18 months, and aims to work with 60 SMEs (small to medium sized enterprises), place 80 unemployed individuals and train 200 current employees. The Recycling Showcase and Training Facility at ECT Recycling, Bristol was launched on Wednesday, 21 April.

Overall Purpose of the Project is to support SME development and improve business competitiveness by addressing environmental performance and to provide opportunities for SME employees to upskill and develop. Simultaneously, supporting the unemployed to get back into sustainable employment by gaining new and transferable skills to meet the local labour market skills shortages.

Project Aims

• To identify SME businesses that are experiencing growing pressures on their competitiveness arising from current and predicted skills shortages
• To improve the environmental performance of the SMEs to enhance their business competitiveness, and create sustainable employment within the local economy
• To provide unemployed people with customised training and recognised environmental and other vocational qualifications and work experience in businesses to improve employability and meet local SME needs
• To develop a recycling information and advice centre and training showcase to serve as a practical demonstration of reuse, recycling processes and associated activities and to demonstrate the range of employment opportunities within the sector
• To provide unemployed individuals with an appropriate course to prepare for NVQ/unit assessment or other suitable qualifications
• To provide environmental training and general upskilling for SME employees to supervise and mentor the unemployed on placement, and to assist the uptake of management skills and encourage employee development
• To provide opportunities for graduates to consolidate their studies and learning through work experience with a real employer
• To produce research publications covering SME development and environmental improvements through training

Partnership & Support

EnPloy is a partnership project between Future West, ECT Recycling, (previously Avon Friends of the Earth/Resourcesaver) and Training Learning Consultancy (TLC). EnPloy is part-funded by the South West of England Objective 2 European Social Fund programme and is supported by JobcentrePlus.

If you have any questions or would like more information on the project, please contact Lynn Gibbons, Future West Communications and Events Co-ordinator on 0117 903 8475 or by email on l-gibbons@futurewest.org.uk