A Leeds City Council service that has helped thousands of Leeds residents access work, training and education opportunities has today launched a new website.

Employment and Skills Leeds offers a range of free support services to people and businesses across the city. The team works with local communities, particularly in Leeds’s most deprived areas, and provides people looking for employment and skills opportunities with the right knowledge to succeed. The service also offers support to businesses to help them recruit, retain and develop a skilled and inclusive workforce.

The new website, www.employmentskillsleeds.co.uk is a place for residents and businesses to find out exactly what support is available to them and what they need to do to access it.

Visitors to the site can get help finding a job using Leeds Employment Hub, learn about apprenticeships via Leeds Apprenticeship Hub or find adult learning courses through Leeds Learning Hub. The website also offers advice and guidance for employers looking to recruit or upskill their workforce.

Residents seeking employment can use the site to be put in touch with advisors who can provide free individual support tailored to their needs, ranging from help practising for interviews to advice about becoming self-employed.

The website will ensure the service is more accessible to more people, which is particularly important as unemployment rates are expected to rise as a result of COVID-19. Anyone who has lost their job due to the pandemic is encouraged to use the site to access the help and support on offer.

Councillor Jonathon Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive board member for learning, skills and employment, said:

“We are proud of the variety of support we are able to offer those looking for employment and skills opportunities in Leeds and we want to ensure this support is as accessible as possible as we navigate the difficult months ahead. The new website will ensure all our information, advice and guidance on employment and skills support in Leeds sits in one place, is updated regularly and can be accessed with just the click of a button. The service will continue the crucial work they do out in communities, which includes supporting those without internet access.”

Between April 2019 and March 2020, Employment and Skills Leeds helped 5414 people into work and 6921 people gain new skills. They supported 291 businesses with their recruitment during the same time frame.

The new site, www.employmentskillsleeds.co.uk is live now.