A Luton employment and skills programme that has helped get 125 people into work over the last four years will be opening its first town centre office next month (April).

The Luton Employability Training Skills (LETS) Hub project started in March 2015 and since then has supported more than 800 individual clients who are not in employment, training or education with a minimum of 12 weeks of one-to-one support.

“Opening our first office in King Street will mean we have managed to achieve our long term vision,” said founder and director Mostaque Koyes.

“At the start we wanted to create a high profile, attractive, town centre based, information and delivery hub which support individuals on their journey to achieve their skills and employment aspirations.

“The ambition is to develop a model that will have long-term partner commitment with a shared common purpose and is based on a viable, financial operating model.”

A number of major LETS Fair events, where employers met with hundreds of job seekers at Venue Central, in Chapel Street, proved there was a huge, unmet demand in the town.

The new office will mean the service can be offered five days a week.

Mostaque added: “Luton has high levels of family poverty, and a high percentage of families that will be affected by benefit cap measures. Chronic unemployment still exists in certain wards but now there is an even better opportunity to build on existing partnerships, working collaboratively to add value to the range of services available through the development of a Central LETS Hub Provision.”

What the LETS Hub can do:

• Assist local people of all ages who are unemployed or economically inactive to increase and/or improve their employability chances
• Provide quality, intensive support and mentoring to individuals who are faced with long term barriers to employment
• Provide training courses, soft skills programmes and signpost to other qualification providers
• Offer brokerage between local employers and clients e.g. work experience placements, job opportunities and voluntary work experience
• Provide progression pathways to further education or employment including apprenticeships for younger people.

To find out more email Mostaque Koyes: [email protected]