Digital savvy students assist local job seekers Wed, 29 October 2014 Tameside College was pleased to extend their involvement with Job Centre Plus, New Charter and Tameside Libraries Work Clubs last week after offering volunteer support from their students to help job seekers use computers and job searching system “Universal Job Match” to find work. Gail Clifford, Work Experience Manager at Tameside College explained: “It was identified that many people coming through the job search process in Tameside sometimes struggled with the use of technology for job hunting and applications if they didn’t have access to a computer at home or had never had to use a computer in a previous job. As Tameside College students use technology every day in classrooms and at home for their assignments we knew that we could help so we developed the Digital Ambassadors Work Experience Programme.” The Programme gives students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience whilst offering the wider community the support if needed using technology in their job search. Students can show people how to use Universal Job Match, use computer software packages for CV building and how to communicate via email as well as help with general enquiries. The group of volunteers included Lee Jones who has previously been credited as local charity Tameside 4 Good’s ‘Supporter of the month’ for his hard work at the Community and Voluntary Action Tameside office. Employer and Partnership Manager of Job Centre Plus, Ashton-under-Lyne, Vivien Robinson added: “We’re really pleased with the progress that the Programme has made, we’re thankful to Tameside College and the volunteers for coming to help in the work clubs at Job Centre Plus, New Charter and Tameside Libraries. We’re confident that the Programme will make a real difference to claimants giving them more confidence in their job search and use of technology whilst providing a quality work experience placement for Tameside College students.”
