More Rotherham people in work, new figures reveal

ALMOST 15 per cent more people were in work across the Rotherham borough last month compared to last year.

The latest official employment figures show the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit in the borough — which includes Maltby, Dinnington and Mexborough — fell to 4,380 in April.

The number of peple aged 18 to 24 out of work also fell last month, with 985 claiming JSA or universal credit — 19 per cent less than April 2015.

Nationally, the employment rate stands at 74.2 per cent, the highest total since 1971.

Nigel Coleman, of Jobcentre Plus, said the picture was still positive across the district with only Barnsley beating Rotherham in terms of getting people into work.

Mr Coleman said that a number of jobs are expected to be created at a new branch of The Original Factory Shop on the former Co-op site on Maltby High Street which will be holding three recruitment sessions early next month.

He said that Knowhow was also creating 600 jobs and Ikea 350 in the borough.

There will also be a couple of recruitment events for NHS domestic staff at the end of June which Mr Coleman said could act as a way into other health service roles.

He said that people can find out more about vacancies on the NHS Jobs website.

There are also a number of care home opportunities across the district, and further afield in Sheffield 100 places are to be filled at Primark in the city centre.

Mr Coleman said: “Looking round the district as a whole, there are massive opportunities in Doncaster with employers such as McDonald’s. If you want to go to Doncaster and want to work in warehousing, then get in touch.”

He said that Pearson Edexcel on the Hellaby Industrial Estate has taken on 2.500 people temporarily to help with exam marking and that this has been so successful it is likely to be repeated again next year.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Stephen Crabb, said: “These are another record breaking set of figures, with more people in work than ever before and the unemployment rate is at the lowest in a decade at 5.1 per cent.

“There is good news in Yorkshire and the Humber, where the number of people in work has risen around 130,000 since 2010, and a near record 2.51 million people are now in employment.

“More people in work means that more families across the UK are benefiting from the security of a regular wage and the fulfilment that employment brings.”