Anne-Marie Trevelyan, MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed, paid a visit to JobCentre Plus in Berwick last week, to meet the team and find out more about the work they do helping customers find work.
The Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency has an unemployment rate of just 2% (compared with 3.9% across the north east as a whole)1 and Anne-Marie was keen to meet the team to learn of future challenges and opportunities.
Mrs Trevelyan said of the visit: “It was an excellent visit and really good to meet the key team from JobCentre Plus who are committed to helping their customers get into employment. It was especially good to hear they work closely with employers and training organisations to help build up skills for the local jobs market. I was really impressed by the positive and encouraging attitude of the team members.”
North Northumberland’s high employment rate comes despite the closure of the Jus-Rol factory by American food giant General Mills. Most of the employees have already found new roles in part due to the support from JobCentre Plus staff and the task force established to manage their transition, and with new businesses continuing to move into Berwick, the future for the job market looks bright.
The Berwick JobCentre covers Berwick-upon-Tweed, across to Wooler, and Milfield in the west, and down to Beadnell.
Mrs Trevelyan also learned about Premier Inn’s plans for a 60-room hotel with restaurant in Berwick, which will create more jobs and encourage even more tourists to visit the town.