Over 4000 people are now on the live register as compared to 1,700 just over a year ago. For the newly unemployed within the Athlone community there is both shock and confusion. The shock of being unemployed and the confusion of "what to do and where to go”. Getting back into work or training can be difficult. Finding the right job or course requires knowing what’s out there and how to apply.
One such community agency tackling this issue is Westmeath Community Development's Job Club. Athlone Community Taskforce originally set up the Job Club in 2004 with financial and development support from FÁS with the aim of providing a service for the local unemployed people and to help them find suitable work. This service has since come under the umbrella of Westmeath Community Development since 2007. To date the Job Club has assisted over nine hundred individuals in their quest to obtain employment and has had a very high success rate.
The Job Club provides training to help you find a suitable job or training course and shows you how, by the use of simple techniques, you can increase your chances of getting to where you want to be. A skilled Job Club staff will take you through the ins and outs of getting back to work or training and help you get there. All you need to have is a genuine interest in finding work or training and the Job Club will show you the way.
The Job Club coordinator Noel Breslin and administrator Deirdre Pigott run courses from two main locations within the county, The Business Development Centre in Parnell Square, Athlone and the WCDL Building, Blackhall Court, Mullingar. The course is practical and guidance-focused helping individuals to master CVs, job applications, and interviews. The course is usually run over a three week period while on the course the participants retain their social welfare and also receive a training allowance of €20 per week. The Job Club also offers a one-to-one drop in service to individuals offering CV preparation, photocopying, stationery, stamps, internet and email access, and job vacancy information on a daily basis.
For more information call (090 ) 6494555
