York, Selby and Ryedale unemployment figures are bucking the trend

According to the Office for National Statistics, the latest government unemployment figures for York show 2,340 people were looking for work, down 320 or 12 percent from this time last year.

The number of 18- to 24-year-olds rose slightly by five to 425 over the course of the year, while the number of those aged 50 and over fell by 165 to 565, which corresponds to a decrease of 23 percent.

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In Ryedale, the total number of claimants fell by 15 during the month to 595 in April, down 20 people, or 3 per cent, from the same period last year.

In Selby, meanwhile, the total unemployment figure stands at 1,165, down 170 or 13 per cent.

Across the Yorkshire and Humber region the number of unemployed is 107,000 – 1,000 up on last year.

National official figures showed that the UK unemployment rate rose to 3.9 per cent in the three months to March, up from 3.8 per cent in the previous quarter and the highest level in the three months to January 2022.

Wendy Mangan, Employers and Partnerships Manager at York Jobcentre, said: “As summer begins, job centers are focusing on increasing the workforce to help companies fill their vacancies.

“We establish contacts with employers and regularly hold job fairs and speed interviewing events.

“We are currently working with Marks and Spencer at Vangarde in York on an industry-based Work Academy (SWAP) program for permanent in-store team members.

“Candidates will attend a four-day pre-employment training course for accredited customer service and food safety qualifications beginning May 22.

“Then there will be a day in the shop at Marks and Spencer that will include work experience and job shadowing, followed by a guaranteed interview. It is planned to introduce these SWAPs continuously.”

“Our job coaches support each job seeker individually to build confidence and develop new skills. We encourage people, whether single parents, young, over 50 or with health problems, to contact their employment office to get back into the job market or to advance their careers. Job seekers can also find out about the thousands of vacancies by searching the DWP FindaJob website.”

Employment Secretary Guy Opperman MP said: “We continue to see progress in the labor market as we take action across Government to boost the economy. Employment has increased; economic inactivity has decreased; and vacancies have declined for consecutive quarters.

“Not only do we help meet our priority of economic growth, but we also know that work remains the best way for people to get ahead in life. Because of this, I focus on providing job seekers with roles and companies with a resilient and skilled workforce. Through partnerships with local employers, we offer thousands of internships in industries like banking and engineering, helping people gain new skills and build rewarding careers.”

You can find more local job events through the York Jobcentre yorkemployerengagementteam@dwp.gov.uk