Thursday, May 29, 2014

Army training for long-term unemployed may be extended

"A pilot scheme in which long-term unemployed people take part in a month-long training programme run by the army could be rolled out nationally after it caught the attention of ministers, according to the army's website.

The pilot project, which is "aimed at building self-esteem and skills", has been completed by 31 people in two towns in the West Midlands, producing "excellent results", according to the army.

Of 18 volunteers in Telford, 10 have subsequently applied to join the army reserve, and of 13 participants in Stoke-on-Trent, three have applied to join the regular army, four to join the army reserve and one to become a reserve officer.

Other areas identified for similar projects are Wolverhampton, Coventry and Walsall in the West Midlands.

The military has been stepping up other efforts to encourage jobless people to enlist. At the start of the year it launched a campaign called More than Meets the Eye with a series of recruitment clinics at jobcentres.

Thousands of regular soldiers are being made redundant under cost-cutting plans by the Ministry of Defence, which envisages the army of the future being much more reliant on reserves."

www.theguardian.com/society/2014/may/29/...ng-scheme-unemployed