COVENTRY’S Job Shop will be offering a helping hand to the city’s Wilko’s staff facing redundancy following the chain’s collapse.
Nearly all of the company’s 12,500 staff will lose their jobs when its 400 stores close by early October, including the 83 people working at the chain’s two Coventry shops in the city centre and Cannon Park.
The Job Shop is now working with the Department for Work and Pensions to offer a support package to the staff facing unemployment.
Staff at the Job Shop have already visited the two sites to highlight the support available to staff.
A dedicated job coach will be offering one-to-one guidance and support and a team has also been working closely with several established high-street names to look for new jobs.
Support on offer to Wilko’s workers includes CV development, courses on confidence-building and interview skills, advice on benefits and money management and skills training.
And they will receive support for travel costs for interviews and childcare support.
Coun Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said: “We know this is a very worrying and uncertain time for everyone impacted by the closure, but we have expert advisors on hand, with tailored support provided by our team at the Job Shop, and we promise them we will do all we can to help.
“Our message to Wilko’s staff is that there is support there, with highly trained and dedicated staff who can help them get through this difficult time.”
