Doncaster Chamber has cautiously welcomed news that South Yorkshire is to get Government funding to pilot an initiative focussed on bringing down economic inactivity in the region by helping local residents with health issues return to the workforce.
Dan Fell, Chief Exec Chamber, said it applauded any measures that will help boost growth and tackle our region’s persistent skills gaps. “Getting people back into work is obviously a key part of this, and we commend Westminster for seeing the inherent value in letting local partners — in this case SYMCA — devise local solutions.”
But he added: “While businesses can indeed be a force for good, it’s important that their role is not taken for granted. Recent weeks have seen successive blows for our nation’s wealth creators, in the forms of a controversial Autumn Budget and an employment bill that could inadvertently hamper growth and restrict recruitment.
“Given these difficult circumstances, we need to make sure that any programmes or projects that arise from this inactivity trailblazer are business-friendly and provide good incentives for employers to get involved.
“It’s also vital that we see real long-termism here. Although the goals behind this programme are certainly laudable, it must have a shelf-life that extends beyond its pilot if it’s to have any meaningful impact, Otherwise, it will just be the latest in a long line of well-intended, but ultimately patchy, Government projects designed to get people working.
“It is great to see that South Yorkshire will be at the vanguard of this promising work as one of the designated trailblazers, and we are hopeful that this represents an opportunity to start decluttering our region’s employment system; simplifying it for businesses and jobseekers alike.”
