Hinckley-based Cadent gives locally unemployed people an opportunity to climb onto the careers ladder

■    Job opportunities for local people not in education, employment or training

■    Cadent runs three-week course

■    Candidates to get work experience and gain skills in Customer Service

Hinckley-based gas network Cadent is giving local unemployed people a leg-up on the jobs ladder.

The company is today (Monday 9 March) starting a free, three-week training programme, for those not in education, employment or training in Hinckley, Leicester and Nuneaton.

The programme, which is being run at Cadent’s Hinckley offices, will prepare people to work in a customer service environment. The scheme aims to employ successful candidates as emergency call-handers; dispatchers, who send engineers to gas emergencies; and for roles in data management.

The 15 candidates for the course were recruited via local job centres, training agencies and online employment websites and were assessed at selection days to check their suitability for the course.

Throughout the duration of the course the candidates will learn about dealing with customers and about job roles and career progression in Cadent, as well as wider skills to help them secure a job role, such as interview skills and CV writing.

At the end of the course all candidates will be guaranteed a job interview and they will have achieved qualifications in customer service and other skills.

New Talent Programme Manager Sam Middlemas, who has organised the programme, said: “This is the first time we have run a scheme like this. As a major local employer we want to do all we can to help local people find routes into work.

“Not only will the programme offer people the chance of a job with us but also people will leave the course with useful qualifications that will help them to get on the career ladder.”

The training programme is being delivered by Cadent in conjunction with Leicester-based training agency CT Skills.