Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan
The Foyle MLA was speaking after officials briefed the Communities Committee on the Department for Communities’ plans for labour market interventions.
Said the Foyle MLA: “There is no sugar-coating the projections for unemployment numbers.
“It is vital that the Executive intervenes robustly and as soon as possible to mitigate the impact.
“The JobStart Scheme for 16 – 24-year-olds at risk of long-term unemployment is extremely welcome and I hope that other MLAs will join me in exploring the opportunity to participate in it to give an eligible young person the experience of working in Stormont or a constituency office.
“However, there is a pressing need for an equivalent scheme for middle-aged and older workers, many of whom will be unemployed for the first time in their adult lives.
“14,500 Universal Credit claimants in September were over the age of fifty and that number is set to rise in the months ahead, particularly once the furlough scheme ends.
“Similarly, many workers in their 30s and 40s will be facing unemployment and seeing few viable opportunities.
“The needs of older workers who may have mortgages or rent to pay, as well as dependents relying on them, will differ from young workers entering the labour market for the first time, so the support they need will also differ.
“These are people with years of experience and for whom retirement is many years off.
“Their skills and insights are a valuable asset in our post-Covid and post-Brexit economic recovery.
“They need tailored support to get them back into the labour market into high-quality, well-paid jobs as soon as possible.
“That may be in the same industry that they came from or it may require support to retrain and reskill.
“Just as employers in are offered a subsidy to hire a young person through the JobStart Scheme, employers should be encouraged to recognise the benefits of employing older workers who have fallen victim to economic circumstances beyond their control.
“The Communities Minister and the Minister for the Economy must work together to implement a support scheme for newly unemployed middle-aged and older workers as a matter of urgency.”
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