Surge in career service traffic

A CAREER resource centre in Londonderry experienced a surge in caller traffic over the past year.

Jobs Minister Sir Reg Empey explained that caller traffic to two Careers Resource Centres in Londonderry and Belfast increased by 74 per cent between 2008 and 2009.

An independent review completed in June 2009 concluded that the Careers Resource Centre model is contributing positively to the delivery of careers services.

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Sir Reg advised that the Department of Employment and Learning (DEL) is currently considering the future potential for this approach.

The offices in Londonderry and Belfast were established by DEL in January 2008.

Last year's review found that: "Evidence both quantitative and qualitative supports the argument that the Resource Centres have succeeded, so far, in providing an improved service to increasing numbers of clients."

The review also reported that: "Early findings from Careers Resource Centres show some promising results in terms of: increased levels of adult caller traffic; high levels of satisfaction from users of the service; new additional services being offered and delivered to young people and adults such as improved access to web-based services, new resource guides and some group work activities."

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Figures show that there has been an increase in caller traffic since the establishment of the Resource Centres. Caller traffic has increased by 79 per cent from 2008 to 2009 in Belfast and Londonderry. Adult caller traffic has increased by 54 per cent in the same period.

A client satisfaction survey last year reported that: 82.4 per cent of respondents were more confident about their future; 75 per cent of respondents were more motivated; 71.2 per cent of respondents were more aware of what they have to offer to an employer; 62.9 per cent of respondents knew more about how to get into training; 69.4 per cent of respondents knew how to go about finding opportunities to learn; 66.7 per cent of respondents knew how to go about finding a job; and 71.2 per cent of respondents knew how to plan for the future.

The Careers Service is currently working with colleagues in the UK Careers Policy Forum and the European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network to agree longer term impact measures of careers guidance.

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