Former Rover workers have urged ex-colleagues who are still without jobs to use a new back to work service which has helped them in their search for employment.
The Working for Jobs programme at the Hollymoor Centre in Northfield, close to the Longbridge plant is geared towards helping the more than 1,000 former MG Rover workers who remain out of work.
In its first two months it has offered assistance to 160 former MG Rover workers. So far, 20 have found new employment as a direct result of the advice they received from the job advisers and 60 more have guaranteed jobs in rail maintenance at the end of a course they are undertaking which was arranged by the Working for Jobs programme.
Working for Jobs is a collaboration between Jobcentre Plus, the Learning and Skills Council and Bournville College and provides intensive, one-to-one support to former workers.
The programme provides access to training courses and a wide range of job vacancies and offers help with CV production, job applications and interview techniques.
The £2 million programme is funded by the MG Rover Task Force and will run for two years. Nick Paul, who is chairman of the Rover Taskforce, visited the project last week to listen to the views of former MG Rover workers using the service.
He said: "The Task Force has always been clear that we would not forget those former workers who have not found jobs. 4,378 people are now in work but we are targeting the 1,400 who have still to find work.
"Unemployment is a demoralising and dispiriting experience and it is vital that people know there is help out there for them.
"The people I met were obviously feeling very low but they had not given up hope.
"They were all very determined and were willing to give the programme a go to see what it could do for them. I will be going back soon to check on their progress."
