Getting the city out working

Outside the MSD building in St Hill St are (standing, from left) Jaime Rees (Work Broker), Jamarl Franklin (Work Broker), Glenn Park (Employment Co-ordinator) Seated (from left) Brian Weck (Work Broker), Adam Hubbard (Manager Employer Services), Mike Holland (Work Broker), Gloria Campbell (Regional Commissioner for Social Development - Taranaki-King Country-Whanganui region) and Mike Weekly (Employment Co-ordinator). PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS

We've known this Government department by many names, and some stick. Like WINZ. While that's no longer its name, its purpose remains the same.
The Ministry of Social Development wants to get people into employment and provide staff for employers.
Their building in St Hill St has been brightened up with colourful signage promoting that function.

"We want to encourage people to come in," says employment co-ordinator, Glenn Park. He means people looking for work and work looking for people.
Just inside and to the right of the doors is a large room set aside for that, the Employment Zone.

The signage is working, says Gloria Campbell, Regional Commissioner for Social Development.
"It is attracting employers and job seekers to come in and have another conversation with us.
"What we're trying to do is bring attention to our employment services and our recruitment services for employers."

Glenn says the signage on the building and in the employment room is the work of Display Associates and Morrie Gibbons Signs.
"We're looking to maximise the number of jobs in the economy, so if there's an employer out there who's thinking about employing someone and not sure how to go about that, we've got a lot of support services here in Whanganui," says Gloria.

That support is provided by Employer Services Manager Adam Hubbard and his team. They can take care of the recruitment phase, screen applicants and generally shoulder some of the burden expected of an employer.
"We really want our work brokers chasing those big opportunities and those big employers, maximising opportunities for our clients," says Adam. "The way to do that is build strong relationships with those people."

"We have the largest pool of talent in Whanganui looking for work," says Gloria. "I think employers quite often need diversity in their workforce, and sometimes they need a set of fresh eyes in terms of the types of people they may have traditionally recruited.
"We have young people looking for their first job, sole parents looking to re-enter the workforce, we also have people with disabilities who have capabilities in the right skill levels."

Gloria says it's important that people realise these services are free and they work across the entire age range of employment seekers.
"People can come in to the Employment Zone with no appointment," says Glenn. That applies to employers and job seekers. On a case by case basis, MSD can also help overcome many of the obstacles — mostly financial — encountered by those returning to work after a long period of unemployment. The department also works with tertiary providers to give training to those re-entering the workforce.

Support services also continue after placement, with MSD keeping in contact with the employer and employee after they've started work.
"We would like to see more people in this community in work because, obviously, it's a positive return," says Gloria.