Employment & Enterprise Programme
This theme covers employment, business support and the stimulation of enterprise. Our long-term objectives are to remove the barriers to work in the area, to create jobs and to create and support businesses. We hope to ensure that Hathershaw & Fitton Hill will have a flourishing economy, providing business and employment opportunities and a range of shops and other businesses that meet the daily needs of the community.
Current Projects
The Connexions project has supported the development and transition of young people aged 16-19 in the NDC area. It has involved enhanced support to young people at Hathershaw Technology College and provided an outreach service to young people who are not in education, employment or training. We are now continuing this work through our Beat the NEET project with a Connexions advisor being based in our new Job Shop at the Honeywell Centre providing an outreach service giving advice and support to those young residents who are Not in Education, Employment or Training.
The Enterprise in Education Project is designed to introduce schoolchildren in the NDC area to the world of work from an early age. It encourages the introduction of useful business skills in primary schools in a fun way and it aims to help and raise aspirations and show pupils potential career paths.
In conjunction with the Enterprise Factory, the project co-ordinator also runs the extremely successful Fast & Furious competition in which local secondary schools across Oldham work on enterprise projects for presentation before a Dragon's Den panel of judges. www.fastandfuriouscomp.co.uk
The Opportune Property Acquisition scheme has enabled the NDC to purchase properties that are key to the creation of new, high-quality shopping clusters on Ashton Road, Althopugh this project has now run its course, additional properties are being identified for purchase through the Spatial Masterplan programme.
The Enterprise Factory is an innovative project offering managed office space to SMEs (small to medium sized enterprises) with growth potential.It provides hot desk, virtual office and managed offices on reasonable and flexible terms enabling new businesses to grow. Incubator units are provided to nurture viable innovative enterprises. It also offers business support and advice from experienced business advisors who work exclusively in the NDC area and have in-depth knowledge of and positive links with the local business community.
Run within the Enterprise Factory in conjunction with University College Oldham (University of Huddersfield) is theEntrepreneurs Scholarship Programme for Enterprise (ESPa Enterpise). This is a free 12 week nusiness development programme for people wanting to start up and manage their own business. To date well over 50 new businesses have been established creating 68 new jobs. www.enterprise-factory.co.uk
The NDC plans to create a managed office space enterprise zone at Earl Mill by converting and refurbishing the top floor and part of the annex of the former Littlewoods distribution centre an area of over 33,000 sq ft. The refurbishment work, due to commence early in 2008, will comprise selective demolition of some of the site, creation of car parking and a hard and soft landscaping,creation of a new entrance/reception area, installation of new passenger lifts,replacement windows,brickwork cleaning and pointing, roof repairs, conversion of one floor (the top floor) into managed office/work space and training/conference facilities. Also included will be the conversion of former transport offices into use for media companies (recording/rehearsal rooms) and other associated works.
The new enterprise zone will house the Enterprise Factory, which will move prior to the demolition of Borough Mill under the Mastrplan programme into the larger area they now require, plus additional incubation and graduation space to attract new businesses into the NDC area. It will help to meet the growing demand for high quality managed office space of which there is a recognised shortage in Oldham.
The Business Growth Grants Project provides grants of up to £5000 to businesses that have been established for 6 months or more and are seeking to take that next step in their development. Grants are available for the purchase of capital equipment, for research and development, marketing and advertising, and staff recruitment and training.
The Job Shop at the Honeywell Centre opened for business in July 2007. It is an Information, Advice and Guidance Centre which will offer a portfolio of tailored services to aid individual progression into work, education, training or employment.
The Job Shop aims to help local people to:
- Raise aspirations and self confidence
- Prepare that winning CV and help with interview training
- Job search effectively
- Develop those all important skills through training
- Make the right career choice
Working with partner organisations it will also offer advice on benefits, debt counselling and other issues and signpost residents to other NDC and Council services. Operated by Work Solutions it also houses our Skilled Community Team and a Connexions advisor to provide a holistic IAG service to local residents.It also works with local employers on targeted pre recruitment training programmes. To date over 130 residents have been assisted into employment and a further 120
into job related training. www.work-solutions.org.uk
Ashton Road Block Repairs Work is ongoing to improve the commercial and retail premises in the retail clusters on Ashton Road. The schedule of works includes re-roofing, new shop fronts, fall pipes and disabled access.
This scheme is designed to improve the physical and economic environment of this important commercial gateway to the town. The first six properties in the block from 312 to 340 have now been completed and are open for business with the remainder, including the conversion of four former terrace houses into 2 double fronted retail units, due for completion by May 2008.
The next phase runs from 204 at the corner of Neild Street down to 248 the Greaves arms.
10 Year Targets
To remove the barriers to work, create jobs and support businesses.
To reduce the unemployment gap between the NDC area and the Borough to no more than 20%.
To maintain the number of businesses in the area at 200, and to try to exceed that by developing new enterprises.
We will provide support for basic skills training in the workplace and ensure that at least 80% of people of working age will have an educational or vocational qualification.
The Story So Far
We have made some significant strides in the development of this theme area over the past two years. The co-operation between partners from the various sectors and the work they have done to stimulate and re-invigorate the Economy theme group has helped in getting some much needed projects implemented.
Much has been done but there is still more to be done to embed the improvements and build on the successes to ensure that NDC leaves a sustainable legacy for the residents of Hathershaw and Fitton Hill.
