Case Study

London regeneration project offers hope for thousands of jobseekers

13 Nov 2024

One of the biggest regeneration projects in Europe promises thousands of new jobs, and Ingeus and Work Match Wandsworth – the brokerage service for Wandsworth Council – are working together to ensure nearby residents don’t miss out on the opportunities on offer.

The Nine Elms redevelopment in London includes shops, hotels, leisure facilities, offices and 20,000 homes, with a commitment that at least a fifth of the job vacancies created go to people who live in the area.
To achieve that goal Work Match has teamed up with the Ingeus Restart Scheme in the district. The Restart Scheme is a government initiative to support people into work who have been unemployed for almost a year or more.

The first jobs to be created are at the former Battersea Power Station, which has undergone a £9bn transformation into a retail destination. Already the partners have filled more than 50 vacancies with jobseekers from Wandsworth and Lambeth. 

The partnership sees Ingeus screen potential candidates, prepare them for possible employer interviews and give support with any other needs they have which might make it harder for them to get a job.

They are then referred to Sector Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) run by Work Match. Over five days, participants learn about the retail and hospitality sectors and visit Nine Elms. Promising candidates are then interviewed by potential employers that have vacancies to fill.

“Ingeus has been a big part in the success of our local recruitment drive,” says Muhit, Business Engagement Lead for Work Match.

“It pre-screens its Restart Scheme participants properly, understands the criteria and has a firm idea of the type of people we are looking for.

“Another benefit is that it has a talent pool available at short notice. It’s a fast-moving scenario in which you can be interviewed on Monday and start work on Wednesday, so it’s good to have a partner that has people who are ready to go.

“I’ve had great feedback from businesses that have placed Ingeus candidates. One store manager hired seven of them and told me that some are among his highest performers.”

One of those who was helped to find a job says: “At the beginning of the programme we were asked to write down a company we would like to work for. I wrote Jigsaw but never thought I would end up working there!”

Another says: “My job has changed my life and I feel much better mentally. I like my work because I am always busy and it’s only a 10-minute walk from my home.”

Ingeus Restart Employer Relationship Manager Pritesh recalls how one lone parent dad, who had been out of work for a decade, applied for a retail assistant role but made such a good impression he was soon offered a supervisor position.

Partnerships and Integration Manager for Ingeus Siona adds: “As somebody who lives in the area, I see the importance of local people being able to tap into these opportunities.

“Even those who are not taken on gain useful jobseeking experience from the SWAPs process as well as being introduced to Work Match and the extra support it can give.

“Our partnership with Work Match Wandsworth is based on getting people jobs in the districts in which they live. It’s a shared passion.”

The initial jobs at the power station are the start of potential opportunities for jobseekers, says Muhit.
Work Match is already working with Ingeus to fill vacancies at the new riverside Hyatt Hotel, which opened in October, and other major projects set for completion by the end of the decade including the One Nine Elms development and the New Covent Garden Market.