2 min read
ByDebbie Lebrett, Debbie Lebrett
The charity helps more than 3,000 people every year with career development
February 28, 2024 16:07Members of our Jewish community currently looking for work are faced with three issues that alone are daunting, but put together, can feel overwhelming.
At Work Avenue – as the Jewish community’s leading employment and business support organisation – we help more than 3,000 people each year to find jobs, change careers and start or grow their own business.
And while we have identified these three core problems, the good news is that we are also helping people to overcome them.
The first, put simply, is that there are less jobs available than this time last year.
The recent labour market overview from the ONS (Office for National Statistics) found that the UK job market is slowing down, and this is reflected in the decrease in vacancies on the Work Avenue jobs board.
This is being compounded by redundancies at more senior levels – with those roles not being replaced – and an increase in wages which, while good for those in work, can mean less new jobs being offered.
The second problem people face is being brought on by the cost of living crisis and the explosion in the cost of mortgages or rents, energy, petrol, food and leisure.
For many, one job is no longer enough – so we are finding that we are helping those already in work find second jobs, freelance gigs and side hustles.
The third issue is both a threat and an opportunity.
The impact of AI and new technology on the future of the working world brings both benefits and worries for many.
There is a lot of understandable concern that some jobs, and even entire industries, will disappear, being replaced in part or whole by AI.
However, the opposite is also true – many jobs are being created by this new technology.
The World Economic Forum predicts that while AI may replace around 85 million global jobs in the next two years, it will also create approximately 97 million new ones.
They categorise these new jobs as trainers (those who develop the technology), explainers (those who make it easy to use) and sustainers (those who ensure it is being operated in the correct way).
In every day work and business, new tools such as ChatGPT and Midjourney are saving time on mundane tasks, allowing people to expand what they do elsewhere for their employer or own business – bringing more virality and more opportunity.
And, of course, there is AI software developed precisely to help people find jobs – from building CVs and writing covering letters to conducting virtual mock job interviews.
This is why, at Work Avenue, we have added a series of workshops, events and training courses around all these new digital tools – offering job seekers the chance to retrain and upskill to get a competitive edge when it comes to landing that new role.
As a charity we exist for one purpose – to help transform the lives of members of our community who are unemployed, struggling with their career or experiencing issues with their business.
We believe in empowering individuals, providing them with essential lifelong skills to support themselves and their families.
This weekend, we are running at 36-hour fundraiser to ensure we can support thousands more people in the years ahead.
People often turn to us when they are at their lowest point: having lost a job, seen a business collapse or facing financial pressures.
They tell us that they feel stuck, afraid and have lost their confidence. Many don’t even know where to start when it comes to finding new work.
It is our job to help people to get back on their feet – whatever the issues they are facing. We believe that, together, we CAN make a difference.
Debbie Lebrett is CEO of Work Avenue
Work Avenue is running a 36-hour fundraiser on March 3-4.
For more information or to donate, go to: https://theworkavenue.org.uk/