Really Useful Things to Know in Gloucestershire

• The Bridge - Connecting People
• Updated: 03-10-2024

About Gloucester & Cheltenham Jobs Fair The Gloucester & Cheltenham Jobs Fair is located at the Kingsholm Stadium, Kingsholm Rd, Kingsholm, Gloucester, GL1 3AX. The event attracts a mixture of different employers from various industries, all recruiting for local jobs. The Gloucester Job Fair is a great way to speak with potential employers face-to-face. You can apply for jobs, collect information on employers, ask them questions in-person, and even have a mini interview on the day. Please register for a free ticket pre-event. Tickets are subject to event availability and no tickets are issued on event days. Upon entry, please provide your ticket (Mobile or Printed). Tickets will be scanned on arrival to be able to enter the event. Your ticket admits you entry to the event and MUST be presented at the entrance upon arrival for scanning. Your ticket MUST be valid for the event date you're attending. Your ticket is non-transferable. Your tickets are NOT to be duplicated for the purpose of falsifying entry. The organiser reserves the right to cancel tickets/refuse entry. Check out if the venue has free parking, if you're travelling by car. Top tip - make sure you speak to every exhibitor at the Jobs Fair. You never know what jobs they may have on offer, so, don’t just look at their pop ups and think they're not for you, go and have a chat! Kingsholm Stadium Kingsholm Stadium is a 16,100 seater venue, home to Gloucester Rugby. It was built and opened back in 1891. Why should you attend? Speak directly with employers Get CV advice Get career advice Ask questions to employers on the day Get to see what local jobs are on offer Brush up on your interview skills Conduct interviews on the day with employers Help gain confidence in speaking with HR staff Interested in attending? View our Quick Tips

• Department for Work and Pensions
• Updated: 03-10-2024

This event is free to attend, with no registration needed. Request your ticket to book your space by emailing us at Gloucester.EAs@dwp.gov.uk All you need to do is: Arrive between 10am to 12pm Bring a CV if possible (advisable but not essential) Be prepared to chat to different people from our teams The venue offers great access to public transport networks if you're travelling by train or bus, and Pay and Display public parking if you're travelling by car.  

• Useful things to know...
• Updated: 03-10-2024

The hourly rate for the minimum wage depends on your age and whether you’re an apprentice. This page is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).   You must be at least: school leaving age to get the National Minimum Wage aged 23 to get the National Living Wage - the minimum wage will still apply for workers aged 22 and under From 1 April 2024, workers aged 21 and over will be entitled to the National Living Wage.   These rates are for the National Living Wage (for those aged 23 and over) and the National Minimum Wage (for those of at least school leaving age). The rates change on 1 April every year.                                         23 and over      21 to 22      18 to 20      Under 18      Apprentice April 2023                      £10.42             £10.18          £7.49             £5.28             £5.28   From 1 April 2024, workers aged 21 and over will be entitled to the National Living Wage.                                          21 and over        18 to 20       Under 18      Apprentice April 2024                              £11.44               £8.60          £6.40              £6.40  Apprentices Apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they’re either: aged under 19 aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship Example An apprentice aged 21 in the first year of their apprenticeship is entitled to a minimum hourly rate of £5.28. Apprentices are entitled to the minimum wage for their age if they both: are aged 19 or over have completed the first year of their apprenticeship Example An apprentice aged 21 who has completed the first year of their apprenticeship is entitled to a minimum hourly rate of £10.18.

• National Careers Service (South West)
• Updated: 03-10-2024

The National Careers Service is adapting the way it delivers its offering to ensure it can continue to provide an uninterrupted service to thousands of citizens across Gloucestershire. The National Careers Service provides free, professional and impartial advice on getting a new job, changing careers, training, education and the labour market; support which is available to anyone aged 13+ and living in England. Whilst the face-to-face service is currently unavailable, individuals can continue to access that support using a multitude of alternative channels, including webchat, over the telephone, via video call, and through social media. Whether someone is needing support to find a short-term job, looking for a new career, or looking to build confidence and assess their skills, we have qualified advisers here to support them. Our free service can support individuals to: - Build confidence - Complete a skills assessment - Review/ update their CV - Develop online interview skills - Identify online training opportunities - Get new qualifications - Plan the next steps of their career The National Careers Service is completely free of charge, and accessible to anyone aged 13+ and living in England. To access the service, call 0800 100 900. For further information, please contact - Monique Smith 07442386546 or by clicking on Apply Now.

• Gloucestershire County Council
• Updated: 03-10-2024

A travel card providing free bus travel has been made available to veterans who are seeking employment in Gloucestershire. The initiative has been introduced by Gloucestershire County Council in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Jobcentre Plus. The county council agreed to set up the scheme following a motion put forward by Cllr Cate Cody, leader of the Green Party at Gloucestershire County Council, at a full council meeting in February. It was supported by the Conservative group after minor amends and unanimously approved by all councillors. The county council has produced and funded the travel cards, while Jobcentre Plus establishments in the county will issue them. The initiative was launched at the Veterans Café in Gloucester, which was set up earlier this year with the support of the county council. The café is based at the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum and provides a space for serving Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families to gather, socialise and support each other. The motion said that the council wanted to take steps to make a positive difference to the lives of veterans in our county, in recognition of their service. The travel card will be available to veterans over aged 16 who are claiming Universal Credit or receiving a DWP benefit in Gloucestershire. It will entitle them to free bus travel throughout Gloucestershire. Each card can be used for 50 single free trips and even if a veteran gains employment before the trips on the card run out, they can continue to use it. If the veteran if still seeking employment after the card runs out, they will be issued with a new card. Cllr Mark Hawthorne, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said: “I’m delighted we are able to introduce this travel card, in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions. This will help us provide support to veterans while they are seeking employment in Gloucestershire by offering them free bus travel. It will also encourage greater use of the many bus services we have in the county, as buses are a green and sustainable way to travel.” Cllr Andrew Gravells, Armed Forces Champion for Gloucestershire, said: “I’m pleased that we are able to offer this travel card to veterans in Gloucestershire. It will provide extra support to veterans seeking employment and underlines the county council’s commitment to our Armed Forces. We owe all of our Armed Forces personnel and their families a debt of gratitude for serving their country and it’s important we can give them something back.” Cllr Cate Cody, leader of the Green Party at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “This provides an opportunity for us to take action and make a difference to the Armed Forces community. Free bus travel will help veterans financially and make it easier for them to travel around the county; as a regular bus user myself it is really good to encourage others to use this sustainable way of travelling too and I’m very pleased that my motion was approved by all parties.” Cllr Lisa Spivey, Liberal Democrat group leader, said: “I’m delighted we are able to make this travel card available to veterans in Gloucestershire. It sends a message that even in times of financial pressure for councils, that we recognise and appreciate veterans’ service.” Cllr John Bloxsom, Labour group leader, said: “I’m pleased this travel card is being introduced to provide free bus travel to veterans in the county. It’s important we give something back in recognition of the sacrifice they have made.” Jobcentre Plus staff will confirm eligibility and issue the cards to veterans when they make contact at the Jobcentre. The cards cannot be used by anyone else. Further information on the scheme can be found on the Veterans’ Travel Card webpage at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/veteranstravelcard or the Armed Forces Covenant pages: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/your-community/the-armed-forces-covenant/.

• Useful things to know...
• Updated: 03-10-2024

Details of the free courses and qualifications for adults (19+) available through the government’s Plan for Jobs including eligibility criteria and how to apply. Overview As part of the government’s Plan for Jobs, if you are 19 or over you could now access a course for free. The free courses include level 3 qualifications and Skills Bootcamps. The courses are paid for by the government from the National Skills Fund. Free qualifications for adults If you are 19 or over and do not already have a level 3 qualification (equivalent to an advanced technical certificate or diploma, or A levels) or higher, you can access a free qualification. Some of these qualifications are available to study online or part-time. You may be able to get help to pay for childcare, travel and other costs. The courses will help you: gain qualifications that are needed and valued by employers improve your job prospects progress in work earn a good wage Eligibility You can access one of the free level 3 qualifications if you are aged 19 or over and do not already have a level 3 qualification (equivalent to an advanced technical certificate or diploma, or A levels) or higher. Some of these qualifications are available to study online or part-time, and you may be able to get help to pay for childcare, travel and other costs. In some instances, you may need to meet admissions criteria for the course you choose to apply for. For example, you may need to have studied a particular subject before at a lower level. Previously, if you were aged 24 or over, you would have had to pay the course fee for these qualifications. Now, many colleges and training providers have funding available to cover this cost for you. If you’re 19 to 23 years old, you could also access additional qualifications for free. If you’re in this age group, contact your local college or the National Careers Service for further information. If you already have a level 3 qualification, Advanced Learner Loans are available to help you cover the costs of learning, which you pay back when you are earning over a certain amount. Subjects available You can choose from hundreds of level 3 qualifications to help you on the path to a better, well-paid job. Qualifications are currently available in: accounting and finance agriculture building and construction business management childcare and early years digital engineering environmental conservation health and social care horticulture and forestry hospitality and catering manufacturing technologies mathematics and statistics medicine and dentistry public services science teaching and lecturing transportation operations and maintenance warehousing and distribution See the full list of free level 3 qualifications available in a range of locations across England. Locations Free level 3 qualifications are on offer for eligible adults across England. You can use the National Careers Service course finder to search for courses available in your area and see which providers deliver them. A full list of colleges and training providers offering free places for level 3 qualifications is also available. If you want to study a particular course that is not listed as on offer at any of your local colleges or training providers, you can contact them directly to find out if they plan to offer your chosen course in future.

• GlosJobs.co.uk
• Updated: 02-10-2024

In 2024, the Charity of the Year for www.GlosJobs.co.uk and www.glos.info, is Sunflowers Suicide Support, a Gloucestershire charity that provides support for people bereaved or affected by suicide. We will be organising a series of fun and challenging events throughout the year to support and raise funds for Sunflowers.   On Friday, we delivered a very big cheque for £11,208.78 to Sunflowers Suicide Support, the GlosJobs.co.uk and glos.info Charity of the Year for 2024. We have had amazing support for the swim and quiz that we ran recently and it is a privilege to help such a fabulous Gloucestershire charity. We are now running a raffle with some really great prizes and you can buy tickets online at www.glos.info/raffle. Prizes include £100 cash from GlosJobs.co.uk, two weekend tickets for Wychwood Festival 2025, two vouchers for day spa at Hatherley Manor Hotel, Cheltenham Racecourse tickets, Soul Circus wellbeing festival tickets and many, many more!    The first event was #SwimForSunflowers - A Group Swim in the Pool the Distance of The Channel and Back for Sunflowers Suicide Support Charity. A group of regular swimmers at the Cheltenham Ladies' College pool have a 2-hour slot on Sunday 17th March 2024, to see if we can collectively swim the distance of The English Channel to France and back in the pool. It is a total distance of 67.6km = 2,704 lengths! We think we can do it!! Everything you donate will be doubled through the generous support of Pete and Lucy Eggleston through a match funding agreement with their Eggleston Charitable Foundation. So please give generously...   Other events will include: #QuizForSunflowers - Wednesday 17th April 2024 at Cheltenham Bowling Club, Suffolk Square #RaffleForSunflowers - Let us know on office@glos.info if you would like to donate a prize in exchange for lots of publicity on www.glos.info. #TrekForSunflowers - GlosJobs and glos.info director, Belinda Wilson (above), will be spending several days trekking and camping in the jungle in Cambodia, finishing in the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, to raise funds for Sunflowers. If you have any other thoughts, ideas or suggestions as to how we can spread the word and help the charity, please do contact Belinda on office@glos.info.   Sunflowers Suicide Support is founded by people who know the pain and trauma of losing a loved one to suicide. They aim to offer support to others who are bereaved or affected by suicide. More details about the charity here.  

• GlosJobs.co.uk
• Updated: 02-10-2024

In the current climate, employers are trying new means to encourage the right sort of recruits into their business. One of the most popular media is video, as it really shows what it is like to work with a company. You can trust us to produce a quality video for you. As www.glos.info, we have worked with a professional video producer for 11 years and as a company we regularly film promotional videos for Cheltenham Town Football Club, Start and Grow Enterprise at the University of Gloucestershire, Vision 21 and Over Farm Market, to name a few. So, if you want to find a new way to encourage new staff, why not book us to make a Video View for you.   Here are some of the Video View recruitment videos we have produced for clients: Horsfall House - Minchinhampton - A vibrant & rewarding place to work   Betsy Benn - Cheltenham - An interesting, varied and creative place to work   Broomfield Care - Gloucester - Caring for you in the place you love       How does it work? We will come and film your workplace and team, as well as interview a key member of your staff. You might like us to talk to the recruitment team about the process, or to some of the staff about what it is like to work there. We will then put together a 1-2 minute video for you to use as you like but we suggest: On your adverts on www.GlosJobs.co.uk On your website On your social media channels Anywhere else you promote your vacancies The video will be entirely yours to do as you please and to encourage better quality applicants into your roles.   All for just £400+vat   Or you might like a video without talking and using subtitles and music, as Cheltenham Town Football Club have to promote their corporate hospitality...       So, drop us an email now on office@glosjobs.co.uk or give us a ring on 01242 236608 and you can get started on your new promotional video.        

• GlosJobs.co.uk
• Updated: 02-10-2024

Imagine the scene.... 5.30pm today you receive an alert from www.GlosJobs.co.uk with a list of your dream jobs that have just been uploaded and you get straight on the case and apply before anyone else! That will only happen if you sign up for the Daily Jobs Alert here.   NEW JOBS TO YOUR INBOX AT 5.30pm DAILY - Be first to apply for new jobs from your chosen categories. CLICK THE APPLY NOW BUTTON TO GO TO THE SIGN UP PAGE OR CLICK BELOW Enter your name and email address, then click send. Choose the categories of the jobs that you want to receive by clicking to turn the category from red to green. Make sure that you check your inbox for the verification email and confirm.

• Websites by www.glos.info
• Updated: 02-10-2024

Cheltenham - Click to see some of the websites we have built recently...   What better way to advertise your business than with a good value, professional looking secure website? Here at glos.info, we have a selection of quick and easy templates that you can choose from and we will build your website. Feel free to call or email us and we'll talk you through the process.   You need a website and we can design it for you Quick and easy - You don't need to know all about it, because we do! Cost effective - Starting at £150+vat with free hosting for 6 months. Hosting just £10+vat per month after. You know where we are - Visit us, by appointment, at our at Westal Green in Cheltenham. Or call us to chat to one of our local friendly design team members. You tell us what you want - And we'll make it happen. You specify what you want while you are with us and we produce your website for you. To make things easier for you, we ask you to register your own domain name, which means you have full control of it now and in the future. We'll help you with this if needed. We ask you to pay a £60+vat deposit payment before the website is built and the remainder when the website is completed and ready to go live. Domain name not included. Please click on the link below for more details and see some of the options available.   Please click on the Apply Now link below for more details and see some of the options available. Some of the websites we have built recently...

• GlosJobs.co.uk
• Updated: 02-10-2024

Criminals often use the name of genuine recruitment companies to add credibility to their scams The BBC are reporting a significant increase in scams related to job seeking. Here at GlosJobs.co.uk, we will never ask you for bank details or payment of any kind, but we want to warn you of such illegal scams. Recruitment scams involve criminals luring victims with the promise of extra work or income before conning them out of bank details or taking control of their phones to steal money. When Bella Betterton fell victim to a recruitment scam and had £3,000 stolen, she felt "attacked" and "distraught". The 18-year-old had been contacted by scammers first via WhatsApp messages and then phone calls and thought she had taken part in a real job interview. But the fraudsters tricked her card details out of her to steal the money. New figures show the amount of money reported stolen via recruitment scam text and WhatsApp messages jumped from £20,000 to nearly £1m in the past year (2023). City of London Police say the number of people reporting these scams to Action Fraud increased more than eightfold. But this may just be "the tip of the iceberg", according to City of London Police Temporary Commander Oliver Shaw, as this type of fraud is "hugely underreported".  

• GlosJobs.co.uk
• Updated: 24-09-2024

Job Title - Make the job title one that people will actually search for and is SEO friendly. Do not make it too unique to your company. Also let it reflect the level of experience you are looking for.    Location - Always include the location and whether the candidate will be required to work in other offices.    Salary - If you know the salary include it or use a range. In the long run it will save you time on inappropriate candidates. This may not increase the number of applicants but you'll save time by excluding applicants that want more than you can pay.    Introduction - Your job ad has one aim and that is to sell! Your very first paragraph needs to reveal key information about who you are and who you are looking for.    About the Company - Include a link to your website so candidates can do their own research. Include information about your business and what you do. Include any awards your company has won and how you reward your staff such as through training and other perks.    The Role - This should list the most important tasks and key responsibilities that the successful candidate will have to complete. Include a job description if it is not too long as you can always provide one to candidates later in the application process.     The Person - Include a section of essential and desired skills which list some skills that your candidate will need to fulfil the role, depending on the seniority and technicalities of the position. The Age Discrimination Act, 2006 states that it is illegal to discriminate against anyone based on their age so don't be tempted to include a certain amount of years experience required from a candidate as this can be seen as age discrimination.   How you would like the applicant to apply - Send a CV? Include a cover letter? Fill in an application form? Visit your website and apply online? Also include any dates such as closing dates and interview dates.   Proofread your work - Check your adverts for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. If you received an application from a candidate with these errors you would not be too impressed!   Measure the response - If you are not getting the response you want or the candidates you are looking for contact the team at www.GlosJobs.co.uk and we will do our best to help.         

• GlosJobs.co.uk
• Updated: 24-09-2024

Here are a few tips on job seeking from www.GlosJobs.co.uk that we have learnt over the years we have been running the website. We hope you find them useful.   You and your skills What are your skills, values, strengths, qualifications and experiences? Match them to the roles that you are going to apply for. What do you really want to do? Think laterally and be proactive. What have you been doing that shows you have transferrable skills? You might not have been in paid work, but maybe you have been helping run the playgroup or volunteering.   Be organised How many hours a week are you going to spend looking for work? Set a routine and stick to it. Where do you keep the information about your applications? Set up a spreadsheet with details including companies, job roles, dates of application, contacts, closing dates, interview dates etc. What information is in your CV? Make sure you are using key phrases in your CV and personal statement. Often recruiters are using digital sifts in the first instance. Highlight how your achievements will be of benefit to the recruiter. How about keeping copies of adverts? Use the "Email yourself a copy of this job" link that appears on every advert to keep a copy of the advert in your inbox. Here at GlosJobs.co.uk, we often get asked to send copies of adverts to people who have been asked for an interview but not kept a copy of the advert. Filling in application forms? Keep a working document that has all the details you will need when filling in application forms and drafts of comment question, so you can copy and paste instead of writing the information each time. Do you keep copies of applications? Take a screenshot each page of an application form as you fill it in, so you have a record of what you have written. When you use the Apply Now function on GlosJobs.co.uk, you are emailed a copy of your application, so you can keep that for future reference. Do you follow up? Make a call to the recruiter to check they have your application. They will check and you will stand out. If an advert has a closing date, then ring before the closing date. Please contact the recruiter who will be able to check your application for you, rather than contacting GlosJobs.co.uk. Do you warn your referees? Drop them a line to let them know to expect a reference request. They can be better prepared if they know which company they are expecting to hear from.   The details are important Can you do the job for which you are applying? Yes!? Tell the recruiter you can then and highlight your competencies. How important is the covering email or relevant part of the form? It is a crucial part of your application! Applicants tend to spend hours preparing CVs, but just put one line in the covering email. The covering email is an essential opportunity to tell the recruiter how your qualifications and skills match to those that they are looking for. Be clear and concise and tell them that you can do the job. The recruiter wants nothing more than to find the right person and if you tell them you are, it will really help! Do you proofread and spell check your application? Ask someone else to check it over, or use the Grammarly plugin, which automatically checks spelling and grammar. What is your email address? Check the details you are inputting in the application forms. The team at GlosJobs.co.uk often get notified of applications with incorrect email addresses typed in. You might be using .com instead of .co.uk or vice versa. In what format do you send your CV? Save your CV as a pdf. Then the recruiter will see it exactly the same as you can. If you use .doc or .rtf files, then the formatting might go awry on their systems. How do you name your CV files? Use a sensible file name, like Fred Bloggs CV rather than CV or CV Final, which do not identify it as your CV.   Focus Are you using the scattergun approach? Focus on sending a small number of relevant applications that are good quality rather than sending more lower quality applications. Do you target each application? Either have more than one copy of your CV to target different roles for which you are applying, or personalise your CV for each application.  What sort of research do you do? Make sure the company is somewhere you would like to work. Often the advert says as much about the company culture and organisation as it does the role. Always research before you go for an interview and arrive armed with some questions.   Who can help? Who is in your network? Let your friends, family and contacts know you are looking for work or a new job and what sort of role. Are there any events coming up? Sign up for the GlosJobs.co.uk Monday newsletter as lots of Gloucestershire job fairs and careers events are featured. Is there any free help available? Yes! the National Careers Service help with job hunting, CVs, cover letters and more.  What about training? It is well worth contacting training providers such as Gloucestershire College, who have a host of training and courses available to enhance your skills as well as helping you to look for work. And recruitment agencies? Look on GlosJobs for agencies that have the sort of roles you are interested in, but maybe not the exact role you are after, register with them to make sure you get put forward for roles as soon as they come in.   How to get the most out of GlosJobs.co.uk From www.GlosJobs.co.uk, you can receive the latest jobs to your email inbox at 5.30pm every day. Sign up for the Daily Job Alert. Receive latest jobs and news to your inbox? Sign up to receive our Monday newsletter here. Do you bookmark pages? Save the pages that you are most interested in. Visit the New and Featured Jobs page daily and bookmark it, so you can see all the new adverts uploaded yesterday. Or save the category page for the jobs you want to apply for onto your phone home screen. Do you want to apply by company rather than role? Visit the Jobs By Company page and sort by letter. Want to work in a particular town? Narrow by Location on any list page in the top right-hand corner. You can choose from Cheltenham, Cirencester, Forest of Dean, Gloucester, North Cotswolds, Stroud and Tewkesbury. Thinking about voluntary work? Visit the voluntary section on GlosJobs.co.uk to get experience while you are looking for a paid role. If you want to know any more about www.GlosJobs.co.uk and what we do, please contact us on office@glosjobs.co.uk.