Jobs coalition

Connecting people with jobs is one of the four immediate priorities set out within our Public Service Strategy.

The Jobs Coalition is one of the many ways we plan to deliver on this commitment for our residents. Bringing together major employers who work within the borough, to commit to supporting all local people in need of employment, by pledging towards the Coalition Commitments.

A number of London’s foremost businesses and organisations joined the Jobs Recovery Summit on Friday 19 March, 2021 to launch the Jobs Coalition and make pledges to ensure jobs and employment opportunities were secured for local people in the borough first.

Read more about the day and the commitments made

As the council we have outlined the following 4 pledges:

Council ‘Futures’: on the back of the DWPs Kickstart initiative as part of our Futures programme the council will offer unique 6 month work placements in Waltham Forest Council to 100 young people to experience insights into jobs of the future in the creative, digital, low carbon and health and social care sectors.

Apprenticeships: in 2019/20 the council created 135 apprenticeship roles, the most apprenticeship roles of all 33 London Boroughs. These apprentices played an amazing role throughout the pandemic flexing to do everything from patrolling parks to managing testing centres. Over the course of next year, the council will create 100 new apprentices enabling residents to upskill.

Building on the LBoC Legends programme: Council staff will volunteer a minimum of 1000 hours in 2021 to help people with their employability aiding them with their CVs and interview skills.

Living Wage: this year we have really ensured Living Wage credentials with everyone from the apprentice upwards receiving London Living Wage but crucially we are also demanding this via our supply chain including our health and social care providers.

The Summit  set out a number of commitments asking organisations to commit to these principles going over and above their ‘business as usual’ mantra to help the economy recover. These included:

Opportunities: Business to provide meaningful and good quality jobs for local people and work experiences for young people that raises their aspirations

Skills: helping people to gain the skills to enter the labour market, retrain or progress in work

Diversity: Broaden recruitment channels and processes, including the advertising of roles, which actively encourage the recruitment of a diverse, local workforce including young people and those from under-represented or disadvantaged groups. ​

Community: Provide volunteering opportunities for staff to develop the skills and CVs of people living in Waltham Forest.

Choose local: Work to develop local supply chains to further increase the number of jobs created in Waltham Forest, advertised to local people.

Networks: Listen to other businesses in Waltham Forest to build effective networks and foster businesses and embrace the community

Deliver: Take practical steps to collaborate to achieve the common goal of a strong, vibrant, diverse economy in Waltham Forest post pandemic.

Lawrence Hutchings from Capital and Regional said: “We have committed a minimum of 30% of all jobs on the construction of the mall development for locals and 60 apprenticeship posts with a further 25 work experience placements. We are very keen to work with Council and the community to ensure these opportunities are available to all members of this great, diverse neighbourhood and Borough.”

Marina Robertson, NPS Group said “NPS London is a professional services company that supports the construction industry and pledges to advertise jobs locally, offer mentoring and work placements / internships.  We are also implementing a social value calculator so that we clearly see the impact our projects have on the local economy.  Our group is also currently developing a pledge around ‘low carbon design by default’ to enable more green projects.”

Make a pledge

Think you can pledge opportunities to the coalition email:
jobsrecovery@walthamforest.gov.uk