Helping those who face barriers to employment is a key commitment writes Councillor Louise Brett, cabinet member for decent living incomes.  

For many people, a decently paid job is one of the foundations of a happy, healthy life. That’s why it’s so important to Ealing Council to make support available to people who are finding it hard to get into work.

Earlier this month, Councillor Peter Mason, leader of the council, and I had the pleasure of meeting with a small group from the 1,700 Ealing residents who, over the last year, have received help and support from the council to get themselves into work.

I was moved by the stories that were shared on the day. They truly proved that there isn’t a set pathway to employment.

For example, it was really great to hear from Selwyn, who worked with the council to secure funding to sit his HGV license test and now has a role as an HGV driver for Greener Ealing Ltd. And from Nawal, who, after using Ealing adult learning courses to improve her English and maths skills, now works as a teaching assistant in a local school.  

It was inspiring to see how our residents have progressed in their careers and how many have decided to give back to their communities and our borough through their work.  

Our lives don’t always follow a straight line, and things happen that may throw us off course – I know that’s been my experience.

That’s why it is important that we, as a council, provide support, opportunities, and sometimes funding to develop new skills, such as apprenticeships and adult learning courses. These all help improve residents’ confidence and their ability to find decent jobs. 

Support and help in training and finding employment can be found on the council’s website. And if you are interested in apprenticeship opportunities, check out the stories of 3 Ealing apprentices who are in the running for awards.