PACE support helps packaging company staff plan next steps following redundancy

Gemma continued: “Our aim was to support as many of our employees as possible in seeking new opportunities and securing employment. We held an employability day on site in partnership with the PACE team who came in the morning to give staff a presentation on the services and support available to them. In the afternoon a number of local employers who were recruiting locally came in to speak to staff and share details of their company and the vacancies that they had. We are delighted that many have been able to secure new positions or are in the process of interviewing”.

“The PACE team have continued to support the team by arranging to come back and deliver an interview skills workshop for staff, as well as hold 1-2-1 career guidance conversations with those requesting one.”

Laura Smith, HR Manager at the Cumbernauld site (pictured above) added: “There was something for everyone in the PACE presentation. We had an employee who had decided to become self-employed and set up his own car valeting business. He already had a plan for the future however he was able to get invaluable support from Business Gateway who were one the PACE Partners. They are providing him with support to get set up with running his own business”

"The local college were also there, and many of our staff wanted to speak to them. They hadn’t necessarily considered college as an option before, but many saw it as an opportunity to retrain or learn new skills”

Laura added: “Another employee caring for elderly parents was able to get some advice from North Lanarkshire Council on what help they may be entitled to. There was also lots of advice for people looking to get back into work straight away. Not all our employees live in the same local authority and they were also provided with information on where they could go for support and advise.

“Having PACE come in and talk about all the support that’s available, to help people get on the right path for them following redundancy has helped allay the fears and worries that staff had when told they were being made redundant.

“One of our staff said ‘I was really worried about getting another job after this. Now that I’ve heard from PACE it’s actually made me think – I can go and get another job in something I actually want to do’, so it’s giving people the opportunity for a career change.”

Glenn Manchip, Careers Adviser with Skills Development Scotland and part of the local PACE team said: “It’s never easy for people to hear that they’re being made redundant.

“The PACE presentations were well received by staff and the HR contacts who said how helpful the staff found the information and valued the opportunity to meet any of the partners they wished to immediately after the presentation.

“We’ll be continuing to work with the staff at Pusterla and help those who have requested a one to one to evaluate their own situations and help them come up with a plan to help them move forward.”

PACE support will continue on site until the end of the year.

Gemma said: “I’d definitely recommend PACE to other businesses having to make redundancies. What’s been great about PACE and the follow-up services is how flexible and understanding the team have been to fit around both the employee and company needs”