Around 700 people attended a series of events designed to help the unemployed back into the workplace.
The events were held in Caerphilly, Bargoed and Risca libraries over the summer and were part of the Bridges into Work project – an EU funded scheme which offers free job advice and access to different courses.
Cllr Rhianon Passmore, Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, said: “I am pleased to hear of the success of the recent Bridges into Work events at a number of our libraries this summer with hundreds of people benefiting from the advice of our experienced officers and partners.
“We are committed to improving employment and training opportunities for our residents and in turn creating better lives for the entire community by tackling poverty and the issues that surround it.”
Bridges into Work is a project for economically inactive and unemployed people in South East Wales, with a £10 million grant from the European Social Fund.
Its aim is to provide new skills and qualifications for more than 5,000 people, and assist a further 400 people into sustainable employment by January 2015. For more information about Bridges into Work contact Catherine Brewer on 01443 833445 or bridgesintowork@caerphilly.gov.uk.
People would be better placed to learn to adapt their skills and knowledge or learn new ones online, so they can get out of having to rely on employers for work and become one of the increasing army of self-employed – hard work, sometimes just making ends meet, but some do well!