Employment Service chief executive Leigh Lewis has unveiled radical plans to transform Britain's Jobcentres, announcing that the centres will embrace online technology as part of a new Operational Plan to help 1,325,000 jobless people into work.
The plans will mean that all of the Employment Service's nationwide job vacancies will be available through the Internet, and interactive touch screen kiosks will begin to be rolled out in 1,000 Jobcentres across the country to allow jobseekers to search for vacancies themselves.
A major new service for employers will also be launched nationwide, which will enable employers to advertise their vacancies by calling a single national telephone number.
The Employment Service's website is currently displaying a small number of jobs as a pilot for the new service.
Leigh Lewis said that "by developing its use of the Internet and telephone call centres, the Employment Service will expand its current facilities, enabling jobseekers and employers to access services 24 hours a day, seven
days a week."
A new agency is also to bring together the work of the Employment Service with the services provided by the Benefits Agency for people of working age.
