That's got to be worth working for

Kent County Council has long recognised the importance of sustainable jobs as a means of bringing independence and opportunity to those who for whatever reason, have been excluded from traditional pathways to employment.

So it was with interest that I heard about Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs), an initiative from the Department for Work and Pensions. The Government is looking to use LEPs to bring real jobs to around a quarter of a million people by 2010.

As the report in KM's Kent Business above explains, I was delighted to sign a Local Employment Partnership agreement on behalf of Kent County Council. According to the Department of Work and Pensions, we're the first local authority in the county to have signed up to this, and I hope it will send a signal to all that we're serious about bringing real life chances to everybody.

And the benefit to the County Council? Through work placements, on the job skills training and workplace mentoring, KCC gains access to a whole new pool of talent.

That's got to be worth working for.