Brum shows way on jobs.

Byline: By Nick McCarthy

A TRAILBLAZING one-stop city job centre should be used as a blueprint for the rest of the UK according to the shadow Work and Pensions Secretary.

Chris Grayling, MP, was at the Pertemps Advancement Centre in Newtown Shopping Centre yesterday.

The enormous centre welcomes more than 200 people through its doors every day in one of Birmingham's most deprived communities.

As well as jobs help, it boasts an Internet cafe, employment coaches, a Credit Union branch, dance studio, creche and computer courses.

Earlier this year staff helped fill 211 vacancies at a new Tesco, in Aston, and all of the applicants live nearby.

Mr Grayling said: "Right now, helping people into work, and keeping people there, has to be at the top of the priorities for Government in this country."

"I am so impressed with the scale of the work that is going on here.

"The range of services here offers a real chance to tackle the problems and issues that contribute to longterm unemployment.

"This is a real eye-opener to what can be done under one roof.

"The only centres I have visited on this scale are in America and I think this model should be introduced across the UK.

Pertemps People Development Group's chief executive, Colin Birchall, said: "We welcome the opportunity to show politicians of every party the kind of community based work that we are doing here."

CAPTION(S):

Chris Grayling talks to Colin Birchall (chief executive of PPDG) and Dr Prins Ralston (CEO of ESH) at the centre in Newtown.