Coffee house job shop to help unemployed (From Gazette & Herald)

Coffee house job shop to help unemployed in Kirkbymoorside

1:02pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in News

A RYEDALE business owner is branching out to help unemployed people in the area find work.

Andrew Cooper has run the Summit coffee house and book shop in Kirkbymoorside with his wife Tersia, for nine months, after relocating from America.

Mr Cooper worked in human resources for more than 30 years with Goodyear before looking for a retirement project in the UK.

“We are British and wanted to move back over here and looked for a business opportunity near the North York Moors,” he said.

“We took over the Summit book and coffee shop last year and although it has been hard work at times, it is also very rewarding and we have made a lot of friends here and become part of the community.”

Mr Cooper added that after talking to one of his customers he had decided to use his previous experience to help local people find work through a community-based job shop.

“The aim is to help unemployed people find temporary or permanent work in the Ryedale district,” he said. “The second is to provide local employers and the community with a means to find people who are available to carry out a range of jobs to meet their needs.”

Mr Cooper said the job shop would not be run as a non-profit making enterprise and he hoped to secure funding once it was up and running.

“Over the first month we are aiming to set up a database containing comprehensive information from people who are looking for work. Once this is in place we will market the range of jobs, skills and experience to prospective employers, matching their requirements with appropriate candidates.”

Mr Cooper said he could also help with the preparation of CVs and interview techniques.

“These are difficult times and hopefully we can do something to help people get work,” he added.

Mr Cooper said there would be no charge up front for registration.

“We need to get a database built up first and if it does take off then we will only then charge a nominal fee,” he added.

For more information, phone Andrew on 01751 430033 or visit summitbookshop.co.uk