DVLA’s Employability Skills Programme helps demonstrate our commitment to giving something back. We are proud to dedicate our efforts on our corporate social responsibility and proactively support initiatives that benefit those within our local communities and schools.
As one of Swansea’s largest employers, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) supports the Civil Service commitment to remove barriers and discrimination, and to create an inclusive culture where all have the opportunity to succeed.
To help deliver this programme, passionate staff are encouraged to represent the Agency as an Employability Skills Ambassador. Within this role they help empower individuals with the confidence and skills to become employment ready by delivering sessions covering all aspects of the selection and recruitment process, aiming to prepare those in our community to gain the confidence and skills needed to become the workforce of tomorrow.
What are employability skills?
Employability skills are the traits and talents that make you an attractive candidate for a job.
You can improve your employability skills through training and practical applications to give yourself an edge in the job market. As a large local employer, we wanted to see how we might help people in the local community with this. And so, our Employability Skills Programme (ESP) was born.
We began by surveying local groups, such as CRISIS and Remploy, to gain information about what we might do to help those who most need support. This helped us understand how our staff could give expert help and advice on preparing people for work, developing their practical skills, and giving them confidence to become the workforce of tomorrow.
DVLA in the community
A dedicated pool of Employability Skills Ambassadors from our staff are active in the community, helping people with a range of activities. These include giving training sessions, conducting on-site tours, holding mock interviews and telephone tests. They also represent DVLA at local employability or community events, like the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) first Positive Action Event. Our ambassadors provide information and share opportunities for our minority ethnic customers across Swansea Bay.
Not only does this benefit the community, it is also a fantastic development opportunity for our ambassadors. They are committed and enthusiastic people who have a passion for helping others. It’s a chance for them to develop their skills in communication, presenting and so much more.
The success of this programme has made us stand out as an employer of choice in the local area. By working to improve skills in our local community we have not only given our staff a chance to develop but also shown that DVLA is a great place to work.