The chief executive of Jobcentre Plus says that a major challenge facing her business is to help its jobseeking customers to offer the skills and capabilities UK employers want in today’s workplace.

In an exclusive interview with Recruiter, Lesley Strathie says also that the Government employment office also must “make sure that our customers are realistic about the opportunities that exist within their travel-to-work area, and that they’re realistic about acquiring the skills they need to do these jobs. And that we continue to work with employers in terms of what they need, and work with the customer and get the match”.

Strathie acknowledges that in today’s UK marketplace, “vacancies are plentiful”. Nevertheless, she says, “the challenge for us at the moment is still to move our customers to the front of the queue”.

For more on Jobcentre Plus, see the 9 August issue of Recruiter.