National Express West Midlands (NEWM) has linked up with a Birmingham charity to launch the Suited for Success Employment Bus to help empower unemployed individuals to find work.
The operator has donated the bus to Suited for Success for use a pop-up site to provide free interview and employment skills coaching along with free provision of professional interview clothing for unemployed people in underserved neighbourhoods.
The bus, which is today (25 October) in use for the first time at the Bullring, has laptop stations, interview coaching booths, rails of suits and workwear and changing rooms. International rail infrastructure company Alstom, Balfour Beatty and HEXIS UK Ltd all helped NEWM with design and project planning.
Rachel James, Human Resources Director for National Express, says: “We’re delighted to see our donated National Express West Midlands bus repurposed and ready to be driven into the heart of our communities.“Suited for Success plays such an important role in supporting local people facing unemployment and we were more than happy to play a part in providing mobility to the valuable work that they do.“We are really proud to have been able to support this incredible initiative which will make such a difference to people’s lives. We look forward to seeing the amazing impact that Suited for Success will have across the West Midlands, providing access to employment for those most in need of their valuable services.”
Suited for Success Chief Executive Officer Patricia White adds: “At Suited for Success, our mission is to level the playing field for unemployed people to realise their potential and gain employment. The bus will take the help and support we offer right into the heart of areas across the West Midlands that have some of the highest levels of unemployment in the UK.“The mobile project will allow more people to access our free support, giving unemployed people of all ages and backgrounds the tools they need to begin or continue their journey of preparation into employment equipped with the resources and skills to succeed. Our new bus will see us working harder than ever to reach more unemployed people.”
