This Christmas, gift yourself a seasonal job — earn, learn, and build your future
As the festive season approaches, Jobcentres across Northamptonshire are encouraging people to consider seasonal employment as a valuable opportunity to gain experience, build confidence, and take steps toward long-term career success.
Julie Pritchard, from the Employer Adviser team in Northamptonshire, said: “A temporary job can be a powerful stepping stone — offering more than just income. It builds confidence, develops new skills, and provides valuable experience. It’s a great way to stay active, make connections, and often leads to longer-term opportunities. For many, it’s the first step into the world of work and can open the door to a brighter future.
This Christmas, take the first step toward a brighter future — explore seasonal job opportunities at your local Jobcentre today.”
For young people and those facing barriers to employment, tailored support is available through Youth Employability Coaches, who offer one-to-one guidance. Financial assistance is also available via the Flexible Support Fund, which can help cover essential costs such as travel, equipment, or clothing needed for work or training.
Additional opportunities include apprenticeships, work experience placements, and job fairs, all designed to help individuals build skills, boost confidence, and connect directly with employers.
Local Success Stories in Daventry
Celebrating the First SLAY Showcase: Skills, Learning, Advice for Young People
A landmark youth engagement event was held at Northampton College, Daventry Campus, bringing together young people, employers, and community organisations for the first-ever SLAY (Skills, Learning, Advice for Young People) Showcase.
The event welcomed 157 young people and provided a vibrant platform for career exploration, inspiration, and connection. Attendees engaged with a wide range of employers and organisations dedicated to youth development.
Joe Roper from Noise Academy shared: “Such an amazing event! We met incredibly talented young people who love music but didn’t know how to turn it into a career. We’ll be working with them to help make that possible. We also connected with charities and schools for future collaboration. Well worth coming along – we really enjoyed it.”
Viridian Nutrition, a family-run vitamin company based in Daventry, also praised the initiative: “We’re passionate about supporting local projects and inspiring young people to explore careers in nutrition, finance, or marketing,” said HR Director Clare.
“A big thank you to the Department for Work and Pensions for organising this fabulous event. It was a privilege to attend the first Daventry SLAY Showcase, and we look forward to supporting future events.”
The success of the SLAY Showcase highlights the power of collaboration between education providers, employers, and community organisations in creating impactful opportunities for young people. Planning is already underway for future events to build on this momentum.
To get involved in future events, please contact: [email protected]
Amazon’s Careers 4 All Initiative Supporting Daventry Jobcentre Customers on Their Health Journey into Work
In June, Fiona Gibbs, Disability Employment Adviser at Daventry Jobcentre, was approached by Serena Balsara from the Employment and Disability Service (EADS) regarding an exciting initiative led by Amazon, in partnership with the British Association for Supported Employment (BASE).
The Careers 4 All Initiative offers paid, fixed-term employment opportunities for disabled and neurodivergent individuals across 10 Amazon sites in the UK. Each role is a six-month contract, with the aim that at least 70% of participants transition into permanent employment. At the Daventry Amazon Warehouse, five roles in Picking & Packing were made available, offering between 16 and 37 hours per week with flexible shift patterns tailored to individual needs.
Serena worked closely with Fiona and the Daventry Jobcentre team, including support from Jak Jones in the EA role from Northampton, to identify suitable candidates on the health journey. Sixteen customers were invited to an initial interview, and five were selected to attend a site visit and supported through a ringfenced application process.
On 29 September, the five successful candidates began their training. Once completed, they will agree on personalised work patterns and weekly hours to suit their circumstances.
Candidate Feedback:
“Hi Fiona, thanks again to you all for the help, I couldn’t have asked for more. Training was hard work, but it went well. I’m looking forward to the part-time shifts.”
This initiative marks a significant success for Daventry Jobcentre, and we look forward to building on this partnership with Amazon and EADS to create even more inclusive employment opportunities.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden said: "The numbers of people in work and looking for work are at a record high.
"However, there are still too many people locked out of employment or training and missing out on the security a good job provides.
“That’s why we are reforming Jobcentres and investing in our Connect to Work programme to build a workforce fit for the future and boost economic growth in every corner of the UK as part of the Plan for Change.”