The Employment and Skills team

What benefits does the Combined Authority have that you enjoy?

The Combined Authority offers all it's staff access to a range of support and services that support my overall health and wellbeing both in and out of the workplace. The MCard is great too!

How does the Combined Authority maintain a healthy work-life balance for its employees?

The Combined Authority's flexible working policy means that I can take into account personal commitments when planning my work day and week, which I find makes me more productive as it means I can focus on tasks at a time that suits my ways of working.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career at the Combined Authority?

Read the role profile carefully, but don't be deterred if you don't feel like you meet all of the criteria - the Combined Authority is great at recognising transferable skills, seeing the potential in staff and supporting them to develop!

Can you explain your current role and responsibilities?

I am a Policy Officer in the Employment & Skills Team. I work with an array of partners to develop ideas and strategies about how we best help our residents get the skills they need for jobs in their chosen career paths. This involves working with data to understand where support might be needed and how best practice can shape future interventions. We also work collaboratively and innovatively to think about new ways of supporting people in West Yorkshire, and we work across different projects in the organisation to ensure that Employment & Skills is always part of our vision and plans as an organisation.

What do you enjoy most about working here and what makes the Combined Authority unique?

It always comes down to the people – every day that I come into work I am surrounded by intelligent people who are committed to improving the lives of people in West Yorkshire, and who really care about supporting the people around them. That is something I am really grateful for and makes me want to do everything I can to contribute.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career at the Combined Authority?

It’s a place where you really feel like you can make a difference – I know it sounds cliché, but it’s been clear from the first day I started working here. The remit of the Combined Authority is spread over many different areas, which is great for personal development and building up understanding of the different positive impacts we can have on the place we live and work. I would also say I’m consistently struck by how welcoming and inviting people are at the Combined Authority, which I know is important when entering a new organisation or starting a new career.

Joe started working at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority as a Business Administration Apprenticeship within the Employment and Skills Service. He has since secured a new role working within another directorate at the Combined Authority and has progressed into a more senior role within the organisation working as a Programme Assistant.