SEVERAL dozen job losses are expected in Gwent’s careers service as it is restructured due to significant funding cuts, the Argus has learned.

All six of the Careers Wales advisory services throughout Wales are amalgamating into one overarching company, Careers Choices Dewis Gyrfa.

The move will see Gwent merge with the Cardiff arm of the service to form the South East Wales region, in which staff could be reduced by around 17 careers advisors, ten careers assistants and 20 admin staff, Unison regional organiser for Careers Wales Jeff Baker said.

It is not known exactly how many people will lose their jobs in Gwent, because at present the company is looking for people to take voluntary redundancy, but the figure is expected to be in the dozens by the NewYear, according to the area’s Unison representative.

Jeff Knock, who works as a careers advisor in Newport, said: “I can’t give exact figures, butweare talking about several dozen job losses in Gwent.”

Around 100 people took voluntary redundancy across the six companies in the summer, as the service deals with a WelshGovernment budget cut from nearly £42million in 2010 to £36million in 2012.

It is being reduced further to £30million fromApril 2013.

“In terms of the Gwent workforce, we had around 180 at the start of the year, but by the end of this process we could lose 20 per cent of our workforce, we are talking that sort of significance,” Mr Knock said.

The planned cuts have sparked fears young people will lose out on careers help because there will not be the resources to carry out face-toface interviews in schools.

Mr Baker said such a service will only be given to “priority children”, with schools left with “30 per cent of the service they have had”.

“Lots of our members are beginning to realise they will be joining the unemployed and become the future clients of the staff who remain,” he added.

Careers Wales Gwent has 11 career centres across the area, providing free information and guidance on careers, job opportunities, education and training to young people and adults.

‘Refreshed’ service must ‘be value for public cash’

A WELSH Government spokesman said it was announced in 2010 that Careers Wales was set to become a single body.

“We wish to see a refreshed careers service with a greater emphasis on increasing the proportion of young people engaged in education, employment and training, while demonstrating value for public money,” he said.

“The Careers Wales budget has been subject to pressure, as have many of the Welsh budget lines, as demonstrated by the recent draft budget announcements by the finance minister.

Careers Wales has been aware of the indicative budget for some time, and is restructuring its resources to meet the available budget. This is a matter for Careers Choices Dewis Gyrfa (CCDG), who are contracted by the Welsh Government to provide Careers Wales services.”