Work Trials enable businesses to employ candidates for up to 30 days at no cost to them, as Jobcentre Plus continues to pay candidates' benefits.
In the past six months of the scheme, 20,609 trials took place. Half of the candidates were then hired permanently - most after within five days.
Businesses using the scheme include Sainsbury's. Its Henley store took 16 people for a Work Trial, and gave permanent jobs to all of them - 15 of them after just two days.
Tony Davies, store manager at Sainsbury's, Henley, said: "Work Trials don't cost anything, are easy to arrange and there's no risk involved. Even better is that they gave me the chance to see if someone would be right for the job, rather than having just a quick half-hour interview to decide. They are an ideal way to find out about a person's enthusiasm and time-keeping before taking them on your payroll."
Chris Daniels, national sales manager, Jobcentre Plus said: "In the current climate, recruiting the right person for the right job has never been more important. We have seen the popularity of Work Trials grow as they provide a ‘win-win' situation for employers and jobseekers alike. Every employer and potential employee who undertakes a Work Trial gets a chance to make sure the job is the right fit
10,000 jobs created after 'try before you hire' scheme
Jobcentre Plus has hailed its 'try before you hire' Work Trial scheme as a major success, after half of employers testing the initiative decided to hire their chosen candidates.
