Serco Group plc (Serco), the international service company, today announces that it has been selected as a preferred bidder for the Work Programme by the UK Government's Department for Work and Pensions.

Serco have been named as a prime contractor in two areas: Coventry, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and The Marches (West Midlands); and South Yorkshire (Yorkshire and the Humber). Through a strong network of public, private and voluntary sector providers, Serco will support jobseekers into sustainable employment.

Under Flexible New Deal, the current employment programme, Serco has contracts in three areas (Wales, West Midlands and Greater Manchester) and, with our network of 72 public, private and voluntary sector providers, has already successfully supported the entry of over 20,000 people into sustainable employment.

Christopher Hyman, Chief Executive of Serco Group, said: "We are pleased to be helping deliver Britain's biggest employment programme. By integrating the technical expertise of small back-to-work providers, and matching them to the needs of individuals, we have already had a high success rate in helping thousands of people to find jobs. Our approach ensures that the voluntary and community sectors can participate fully in the Welfare to Work market. And we see further opportunities to apply our partnering approach to other areas, as we help our customers in the UK and across the world tackle their financial and operational challenges."