WORK on Nottingham's new tramline is about to create its 1,000th job.
The £570 million scheme was launched 19 months ago and 974 people have already been recruited to build the lines to Clifton and Chilwell.
Taylor Woodrow Alstom, the firm which is building the tram route, is advertising more jobs and the magic figure of 1,000 is expected to be reached any day.
City councillor Jane Urquhart said: "In tough national economic times, where there are few job opportunities, especially for those who are unemployed, it is great that so many jobs are being created through the city's project to extend our tram service."
Half of the jobs have been filled by people from Greater Nottingham and the surrounding area – with 35 per cent of those living in the city.
Jobs include designers, construction workers, IT specialists and receptionists.
One new recruit, Shelley Williamson, 39, of Broxtowe, is a receptionist: "It's one of the best places I have worked – the people are friendly, there's good banter and it's great that people from round here are getting jobs on the scheme.
"People are a bit divided on the benefits of the tram, but it's given me a full-time job, and lots of others too, so it all balances out."
Taylor Woodrow Alstom is laying 17.5km of track to complete lines two and three of Nottingham's tram system.
Project director Michael Anderson said: "Phase Two is the region's largest infrastructure project and it has been setting the pace in terms of job creation. We are delighted we have been able to utilise the skills of so many local people. We are committed to employing more people from the community as the project intensifies."
The number of young people in Nottingham who have been unemployed for more than a year almost tripled between 2011 and 2012.
There were 925 people in the city aged 18 to 24 who were not working last September, compared with 355 the year before.
And with 21,100 people unemployed in the city last year, suggestions that the tram project will generate up to 8,000 jobs will be welcomed.
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