"Welfare Reform & Jobcentre Plus"
REC working with jobcentre plus
For many years recruitment professionals have shared vacancies and candidates with with jobcentre since both organisations have a vested interest in getting people into employment. For recruitment agencies, jobcentre plus is a useful way to source potential candidates as it is often a first port of call for jobseekers. It is estimated that 40% of jobs advertised through jobcentre plus originate from recruitment agencies. In November 2008 REC formalised our relationship with jobcentre plus through signing a Memorandum of Understanding encourage the two organisations to work together.
Involving the recruitment industry in the welfare reform agenda
Recruitment consultants are experts at selling individuals into jobs. When a candidate has been out of the labour market for some time the extra push from a consultant could be that crucial factor to convince an employer round. Recruitment agencies could therefore become a significant part of the private sector delivery of welfare to work services.
A Commissioning Strategy for outsourcing welfare to work services to the private sector and voluntary group was announced in February 2008. The DWP envisages a small number of tier 1 providers delivering these services, with many smaller voluntary and private bodies delivering specialised services.
That our organisations will work together to:
- Help people into work by giving them the right support and the best opportunities for training and jobs;
- Promote the benefits of a diverse workforce by offering employers clear guidance and access to the widest possible range of people seeking work;
- Act as champions against discrimination and challenge unfair employment policies;
- Share expertise to create the best ways of helping people back into work;
- Give employers the support they need to help people with different circumstances move back into work;
- Deliver a professional service that will show the positive results that recruitment agencies and Jobcentre Plus achieve every day; and
- Promote the work that we are doing together that can make a difference to employers and people looking for work, such as the Diversity Pledge, Local Employment Partnerships and Integrated Employment and Skills.
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