Job experts out and about to spread work message

Jobcentre staff are getting out and about and taking work support direct to jobseekers as part of a new blitz targeting unusual locations –from football clubs to prisons and homeless shelters.

Employment numbers have reached a record 30.8 million and the number of people on the main out-of-work benefits is the lowest it’s been for a quarter of a century and now Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches – the government’s ‘army of jobs experts’ – are heading out to meet the public in children’s centres, youth hubs, homeless shelters, and rural work clubs to offer targeted support to people who need it most.

This more direct approach to helping jobseekers back to work has also seen roaming Work Coaches partnering up with professional football clubs, including Arsenal, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur, to set up schemes that help young people build confidence and skills to prepare them to find work.

And they are setting up shop in prisons across the country to help prisoners who are soon to leave custody prepare for a new life away from crime and in work.

New figures released last week show that an average of 1,500 more people were in work every day over the last year and the number of people on the main out-of-work benefits is down by more than 850,000 to under 4 million – the lowest it has been since 1990.

Employment Minister Esther McVey said: “Our hardworking Jobcentre Plus staff have made a huge contribution to Britain’s jobs success this year. By doing things differently, and getting out to where jobseekers are, they’re helping thousands into work every day.

“We have broken record after record in 2014 – with huge falls in youth and long-term unemployment and the highest number of women in work on record.

“This new approach is working. What we can see at the end of the year is that our welfare reforms are ensuring that people have the skills and opportunities to move into work.

“But behind these record figures there are countless stories of individual hard work and determination – stories of people turning their lives around, of families who are now feeling more secure over the Christmas period with a regular wage, and of young people escaping unemployment and building a career.”

Specialist Work Coaches are based in prisons across the country where they can help parolees sign up to Jobseeker’s Allowance up to 6 weeks before they are released. Once they sign up, they are automatically placed on to the Work Programme to help them build up skills and experience.

The Work Programme is designed to get the hardest to help jobseekers back into work and has now helped 368,000 long-term unemployed claimants find sustainable work.

Jobcentre Plus staff have also helped budding entrepreneurs to set up more than 60,000 new businesses through the government’s New Enterprise Allowance scheme, which helps jobseekers, lone parents and people on sickness benefits, with a good idea, to start up their own business.

Since 2011, more than 360,000 people of all ages have taken up opportunities through employer-led sector-based work academies, or work experience placements through Jobcentre Plus, to give them a job taster and a guaranteed job interview.

In Bootle, Merseyside, Jobcentre Plus has staff working from the local Youth Hub to provide guidance and advice to young people in the area and to offer chances to gain skills and experience through Sector-based Work Academies – which are employer-led training courses that lead to a guaranteed job interview.

And in Scotland, Stranraer Jobcentre Plus staff have established weekly work clubs in rural areas to provide help on budgeting, mock interviews, CVs and cover letters, and job applications.

Have you been supported into work this year? Has Jobcentre Plus helped you start your own business? Get in touch!

Benefit Cap: 'a clear incentive to work'?

The benefit cap is providing a clear incentive to work, according to new research released by the Department for Work and Pensions today. However opponents say welfare reforms have damaged society and have not produced savings promised by the government.

The Westminster government says it has long suspected that the benefit cap was having a positive impact on people’s lives, compelling them to find work, and that the publications ‘now show this is undoubtedly the case’.

The benefit cap was introduced as part of the government’s long-term economic planso that people on out-of-work benefits do not receive more than the average working family earns.

The research shows that:

those who would be impacted by the cap are 41% more likely to go into work than a similar group who fall just below the cap’s level, but this trend didn’t exist before the cap was in place – indeed those with higher weekly benefit used to be less likely to move into work
before the benefit cap fewer than 300 of the highest claiming families got over £9 million in benefits every year – the cap is preventing this and saving millions of pounds a year
38% of those capped said they were doing more to find work, a third were submitting more applications and 1 in 5 went to more interviews
where households said they intended to seek work because of the cap in February 2014 (45%) by August the vast majority of them (85%) had done so – 2 in 5 (40%) of those who said they had looked for work because of the cap in February actually entered employment by August.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: “We know that the benefit cap has had a real impact in changing attitudes and behaviours, and now we have evidence showing that our welfare reforms are encouraging people into work.

“By putting an end to runaway benefit claims and introducing a system which guarantees you will always be better off in work, we are incentivising people find employment. Every month hundreds of people who have been affected by the cap are making the positive move into work – gaining the financial security and esteem that comes with a job and a pay packet.

“As part of our long-term economic plan, we’ll continue to support people to break free from welfare dependency so they can look forward to a better, more secure future for themselves and their families”.

The DWP cites London as a good example of the policy working.

‘In London where the highest number of people are subject to the benefit cap, scare stories claimed that people would be pushed out of the capital. In actuality, of those capped households living in inner London that moved, 84% continued to live in the central boroughs. In London there is also larger likelihood of capped households moving into work with those in scope for the cap being 70% more likely to go into work than their equivalents just below the cap’.

One interviewee in the research said: “It gave me the shock of my life. But it’s given me the kick I need. I can see what the gentleman was saying, why should we pay for your lifestyle. We should want to work. We shouldn’t sit on our backsides watching Jeremy Kyle. I genuinely do want to work.”

While the government may believe it is on the right track, it’s fair to say that not everyone is convinced that the controversial cap is working, however. Trades Unions, disability rights organisations, charities, anti-poverty campaign groups, churches and opposition political parties all continue to condemn the government’s ‘draconian’ welfare reforms. They point to record numbers of families using food banks as evidence that the welfare reforms are hurting poor families – both in work and on benefits.

There’s also doubt about how much – or how little – money is being saved by the welfare reforms. Today, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said savings from the cap were ‘small’. They say the cap affects about 27,000 families in the UK – less than 1% of working-age families who receive housing benefits – and saved around £100m a year.

More about the benefit cap

Introduced in April 2013 the benefit cap is set at a rate of no more than £500 a week for couples and families and £350 for single people – £500 a week is equivalent to a salary of £34,000 a year after tax.

Over 50,000 households have had their benefits capped since April 2013 and since then 23,900 are no longer impacted – 12,000 because they have found work or are no longer claiming Housing benefit at all.

Getting ready for work

‘We will not settle for a return to pre-recession levels of joblessness in young people’ – Roseanna Cunningham

Additional funding to help develop a world class vocational education system that supports joint working between employers, schools, and colleges is to be made available, the Scottish Government has announced. Local authorities will receive £6.5 million to help ensure young people are ready for work.

The announcement was made by Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham ahead of the publication of the Scottish Government’s new youth employment strategy, which will set out plans for implementing the recommendations of the report by the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

Local authorities will share £6.5 million in 2014/15 to develop vocational and employment pathways open to all young people, strengthen links between schools and employers, and help vulnerable groups towards the labour market.

Ms Cunningham said: “Since the publication of the Commission’s report earlier this year, working closely with our partners, we have made significant progress in planning for a system of vocational education that is better equipped to help more young women and men into work.

“From a total £12 million made available this year, we have already invested £5.5 million in taking forward elements of the report. Pilots for foundation and advanced apprenticeships are already underway, and interest among employers in the new Investors in Young People accolade is steadily building. I will shortly outline in full how the Scottish Government will work with its partners to implement the report’s recommendations.

“Scotland’s local authorities are a central part of this process and I am delighted to be able to provide £6.5 million to maintain momentum at a local level, enabling schools to work more closely with colleges and employers. This approach will build on Curriculum for Excellence, benefiting children from early years onwards, developing their understanding of and skills for work and opening up high quality vocational pathways in their senior phase. That way, they will be better prepared to progress into sustained high quality employment.

“With this investment, pupils, parents and teachers will be supported to better understand the careers and routes open to young people and see opportunities in areas like science and engineering enhanced. Local authorities will also have a responsibility to ensure different routes are open to everyone, including those from vulnerable groups.

“We will not settle for a return to pre-recession levels of joblessness in young people, and the full extent of our ambition will become clear in the coming days with the publication of our new youth employment strategy.”

Edinburgh has already enjoyed some success in getting our young people into training or employment. At a ‘Celebrating Success’ reception held at the Scottish Parliament last week it was announced that 1252 young people have successfully progressed their careers though the Edinburgh Guarantee, a partnership between the city council, local employers and the voluntary sector.

Launched three years ago, The Edinburgh Guarantee is a vision that all sectors in the city will work together to ensure that every young person in Edinburgh will leave school with the choice of a job, training or further education opportunity available to them.

It seeks to increase the number of jobs, education, and training opportunities being made available to young people. Over 300 organisations have offered support so far, over 1600 opportunities have been identified including jobs, apprenticeships and placements and over 1,252 of those opportunities have been matched to young people.

The Edinburgh Guarantee has contributed £29m to Scotland’s economy since it ‘s launch, according to a report published by the city council last week. More than £17m of this has added value to Edinburgh’s economy.

This has been achieved by supporting businesses to match 1,252 young people into jobs, apprenticeships, internships or training. A further saving of £3.9m to the Department of Work and Pensions has been made from not having to pay Job Seekers allowance to 18-20 year olds.

A total of 757 jobs have been directly created for young people and as a knock on effect of this a further 575 other jobs have been created.

The findings were announced at a ‘Celebrating Success’ event, held at the Scottish Parliament, which brought together employers, potential employers and young people to celebrate and hear the news.

In addition to this, since 2009/10 the percentage of school leavers going into positive destinations has increased from 82.5 per cent to 91per cent in 2012/13. The most recent figures are due to be published at the end of this month.

Councillor Frank Ross, Convener of the Economy Committee, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and the figures announced today surpass all of our expectations. We must keep up this excellent work, however, as ensuring that Edinburgh’s young people have opportunities is vital for the economic success of our city.

“The year on year improvements that have been achieved since the inception of the Edinburgh Guarantee show that focused collaboration can make a real difference to many young lives. I am confident that with sustained investment and the support of our public, private and third sector partners these improvements will continue in future.”

Sandy Begbie, Chief Operations Officer, Standard Life: “We passionately believe in giving young people a chance to demonstrate their capabilities and helping them to achieve their potential. Since we agreed to take part in the Edinburgh Guarantee initiative we have welcomed over 90 interns into our business, all of whom have performed valuable roles within the organisation, while receiving The Living Wage.

“Over two-thirds have been successful in securing full-time employment with us, while the other third have moved on to further education or roles with other employers.

“The young people bring so much enthusiasm, energy and a refreshing new perspective to our business. We are delighted with the outcome, so much so we are now starting to roll out similar programmes to some of our other offices in the UK.”

One success story is seventeen year old Emily Lynch from South Queensferry, who completed a Modern Apprenticeship in Business Administration two weeks ago.

She wasn’t keen to stay on at school but wanted to continue in some form of training, so after hearing about Modern Apprenticeships Emily looked up MyJobScotland on the advice of her parents.

Emily said: “When I went on to the site, there were Modern Apprenticeships on offer for Business Administration in the City of Edinburgh Council.

“I looked up MyJobScotland because my mum knew about it and I remembered my guidance teacher talking about it when we had covered introduction to the workplace in school.

“Although I had been for interviews for Saturday jobs in the past, this was my first experience of a proper formal interview but we had done mock interviews in school so I tried to remember everything we had gone through then.

“Bits of the interview were good, I talked about myself, my interests, my hobbies, what I could bring to this job, so that was all fine. But to be quite honest, some of the questions they asked me about the department went right over my head!

“Let’s just say the phone call I made to my mum right after the interview finished wasn’t an optimistic one!

“The last week before the end of summer term, I get a phone call on the Tuesday offering me the Modern Apprentice Post! Suddenly everything changed, I wasn’t going to be at school anymore!

“The school were absolutely over the moon for me, and my guidance teacher sorted everything out and submitted my leavers form for me right away, so on Friday 28 June, I walked out of the school building, ready to start my professional career.

“Contracts had to be negotiated with the City of Edinburgh Council along with all the usual background checks and I started the post on 5 August last year as a Business Administration Modern Apprentice.

“Over the course of the year, I have learned and developed, been challenged, been frightened and been supported.

“Modern Apprenticeships are not just about the learning and curriculum, they are about every aspect of workplace skills. I had come from a school environment completely surrounded by people my own age, and suddenly, here I am in a team adapting to people of all different ages!

“Over the last year I have had fantastic opportunities to work in different areas of the Council.

“ I have been part of a number of different finance teams and gained a real insight into important functions including working with housing teams, putting through the charges for the repairs and maintenance bills on Council Houses, Assisting the Housing Finance Manager with work on the city wide 21st Century Homes project, which itself supports a number of Modern Apprentices. I have also worked on the Finance Administration of the City Car Club learned about the grant support of charitable organisations.

“I have also been asked on a number of project working groups, bringing a pair of fresh eyes to the table, someone who is fairly new to the Council and has a different outlook on things.

“One working group was BOLD, which is a team looking at creative ways to manage the Council budget. Another, looking at bringing more Modern Apprentices into the workplace.

“I can still hear my mum’s voice now saying “as long as there’s learning, as long as there’s training”. The saying ‘earn as you learn’ also comes to mind when I think about my experiences from the past year.

“I hope I will have the opportunity to apply for a permanent post within the City of Edinburgh Council. It is the organisation that gave me my opportunity, trained and supported me and somewhere I would like to stay. No one knows what the future holds; if that doesn’t happen, I am ready for the workplace. “

Order, order: Students serve up gourmet feast at Holyrood MSPs

School students at a pioneering academy project took over the running of the Scottish Parliament’s Members’ Restaurant for a night, giving MSPs the chance to feed the country’s top politicians. Thirteen students from the Hospitality and Tourism Academy ran the kitchen and front of house at the restaurant, offering a three-course meal to paying MSPs and their guests.

The academy students, who are all S5 and S6 pupils at schools in Edinburgh and Midlothian, ran the restaurant themselves as if it was a regular night of service, under the supervision of lecturers. MSPs booked in for dinner and paid as they would normally, expecting the same quality of food and service.

The MSPs dined on pan-fried pigeon breast with parsnip puree and nasturtium salad; pork fillet in pinwheel oat crust with champ mashed potatoes and haricot verts; and white chocolate cheesecake with passion fruit jelly and passion fruit curd.

The students were invited to cook at the Parliament as part of a project to give college hospitality students experience of working in such prestigious surroundings. These students, however, were not as old or as experienced as most college students.

The students are all studying at the Hospitality and Tourism Academy, a partnership between Edinburgh College, Queen Margaret University, local authorities and schools in Edinburgh and the Lothians. The academy is part of the South East Scotland Academies Partnership, which began with the Hospitality and Tourism Academy in 2012 and expanded last year to introduce three new academies, the Creative Industries Academy, the Health and Social Care Academy and the Food Science and Nutrition Academy.

The academies give students the chance to study in these key growth industries while still at school, giving them theory and practical experience so they can make informed choices about their future. Students get insight into these industries over the two-year academy programmes, and improve their employability by developing specialist skills and knowledge that closely match the needs of employers. The academies now have 400 students from Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders, and the project has won praise from politicians, businesses and Education Scotland.

Sixteen-year-old Dalkeith High School student Dawn McDermott (above), who was working in the front-of-house team, said: “It was a really good night. The front-of-house staff and the kitchen worked well together so it was a brilliant team effort and everyone enjoyed it. The MSPs were lovely and were chatting to us all about what we were doing and what we want to do after school.

“It was such a good opportunity to experience something totally different from what we’re used to and we learned a lot. I want to become an air hostess so getting more customer service experience is really important, and hopefully this will look good on my C.V.”

Margaret Mitchell MSP, who said her pigeon starter was ‘cooked to absolute perfection’ and that the presentation was the equal of a professional kitchen, said: “The whole scheme seems like a fantastic opportunity for young people to get experience in industry, serving in a restaurant and cooking food. The academy has done a fantastic job in providing that experience because it can lead these students in so many different ways.

“They’re learning practical skills and can go on into the hospitality industry, which is big business in Scotland. This is a first-class initiative and I hope that the students, who are already performing so well, find huge benefits and that it will help determine their future careers.”

Also dining was Linda Fabiani MSP, who said: “A project like this is really important and it’s great experience for the young people. What’s really good about it is that students at college learn their skills but it’s important they also have practice in a real environment, so coming somewhere like the parliament restaurant and taking over the entire operation is great for them. MSPs enjoy a good meal and service like any other restaurant customers, so this was a treat for us.”

Ray McCowan, vice principal education leadership at Edinburgh College, said: “This was a tremendous opportunity for the students and they did such a superb job I’m sure many of the MSPs didn’t notice a difference from a regular night. Most catering students don’t get the chance to cook for and serve such esteemed customers, so it was a real privilege for them to be able to show off what they’ve learned at the academy.

“The academies give students real-world skills and knowledge, and it’s important they get to experience as many workplace environments as possible to build up their understanding of professional expectations. Serving MSPs in Parliament put them under pressure but they coped admirably and did a great job, which gives them incredible experience for whatever they go onto, preparing them to be excellent students or employees. They should all be really proud of themselves.”

Professor Alan Gilloran, deputy principal at Queen Margaret University, added: “It’s been a fantastic year for our Hospitality and Tourism Academy students. Showcasing their talents to MSPs and their guests at the Scottish Parliament has been a great way for them to end 2014 on a high.

“The students really rose to the challenge on the night and thrived under pressure. Unique practical experiences like this are hugely valuable to the Academy students’ development. They can be confident that their experiences will help them stand out from the crowd in this key growth industry by having the specialist skills and knowledge employers are looking for.”

Youth and Children's work vacancies in North Edinburgh

West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre has vacancies for children’s workers, starting in January. See poster (below) for details:

Youth Work vacancies at WPNC (1)

For further information and an application pack contact Linda Chandler, Clerical Assistant, West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, 19 West Pilton Grove, Edinburgh EH4 4BY, telephone 0131 551 3194 or email Linda.Chandler@ea.edin.sch.uk.

Closing date for applications is Friday 19 December.

Honest TOiL proves worthwhile for city youngsters

Young people graduate from PoLHA training programme

Thirty five young people from across Edinburgh have completed an 18 week training programme, with 23 going straight into employment following their training. The young people join almost 500 who have graduated from Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) training programme Training Opportunities in Lothian (TOiL).

Among those to graduate at an event at the City Chambers last night (25 Nov) was Magdalena Susfal who said: “I gained a lot of admin skills and got a feel for how it is to work in an office environment. The training was very useful and I enjoyed it. The Excel training was very good and the interview preparation before my Modern Apprenticeship interview helped me get the job.”

The young people were presented with their certificates by co-founder of Social Bite, Alice Thompson, at the ceremony attended by employers, stakeholders of the programme, young people and proud friends and family members.

Alice Thompson said: “The jobs market can be difficult for young people to get in to, but given they are the lifeblood of the economy it’s imperative they are given opportunities. I want to congratulate them on their achievements as they are now on the path to bigger and better things.”

Another trainee graduating was Reece Hunt, 17, who has gone on to work as an electrician with Bemco.

Reece said: “I most enjoyed getting to know new people. It was hands on work which is what I like. I found the training informative and it was very relevant to our age group. The delivery made it interesting.”

Other trainees graduating on November 25 were Matthew Mackie, Chris Singh, Jake Summers, David Reilly, Alex Pennykid, Nathan Moyes, Alex Main, Garry Mitchell, Jordan Bald and Lewis Ewen.

PoLHA’s TOiL programme has been running for eight years and 68 per cent of participants move into sustainable employment, apprenticeships or further education after the six-month placement.

PoLHA Chair Margaret O’Connor, who presided over the graduation’s proceedings said: “TOiL provides valuable work opportunities to young people in Edinburgh with a variety of valued partner organisations. Our trainees have access to support and a holistic approach is used supporting those that need it most.”

Selex on target with Eurofighter contract

Finmeccanica, parent company of Crewe Toll-based Selex ES, has won a multi-million Euro contract to develop radar for the Eurofighter Typhoon. The deal is expected to secure around five hundred jobs in Edinburgh.

The contract, signed yesterday in Edinburgh by the European consortium Eurofighter GmbH andinter-governmental agency NETMA (NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency) to develop the electronically scanned Captor-E radar for the Typhoon, will bring Finmeccanica an order worth more than €400 million.

Finmeccanica will develop, produce and integrate the new radar through its companies Selex ES and Alenia Aermacchi.

“I am particularly proud of the contract signed today”, said Finmeccanica’s CEO and General Manager, Mauro Moretti. “It is further evidence of how the products and services provided by Finmeccanica Group represent cutting edge technological solutions capable of guaranteeing high performance levels in line with the best market standards”.

“The production of the new Captor-E radar will be managed, in the role of project leader of the Euroradar Consortium, by Finmeccanica-Selex ES which, together with Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi, will also jointly integrate it into the aircraft. Today’s signing represents an important step forward towards the future prospects of the Eurofighter programme since the aircraft upgrade will enable it to compete more effectively on international markets”.

Finmeccanica-Selex ES will produce the new radar at its facilities in Edinburgh and Nerviano (Milan) while Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi (Turin site), in the radar integration phase, will be responsible for the navigation systems.

Finmeccanica Group is responsible for over 60% of the electronics on board the Eurofighter Typhoon, roughly 20% of the aerostructures, and for the training and simulation activities for both the four Partner Nations (United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and Spain) and export market customers.

Selex ES – formerly Ferranti – remains one of the biggest employers in North Edinburgh.

Stepping Stones require playworker

Stepping Stones North Edinburgh are recruiting – see below …

PLAYWORKER ADVERT POSTER (2)

GMB call for increase of £1 an hour

‘Members across Scotland say that in their experience you need at least £10 an hour and a full working week to have a decent life free from benefits and tax credits’ – GMB Scotland

GMB Scotland is calling for an increase of £1 per hour towards the GMB Congress target of a living wage of at least £10 per hour.

The items in the trade union’s claim, submitted to Cosla last Friday, are: £1 an hour increase on all hourly rates of pay, consolidation of living wage supplements and the removal of all pay points below the living wage pay level. The next review of pay is 1 April 2015.

GMB Scotland launched the pay campaign with photo calls at ten locations across Scotland, with GMB members employed by Scottish local authorities holding up large replica of a £1 coin

Alex McLuckie, GMB Scotland’s Senior Organiser, said: “GMB is kicking off this campaign for Scottish local council workers to receive a £1 an hour increase on their basic salary from April 2015. This is a step towards the target of a living wage of £10 per hour set by GMB Congress in 2014.

“GMB members across Scotland say that in their experience you need at least £10 an hour and a full working week to have a decent life free from benefits and tax credits. Less than £10 an hour means just existing not living. It means a life of isolation, unable to socialise. It means a life of constant anxiety over paying bills and of borrowing from friends, family and pay day loan sharks just to make ends meet.

“Many of our members provide vital frontline services and while these jobs are crucial to many of Scotland’s councils, the people providing these services are some of the lowest of paid.

“Over the years Scotland’s council workers have either received a minimal pay rise or no pay rise at all. Further to this many GMB members may have suffered a cut in earnings through hours being reduced, while at the same time having their workload increased with staff leaving without being replaced.

“With the reality of low pay and increasing workloads, coupled with the vital services which our members provide for Scotland’s councils, GMB Scotland believe £1 an hour rise on all basic salaries is a way of acknowledging the work done by Scotland’s council workers.”

Meet beats tweet when looking for work

‘Getting out there and speaking with people is just as important as being online’ – Grahame Smith, Scottish STUC

Technology may have invaded every aspect of our lives, but new research shows a personal touch is still the best when it comes to getting a job.

The 2014 Employer Perspectives Survey, released today by government skills experts the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), shows that despite the meteoric rise of social media, just 7% of employers say they’ve used it to recruit new staff.

Based on interviews with more than 18,000 employers across the UK, the study reveals that recruitment methods involving the human touch, such as filling vacancies through word of mouth and personal recommendation are still widely used by employers.

Just over one in ten (11%) of employers said they used work experience as a recruitment tool, whilst the number offering a job as a result of a speculative enquiry has more than doubled.

Although the findings may be welcomed by parents who are unconvinced that their offspring’s broadband consumption actually equates to job hunting, the researchers say the findings point to a greater need to hone jobseekers’ social skills.

Grahame Smith, a Commissioner at UKCES and General Secretary of the Scottish TUC said:

Digital skills are crucial in the modern workplace, and while many young people excel in this area, these findings show how important it is for jobseekers to also develop their personal presence. Getting out there and speaking with people is just as important as being online, but it’s more difficult for the digital generation.

That’s why it’s important to break down the barriers between education and employers. By offering simple things like business mentoring, careers talks, work experience and mock interviews, businesses can make a huge difference to the future of young people. Our research shows that whilst only a minority of employers currently work with schools and colleges in this way, the good news is that those that do say it’s easy and rewarding.

Michael Davis, chief executive of UKCES, said:

For those looking for work, making use of social media when job hunting can bring a world of information at the click of a mouse, but when it comes to making that all important first impression it seems there’s no substitute for legwork.

This research shows that what really matters to employers is an opportunity to get face to face with candidates, and get a real understanding of how they tick and what they can offer.

For employers it’s important to not become over-dependent on one form of recruitment. Our research shows that word of mouth is still commonly used to hire staff – but this risks missing out on a huge talent pool just because people don’t happen to be plugged into the right professional networks.

By striking a balance, both sides can benefit. Creating strong links with local education providers is just one way of achieving this, allowing employers to see first-hand what young people can offer, while simultaneously giving young people opportunity to build crucial contacts.

Other findings from the report include:

businesses in London and the south-east are most likely to recruit a young person – 32% of employers have recruited a young person in the past 12 months.
businesses in the East Midlands, the south-east and the south-west are most likely to have recruited an older person (aged over 50) with 33% of employers reporting they’ve taken on an older member of staff in the past 12 months.
nearly half (49%) of hotels and restaurants have recruited young people in the past year, compared with just 13% of employers in the utilities sector.