Current News

REC/IRP - The week ahead

Some useful contacts were made at last week’s Welfare to Work Convention in Birmingham. The event was also a further opportunity to take forward key industry messages – in particular with regards to benefits of tapping into the expertise of recruitment professionals to provide specialist career guidance support and guidance to job-seekers. This is something we will be following up this week in our meetings with the Employment Minister Chris Grayling and the Skills Minister John Hayes.

Changing skills needs was a key focus of last week’s round-table hosted by the REC’s Marketing, Media and Creative Industries (MMC) sector group. This brought together external organisations such as the Institute of Marketing, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the National Apprenticeships Services as well as employers and specialist recruiters. Discussions confirmed real growth opportunities – especially for recruiters who can access candidates with the right digital skills.

Last week also included discussions with the CBI on AWR implementation. This was an opportunity to ‘compare notes’ in terms of the latest feedback from employers and recruiters. We will be holding a specially-convened meeting of the REC’s Employment Policy Committee on August 16^th to agree key industry messages ahead of the one year anniversary of the AWR coming into force.

Meetings this week also include our latest catch-up with the Government Procurement Service (GPS) on how public sector employers procure recruitment services. Our key message here is the need to balance cost control priorities with a focus on quality, safety and sustainability of supply. Member meetings include that latest meeting of the REC’s Diversity & Inclusion Forum. Feedback on this and other meetings flagged up below will be made available to REC and IRP members.

In summary, REC activities and key external development over the coming week are as follows:

Monday July 16

• Transport secretary Justine Greening announces details of a £9bn investment in the railways in England and Wales. This could provide opportunities for REC members in the engineering and technical sector.
• Chief executive of G4S Nick Buckles appears at a home affairs select committee session following the news last week that the company had failed to recruit enough security guards for the Olympic Games.
• The House of Commons Education Committee publishes the government's response to its report on teacher training and retention. Relevant messages will be circulated to REC Education members.
• The Equality and Human Rights Commission publishes its annual report and accounts. Feedback on this will be sought at this week’s meeting of the REC Diversity & Inclusion Forum.

Tuesday July 17

• REC and other leading business organisations meeting with Employment Minister Chris Grayling and Skills Minister John Hayes.
• Meeting of REC Flexible Work Commission.
• Meeting with Government Procurement Service (GPS).
• REC taking part in Met Police event on safe recruitment.

Wednesday July 18

• The Office for National Statistics publishes its regional labour market statistics and labour market statistics.
• REC hosts latest meeting of its Diversity & Inclusion Forum in London.
• Care services minister Paul Burstow speaks at a King’s Fund event on the Care and Support White Paper.
• The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills publishes its quarter one private sector employment indicator.
• The Bank of England publishes its summary of business conditions.

Thursday July 19

• REC Office Professionals – Meeting of the Sector Group executive.
• REC Technology – Summer dinner.
• Publication of REC’s latest Research & Business Information Update.
• The Work Foundation hosts an event about its report on low carbon jobs in cities.

Friday July 20

• Dods holds its Green Deal Business Summit at the IET in Birmingham. Key messages will be made available to REC sector groups with an interest in ‘green jobs’ such as construction and engineering & Technical.
• The Welsh Government publishes its key economic statistics –  Feedback on key messages from REC Wales.