Current News

REC/IRP – The week ahead

Interesting report last week from the Institute for Government think-tank arguing that there are major skills shortages within public bodies - particularly commercial and commissioning skills. The need to ensure that the right skills and competencies are brought in in order to drive public sector reforms is a core messages of our ongoing public sector resourcing campaign.

The skills ‘penury’ flagged in the report also underlines the importance of specialist contractors and interim managers and the need to push back on proposals within the government’s ‘controlling persons’ consultation. For more details on our response to the report click here.

Last week also saw the publication of the ‘Holt Review’ of apprenticeships. Proposed measures should help to address some of the administrative and funding issues flagged by our Youth Employment Taskforce in 2010.We are continuing to take forward our work on in the area through our Youth Employment Charter for the recruitment industry and by building our links with key external organisations – most recently with 'Employment 4 Students' who provide online support and job opportunities for young jobseekers.

Other developments last week included our latest meeting with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) on providing additional practical support for recruiters. The REC’s 'Pathways to Pensions' toolkit which was launched last April will continue to be regularly updated - including dates for additional training workshops.

On a sectoral level, a key part of sector group activities is promoting the positive role of recruiters to employers and candidates. A good example of this is the fact that REC Office Professionals has been invited to take part in a panel debate at next week’s high-profile Office 2012 exhibition which attracts over 4,000 industry professionals. The latest round of meetings will kick off this month and there are a number of sector-specific campaigns coming to a head such as new ‘revalidation’ measures for locum doctors. 

On the regional front, we were delighted to confirm Anthony Pierce, National Head of Marketing for Hudson, as our new Regional Director for the West Midlands. REC Regional Directors play a key role by driving industry campaigns and by working with IRP Directors to promote the positive role of recruiters.

Looking ahead, key REC/IRP activities and external announcements over the coming week include:

Monday September 3

·         Centre for Policy Studies host an event with former Conservative Party leadership candidate David Davis delivering keynote speech about economic growth policy. Details of the Government’s plans to boost growth and employment were released over the weekend.

  Tuesday September 4

·         Meeting with the Eurociett secretariat in Brussels on the EU Posting of Workers Directive

       Youth Employment UK Board Meeting - REC invited to take part

·         Meeting with Steven Hughes, MEP, at the European Parliament in Brussels to provide an industry perspective on EU regulations

·         Policy Exchange report on pensions and pay of public sector workers and calls for scrapping of national pay bargaining

·         The British Retail Consortium publishes monthly retail monitor

 Wednesday September 5

·         REC Working Board meeting, London

·         IRP Awards Judging Panel

·         Health secretary Andrew Lansley opens independent healthcare forum in London

·         Reform hosts an event on the future of welfare

 Thursday September 6

·         ‘Nordic Forum’, Helsinki - REC invited to exchange views on AWD implementations and new supply models with other EU recruitment federations in Helsinki

·         Quarterly meeting with Jobcentre Plus

·         Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee announces interest rate decision

·         Policy Network hosts an event on short and long-term economic growth with Labour leader Ed Miliband and shadow chancellor Ed Balls

·         Reform holds an event on promoting global growth of UK SMEs

·         Office for National Statistics publishes data for 2011 on workless households

 Friday September 7

·         REC Healthcare meeting with Department of Health

·         Green Party 2012 autumn conference begins in Bristol

·         National Institute of Economic and Social Research publishes monthly GDP estimates