Employers and job-seekers will benefit from public-private partnership, says REC Drivers

Employers and job-seekers will benefit from public-private partnership, says REC Drivers

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s drivers sector group, which represents recruiters in the logistics and freight industry, has underlined the need for public and private sector employment services to work together in order to ensure a pipeline of suitable staff for employers in the sector as well as opportunities for job seekers. This follows last week’s launch of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the REC and Jobcentre Plus.

The agreement between the two bodies comes at a difficult time for the UK jobs market. The aim is address barriers to employment through better support and training and by ensuring that there is a good working relationship between Jobcentre Plus and specialised recruitment agencies in sectors such as logistics and freight. A further aim is to raise awareness of the benefits of a diverse workforce by giving employers clear guidance and access to the widest range of people seeking work.

Commenting on the launch of the Memorandum of Understanding, Darra Singh, Jobcentre Plus’s Chief Executive said:

“The partnership between Jobcentre Plus and REC has been a real success - offering unemployed professionals the opportunity to access support from specialist recruitment agencies. Our priority at Jobcentre Plus is to ensure that people get the right support to get back to work quickly, which is why I am delighted to be strengthening our partnership with renewed impetus.”

Commenting on what the agreement will mean for businesses and recruitment specialists, Rod Harris Chair of REC Drivers said:

“In difficult times for the economy and labour market, helping people back to work must be a shared responsibility. At the same time, finding the right people is still a challenge for employers in our sector. Ensuring that public and private sector employment services organisations work together will help to build a pipeline of suitable workers.

“Recruitment agencies have already seen a huge increase in the number of candidates referred from Jobcentre Plus. The Memorandum of Understanding is crucial at both symbolic and practical levels as it will take this partnership approach to the next stage.”