We are urging all members to contact their local Jobcentres to access support for local recruitment.
Additional options
While this is not a silver bullet to the challenges that agriculture faces with access to labour, it hopefully provides some additional options for businesses looking to recruit domestically.
It also demonstrates to the government that individual businesses and the industry as a whole is fully engaged with domestic recruitment schemes for both its seasonal and permanent labour needs.
Complementing DWP service
Working with your local Jobcentre gives you one more way to help fill your vacancies. It does not replace the existing channels you are already using, but is designed to complement the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) digital service Find a Job.
In a fiercely competitive domestic recruitment market, many members may feel that they need extra support to attract applicants and Employer Advisers based at your local jobcentres can help with this.
DWP Employer Services have also produced a video explaining how they can help your business.
What the Jobcentre provides
Businesses who want to work with their local Jobcentre can benefit from the following services:
- A named contact at your local Jobcentre who will contact you directly to discuss how we can best support your recruitment needs.
- Your vacancies will be promoted to the caseload of clients in the Jobcentre nearest your location using DWP’s internal jobs alert and other digital channels.
- Your vacancy details will be shared with other offices in the local catchment area.
- Advice on tailoring your advert on Find a Job.
- Discuss the option of promoting your vacancies directly with DWP staff either in person or via a virtual meeting.
- Potential for you to market vacancies directly to jobseekers and conduct interviews by having a presence in the Jobcentre for a day.
- Discuss ideas and available DWP schemes to make your roles more attractive, eg, work trials, work experience, part time roles to suit older people/lone parents.
- Give you honest feedback on how likely DWP are to help fill your recruitment needs.
- Give you information on the local labour market and other opportunities you may be competing with, eg, wage rates of other employers, jobs available in other sectors.
- Give you feedback on the barriers that the Employer Advisers feel may be affecting your ability to attract jobseekers, eg, transport issues.
Contact your local Jobcentre
Members are able to contact the Employer Adviser at their local Jobcentre by calling the DWP’s Employer Services Line on 0800 1690178 or search online to find the address or email address of your local Jobcentre.
Review your vacancies
After a vacancy has been advertised it is possible for you to contact them directly for a review after an agreed period on what response you have received to the vacancies and if any further options need to be considered.
Jobcentre staff should also be able to provide guidance on additional government recruitment schemes that may be suitable for your business. Unlike agencies, there is no cost to using this service, only an investment of time. There is also no requirement to employ any candidates unless you feel that they are suitable.
Your roles actively promoted
Ultimately individuals will decide if they wish to apply for your role – they have a choice of all the opportunities that are out there but by working with Jobcentre Plus you can be sure your roles will be actively promoted to all jobseekers.
Additional information can be found at Job Centre Plus – Working together with employers and Job Centre Plus – Help for Recruiters.