New initiative for domestic recruitment in 2022

We've been working with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on ways to recruit domestic workers for the agricultural sector.  However, both DWP and jobseekers have said that it is often difficult to identify agricultural vacancies, so we have been working with DWP on ways to try and make these roles more visible.

Trial in Cornwall

If you're in Cornwall and have either permanent or seasonal roles to fill, we'd encourage you to take part in a new trial to drive an increase in domestic recruitment in 2022. The aim is to use Twitter to signpost vacancies using the #FarmingJobsCornwall hashtag.

Potential for national rollout

The new initiative is being tested in Cornwall with the potential for national roll out. Employers are asked to post their vacancies on Twitter including #FarmingJobsCornwall in the tweet. Using the hashtag enables all these jobs to be viewed together in one place for both jobseekers and also Jobcentres in the region which will monitor the Twitter feed daily and promote the vacancies to their local jobseekers.

The success of this trial depends initially on it being used by employers to list their vacancies.

“With domestic recruitment still challenging for our members, this new initiative will provide a quick and easy mechanism to advertise vacancies and harness the support of local Jobcentres. The idea was proposed by DWP employer adviser Keith Johnson who saw the use of a Twitter hashtag as a way of bringing agricultural vacancies together in one place to make them easier to find. I would encourage members in Cornwall to use the new hashtag #FarmingJobsCornwall. The more vacancies that are listed, the more focus Jobcentres will apply to finding suitable candidates."
Rebecca Booth, NFU skills and employment policy adviser