Many local businesses are feeling the effect of the pandemic as life returns to normal. The impact is apparent in many areas of business but is especially prominent when recruiting new staff. The challenge is a national one, across all sectors and we have recently evidenced the importance of recruitment and the impact these challenges can have on our everyday life. The petrol crisis, which affected so many of us, being triggered by the inability to recruit HGV drivers. 

In response to this challenge, Derby City Council’s Economic Growth Team are launching a free Brokerage Service to support business to recruit their talent and develop the skills they need to thrive as a business.

They are launching this service via a virtual event taking place on Wednesday 3 November 2021 between 9.30am and 10.15am. As part of the event, the Economic Growth Team will discuss all services available to participants, with a focus on assistance with recruitments including:

  • Brokerage service - connecting employers to funded training provision such as Sector Work-based Academy programmes.
  • Support to widen your reach and diversify your applicant pool.
  • Apprenticeship support, including the transfer of Derby City Councils Apprenticeship Levy.

The event will act as a short webinar, ending with an overall summary as well as time for questions.

The intention behind the brokerage service is to make it simple for you as business owners, to access support to meet your business workforce and skills needs. Once you have met with a business engagement manager and they understand your wants and needs, they will put together a recruitment plan and relevant networking activities to help connect you to the right people and providers.

The service has already begun supporting businesses including the Lorien Group, who were recruiting service desk analysts for a major high street bank.

Tony Kelleher from Lorien Global says:

The support and advice given by the team has been invaluable. By marketing our vacancies via Derby Jobs and linking in with training providers we were able to appeal to a wider pool of candidates and hopefully progress them into full-time employment.

Cllr Williams, Cabinet Member for Young People, Learning and Skills says:

We are introducing this service as we recognise the challenges employers are currently facing when recruiting their talent. We aim to simplify business access to the recruitment and skills funding and the support available, by acting as impartial intermediaries and brokers to all provision. We are committed to offering services to ensure local businesses prosper and in-turn support the economic recovery of the city. Therefore, we urge businesses to engage and benefit from our new support service.

If you would like to take advantage of the recruitment support, you can sign up for the virtual event here. Or to find out more e-mail EmploymentandSkills@derby.gov.uk or call 01332 956989.