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£2.8 million pound development will create around 2700 Shropshire Jobs

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The Marches LEP has awarded three contracts worth £2.81m to develop Advanced Manufacturing Hubs in the region which will create nearly 2,700 Shropshire Jobs.

Around 2,700 Shropshire Jobs will be generated as part of the private sector-led LEP’s plans for tackling the skills gap, the project will see regional training centres, in Bridgnorth, Shrewsbury and Hereford, set up to support employers in areas where there is limited access to workforce training.

The Shrewsbury Colleges Group has been awarded £425,166 to develop a ‘hub and spoke’ model of training provision, supporting 183 businesses and more than 450 apprenticeships.

Herefordshire and Ludlow College, with Herefordshire & Worcestershire Training Association has secured £464,763 to develop the third centre, creating 260 apprenticeships and supporting 225 businesses.

As well as apprenticeships, all three hubs will deliver more than 1,960 additional qualifications over the next five years.

Graham Wynn, Chairman of the Marches LEP, said: “We have a need across the Marches to ensure there are enough of the right people with the right skills to meet the demand of our employers. It is vitally important that they remain invested here, and continue to grow their business here.

“But this can only happen with additional capital investment. We developed this project to support the manufacturing sector to develop its skills base, equipping them to maximise future opportunities.”

Chris Greenough, commercial director of Salop Design said: “The key issue facing our sector is there is simply not enough people with the right skills, to do the jobs we need them to do in order to grow manufacturing businesses, the sector and ultimately the UK economy.

“The Marches LEP has developed a project which will see industry take the lead in training its own workforce. Our employer-led consortium is delighted to have secured this contract and look forward to delivering apprenticeship placements, training opportunities and supporting hundreds of businesses. Our aim is clear, 2020 learners by 2020.”

Ian Peake, Principal & Chief Executive of Herefordshire & Ludlow College, said:

“This significant LEP and College co-investment to develop Advanced Manufacturing Hubs in the Marches will have a transformative impact on education and skills development in engineering, strengthening the college’s capacity to meet the requirements of cutting edge industries.”

Lyn Surgeon, Principal of Shrewsbury College, added: “The project has cemented the relationship between Shrewsbury College, Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, Staffordshire University, Caterpillar and Festo, which will be collectively known as the Shropshire Advanced Manufacturing Skills Hub.

“It allows us to significantly extend our investment in state of the art equipment to suitably train the engineers of tomorrow and puts the college in the position of being able to offer a range of full time and part time courses from basic introductory levels through to degrees, apprenticeships from intermediate through to higher levels and bespoke training to meet individual company needs.”

The training centres are due to open in 2017. Funding for the project was awarded to the LEP via its initial Growth Deal for skills capital projects.

Upon completion of an apprenticeship, there are many opportunities around the county which are suited to newly trained professionals looking at taking the next leap in their careers. Check out our latest Shropshire Jobs on our vacancy page by clicking here!

 

– MarchesLEP

 

How to choose the right Recruitment Agency

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Discover in this article how to choose the right Recruitment Agency most suitable to your Business needs.

Whether you are a candidate seeking a new role or a client looking to hire, identifying a good recruitment agency is the first vital step in making this often tedious process a pleasant and fruitful experience.

Applying for a job is hard work, time consuming and extremely competitive. Despite having an outstanding CV, hiring managers may never get to see it even if you have the right qualifications and experience. In order to maximize their chances, candidates are turning to a recruitment agency to help them in their search for their dream job.

So, how should you go about identifying a recruiter who is right for you? A quick Google search will bring up a myriad of results, and a scan of positions available may be one way of choosing who to entrust your CV to, however, this isn’t necessarily the best approach. When you research agencies, many of them will have things in common – but you need to find the one that will best serve you in your search for a new job.

The first thing to consider whether you are a client or candidate is the agency’s approach. Do they really care about you? A good agency will be keen to speak to you, find out about you and your motivations behind looking for a new job as well as quizzing you about your career goals. The same principle goes for clients who are looking to place a role with a recruitment consultant. Recruiters should be inquisitive about your organisation, the sort of culture you have there and the type of person that would fit in, as well as the usual job description.

An ability to sell is essential in a recruiter. They are your representatives in front of your potential new employer and as such, when they find you a great role, you want them to pitch you as the perfect candidate, with the right skills and personality for the role on offer.

Furthermore, you need to conduct your job search with an enthusiastic recruitment agency. Job-hunting is not an easy process, so working with someone who is positive and who motivates you when the going gets tough will make life better all round.

A recruitment agency that has genuine experience in the sector you are interested in is vital. They must understand the jobs they are recruiting for and the needs of the client entrusting them with finding the perfect candidate. There is nothing worse than being put up for a job by a recruiter who doesn’t understand the industry they are recruiting into.

A good agency should be able to help you tailor your CV so that it stands out and meets the employer’s needs, as well as offering you tips for interviews. They should be able to get you in front of great companies, respect the confidentiality of your CV and only send your details to companies with your permission.

So in short, you are looking for a recruitment agency that is enthusiastic and highly motivated to help you develop your career.

They should take the time to understand your experience and requirements, and offer you advice and support throughout the process – helping you secure your next brilliant role.

If you’re a Business Owner or Hiring Manager, ensure you select a recruitment agency that displays genuine interest in your Business and how it operates. A detailed understanding of your Business will enable a recruitment agency to fine tune their image of your desired candidate.

Finding the right talent is extremely important for growing and established Businesses. Recruitment Agencies are a highly effective way for Businesses to obtain high quality talent that is matched to Business needs, values and culture.

Graffiti Recruitment offer IT Recruitment Solutions for Businesses seeking talented candidates in the areas of operations, support and development.

Get in touch with us on 0330 22 33 047 or E-mail us at hello@graffitirecruitment.co.uk to discover how we can help you!

 

– Sarah Bloomfield

I’ve Graduated…What Next?

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I’ve Graduated – What do I do now? 6 reasons why you don’t need to panic!

It’s that time of year again! You have done all the hard work; you have received that really expensive piece of A4 paper that states you have officially entered into the adult world. Employment is looming and inspiration has yet to strike about your future plans, it’s easy to get stuck in a cycle of despair. All of your friends are starting fancy grad schemes or tracking off around Europe, while the only thing you’ve got lined up is a Game of Throne’s Marathon and scheduled panic attacks about the graduate job market, while mum and dad breath down your neck about getting a job!

Your student discount card is about to expire, and if another family member asks you about your career plans then you might just have a breakdown. Sound familiar? These six points might help to reassure you.

1. You’re still young

Those who started a three-year course straight from school will have only just turned 21, so there’s no rush to accept the first 9-5 job that you’re offered. Becky Williams, a recent graduate from Cardiff University, turned down several graduate jobs in favour of continuing with bar work.

She says: “I don’t see the point in accepting a poorly-paid graduate job that I’m not even sure I want to do, just because I’m expected to. I’d rather save up until I’ve had time to decide what I really want to pursue.”

2. Comparing yourself to other people is a waste of time

Just because your housemate has secured their ideal job doesn’t mean that you’re a failure by contrast.

3. You can’t discover who you want to be until you find out who you are

Personalities often change at university, which can be daunting beyond the bubble of campus life. Challenge yourself by experiencing something new, while you still have the chance. Chris Jenkins of Southampton University has just returned from Southeast Asia, in time for his graduation:

“I had wanted to travel and experience different cultures for a while, and the summer before starting work provided that opportunity. It was the best experience of my life. I thoroughly recommend going out into the world and seeing it for yourself, regardless of whether you have a job lined up for your return”, he said.

4. Many successful career-people have ‘fallen into’ their line of work

Recent statistics from the New College of the Humanities found that 19 out of 20 graduates had switched jobs within three years. Be confident enough to accept that your dream career might not be as you had hoped, and devise a new plan according to the aspects that you enjoyed.

5. Your degree won’t go to waste

Deciding that you don’t want to be a psychologist doesn’t necessarily mean that the three years and thousands of pounds spent on a psychology degree was all for nothing – any university education teaches a desirable skill set. According to Prospects, many graduate employers seek degree-level candidates rather than those disciplined in a specific subject.

6. You’re not alone

Marcus Zientek, a careers adviser at Sheffield University, says that many students are unsure of their plans after graduation:

“How uncertain they are does vary, from those who have an interest in a general area of work but have not yet decided about it, to those who describe themselves as not having any ideas at all.

“Panicking doesn’t help and is unnecessary anyway. Don’t let things drift – keep calm and make a plan. Realise that you’re not deciding what to do with the rest of your life, but choosing a good next step for you.”

What to do next – Keep you options open, and get yourself out there!

Graduate careers fairs are an important resource for graduate appointments – even if you don’t get a graduate placement as a direct result of the fair, you’re still taking steps towards your chosen career and moving closer to recruitment in your perfect job.

A suitable graduate placement can be difficult to find, and with the amount of competition vying for graduate appointments you have to use every avenue you can to maximise your chances of finding the right graduate placement for you.

Careers fairs are one of the best ways to find graduate appointments in your area of interest. A careers fair is an excellent opportunity to meet potential employers face to face and market yourself to your chosen industry. Even if you haven’t finished your course and are still in further study, careers fairs are still worthwhile as a source of information, contacts and interview experience.

If you are interested in attending a graduate recruitment careers fair, the upcoming ‘National Graduate Recruitment Exhibition’ may be the ideal opportunity for you. It will be taking place on the 4th and 5th of November and will be held inside the NEC in Birmingham. Check it out by clicking here.

 Job recruitment at careers fairs

Job recruitment careers fairs offer a multitude of benefits to graduates. If you’re ambitious and organised you can get a lot out of a career fair, including;

Honing your interview skills – Even if you aren’t offered a job, talking to prospective employers about graduate appointments gives you valuable confidence and experience of interviews.

Expanding your network – Meeting job recruiters and even fellow graduates helps you build useful contacts for future reference.

Learning industry information – Speaking to job recruitment professionals in your chosen sector is a great way to learn about the industry.

Gathering information about companies – Investigating the kind of graduate placements offered by a company tells you a lot about that organisation as a whole.

Job Hunting

It’s rare to fall straight into a job after you’ve graduated. Job hunting can take several months so it’s important to stay motivated in your job search and make the most of the opportunities and support out there. These jobseeking tips and tricks will help you choose your ideal career, search for job vacancies and stay focused on your career goals.

  • Research industries and companies that interest you
  • Get out there and speak to companies proactively at exhibitions etc..
  • Sign up to recruitment consultancies. Let them help and identify your next career move
  • Stay motivated. It can take a while to find that right job role. It will be worth it!
  • Graffiti Recruitment can give sound industry advice hints and tips on your next move.

If you are interest in IT Technology roles then be sure to check out some of our latest jobs by clicking here!

Need advice on employability? Look no further.
www.graffitirecruitment.co.uk

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