Jobcentre Plus help for recruiters

Overview

Jobcentre Plus has a range of recruitment services that can help you as an employer. You could get:

• recruitment advice, including specialist support if you run a small business
• help setting up work trials to give you the opportunity to try out potential recruits
• help through the Work Choice programme to employ a disabled person who needs specialist support
• support from other employment schemes, including Work Clubs and help with work experience

Recruitment advice and support

Jobcentre Plus offers practical recruitment support and advice to employers that open up jobs to its jobseekers, including help with:

• developing pre-employment training (specific to your job requirements) for people that need it
• agreeing new ways to help people work in your business, eg by offering flexible working patterns
• giving your existing employees the chance to mentor people who want to work
• reviewing your recruitment processes to make sure they don’t exclude anyone unnecessarily

Small Business Recruitment Service

This provides individual support for small businesses, including:

• a helpline with specialist advisers who understand small businesses’ recruitment needs
• help with the design and wording of your job vacancy
• signposting to other types of support, eg Acas for employment legislation issues
• a contact who can advise you on the local labour market
• an aftercare service to make sure you continue to get the service you need after you’ve recruited someone

Contact the Small Business Recruitment Service for advice about or help with recruitment.

Work trials

A work trial is a way of trying out a potential employee before offering them a job. Once agreed with Jobcentre Plus, you can offer a work trial if the job is for 16 hours or more a week and lasts at least 13 weeks. The work trial can last up to 30 days.

Some of the benefits are:

• it’s risk free - you can try the person out before making a final decision
• you know they’re committed because they’re volunteering to do it
• there are no wage costs - people continue to get their benefits
• there’s very little paperwork and it’s fuss-free

The conditions for a work trial are:

• the duration of the trial must be agreed in advance
• the jobseeker must meet eligibility conditions and volunteer to take part - Jobcentre Plus will check this for you

Contact your local Jobcentre Plus to find out more.

Work Choice

Work Choice can help you to employ a disabled person who needs specialist support.

It’s a voluntary programme to help:

• disabled people who find it hard to get and keep a job
• employed people whose jobs are at risk because of their disability

Work Choice is delivered by various organisations from the public, private and third sectors (‘providers’).

A provider will work with you to develop a package of support specially designed for your business and the individual with the aim of developing their skills.

You can also contact Remploy, who deliver Work Choice nationally.

Right to Control areas

The ‘Right to Control’ allows disabled people to decide how to spend funding they get from several different places.

If you’re in an area that’s a ‘Right to Control Trailblazer’ and you’re recruiting a young disabled person who gets a Work Choice Direct Payment, contact your Disability Employment Adviser.

The ‘trailblazer’ areas are:

• Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
• Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
• Essex County Council
• Leicester City Council
• London Borough of Barnet
• London Borough of Newham
• Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
• Sheffield City Council
• Manchester Area Partnership (includes Manchester, Oldham, Bury, Stockport and Trafford)

Work experience and apprenticeships

Work experience

Work experience is available to every 18 to 24 year old before they enter the Work Programme.

If you offer a young person work experience you’ll be helping to give them a better chance of finding work.

Jobcentre Plus can help you become a work experience host. Read the leaflet below for more information.

Apprenticeships

These are organised through the National Apprenticeship Service and often follow a period of work experience. They combine practical training with study.

If you take on an apprentice, you can get funding to train them. You might also be able to get an Apprenticeship Grant if you run a small or medium-sized business.

Other employment schemes

Jobcentre Plus employment schemes can help you to recruit people as well as creating opportunities for people looking for work.

Work Programme

This is run by private and voluntary organisations called ‘providers’. They’re paid to help long-term unemployed people into work.

Your local provider could help with your recruitment needs and help you get the right person for the job.

Work Clubs

These provide unemployed people with a place to meet, exchange skills and experiences and get support to help them in their return to work.

Read the Jobcentre Plus guide on setting up a Work Club.

Work Together

This scheme encourages unemployed people to take up volunteering to help improve their skills and job prospects. Jobcentre Plus can help you to find a volunteering opportunity.

Enterprise Clubs

These are run by local businesses for people who are out of work and want to set up their own business or become self-employed.

Jobcentre Plus can help you set up an Enterprise Club.

New Enterprise Allowance

This provides Jobcentre Plus claimants with mentoring and financial support to help start their own business. You can contact the provider in your area if you want to become a mentor.

Sector-based work academies

These provide sector-based training, work experience and a guaranteed job interview. They can help you fill your vacancies more effectively.

Jobcentre Plus can help you if you want to get involved.