1. Canterbury College

CT Recruitment: PEP via the establishment of a recruitment agency. How this was achieved

Canterbury College has an established record in providing PEP opportunities for its learners. Successful projects have included the Employability Skills Programme (ESP), Neighbourhood Learning for Deprived Communities (NEET programme), and the “Get ready to work”, a course offering tailored training and guidance which facilitates entry to employment or apprenticeships and  further education or training.

The projects work in tandem and by evaluating the outcomes and needs of the client groups. The College became increasingly aware of the general lack of job searching and matching skills demonstrated by a large proportion of its students. The Colleges academic attainment is high however it was felt that the College needed to take an active role in assisting students in their journey to gaining employment. CT Recruitment, a job brokerage solution, is a package designed to seamlessly make the transition from PEP to sustainable employment. This unique package of tailored PEP support,  using the skills of Professional Placement Officers, to source job opportunities and place candidates for interview, will be opened up to all 9,000 students enrolled with the College from September 2009 (which will include students on externally funded programmes). Making the Service available to all students in this way will maximise PEP learner numbers.

Key Attributes for Success:

Buy-in

Canterbury College has a long-held belief in working collaboratively and growing links with enterprise and employers. Such spirit is set out in the College’s Enterprise & Partnership Directorate priorities under Equality & Diversity:

To provide effective and inclusive opportunities and access points for the whole community to engage with education or training working with partner schools, Connexions, Job Centre Plus, charities, community groups and statutory organisations.

This strong strategic direction set the scene to review the needs of the learner and to establish any gaps in the College’s provision when staff provide information, advice and guidance to students. The Project and Partnership Manager, Glenn Floyd, considered that there was a gap in helping learners into employment and set about raising internal awareness of the issue and of his model for CT recruitment as a solution. Knowledge and understanding of the concept grew after a range of papers and presentations were given to the senior management, each setting out the business case of the proposal: to support the introduction of the Training Quality Standard (TQS) and to create a more effective link to local businesses which would support the College’s Train to Gain provision:

As a College we needed to look at intensifying employer engagement. We looked really carefully at what we provide for students once they complete their education with us; if they want to go to work, what help is available to them? We wanted to build a system that improves employer links through giving them a meaningful route to engage, one that would educate the college on employer needs, whilst ultimately helping to find employment for our students. Glenn Floyd, Project & Partnership Manager, Canterbury College.

Once buy-in was secured funding for the project was realised by top slicing all externally funded projects, with a view to offering the brokerage service to all students after the initial pilot phase (April – July 2009) was complete. 

Professional staff and surrounds

With the funding available, the Project & Partnership Manager was able to set about recruiting the team to staff and set-up the job brokerage service, to source appropriate premises on the College site from which the team could work and receive employers and clients. To date, CT Recruitment employs 2 full time Placement Officers and an apprentice; both Placement Officers are experienced in recruitment and both have brought extensive knowledge of different sectors to their roles. The professionalism of the service is an identity which the College feels will be critical to its on-going success:

the key principle of the service is to ensure that a corporate & commercial approach is followed through in service delivery. It’s important to employ staff who have both experience and understanding in the commercial field of recruitment. Glenn Floyd, Project & Partnership Manager, Canterbury College.

The college wanted the CT Recruitment office to provide an environment in which the level of professionalism and corporate image could be felt immediately on entering. The space was designed to mirror that of a modern corporate recruitment company, setting itself apart from the more traditional classroom and workshop spaces the college students are familiar with. It is hoped that the environment alone will help to prepare students for the very different landscape of the world of work.

Business knowledge, relationships and trust 

As part of their role, the Placement Officers have been responsible for building relationships with the local business community, to introduce businesses to the service and develop an understanding of each individual employer’s business needs and culture. So far, CT recruitment has successfully recruited 60 employers with whom they work. Recently recruited organisations include the NHS and Marks & Spencer. Positions vary from part-time seasonal work, to full-time paid and voluntary positions. The College also prides itself on its links to employers wishing to take on apprentices. The work on offer varies widely, from casual pub staff to HR apprenticeships and legal secretaries.

Chives the Caterers (www.chivescaterers.co.uk) has been a client of CT Recruitment for 3 months, having met at the 2020 Kent County Show in April 2009 over a discussion about appointing apprentices:

…we have a bank of 40 casual staff, and of the students amongst them not one of them is at catering college and though they are great staff, they do not see their careers in the world of catering. It has been a real business need for us, to grow the business, to find someone to train to take on more responsibility. CT Recruitment helped us to find Laura who we appointed as an apprentice who now works for us full time; she has a day release for College and has gained lots of work experience so far. Debbie Trewerne, Operations Director, Chives, The Caterers.

Debbie Trewerne, the company’s Operations Director, suggests that using CT Recruitment service has the added benefit of freeing-up more of her time allowing her to concentrate on her own business and clients. Instead of interviewing for staff herself, which can be very time consuming, she now leaves this task and that of sifting application forms to the staff at CT. Debbie considers that the relationship with CT and her Placement Officer, Paula, has been successful so far because:

Paula is in tune with the industry and recruitment. The skills of CT have been key, and I have a named contact there, so now the relationship is in place I just pick up the phone…there is no formal process, it’s a free service with no overwhelming paperwork, no forms. Paula just sends the CV through and confirms the appointment. Debbie Trewerne, Operation Director, Chives, The Caterers

At interview Debbie considers that CT candidates are well presented, coached to understand the interview situation, the students are fully aware of the expectations of the role to which they are applying. In short:

…they [the CT candidates] are the right people for the job, with the right attitude and skills.    Debbie Trewerne, Operation Director, Chives, The Caterers

Tracking learners and standardising forms

Once enrolled the service is rigorous in tracking students from enrolment, onto courses (including PEP), and into the job market. This has been simplified by customising the CT registration form so that it forms part of the student’s Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and Individual Learning Record (ILR) with the effect of removing the need to fill in duplicate forms. The enrolment form has been designed and approved with assistance from the LSC and has been so successful that it is now used for all externally funded projects in the College.   A critical benefit of which has been to make the learner journey easier to track, an operational activity that CT staff take very seriously:

It is imperative that an individual within the provider organisation assumes accountability for the learners’ journey.  For the hardest to reach individuals this is especially important.  If a learner is referred to another course or provider it is vital that there is a tracking/updating process implemented by the person who was the learner’s original contact.  This provides extra support to the learner and helps ensure seamless transition between programmes/providers. Rhona Foley, Placement Officer, ESF and Projects, Canterbury College

Organisational Challenges and Solutions:

Apart from gaining senior management backing, raising funding, recruiting CT staff and finding premises to host the recruitment team, the brokerage team have had to win the minds of some of the academic staff:

… we had to reassure academic staff that students would not be removed from education to employment…in order to achieve this we check which courses students are on, and make a judgement as to whether part-time, apprenticeship work or full-time employment is appropriate. Glenn Floyd, Project & Partnership Manager, Canterbury College.

In addition, academic staff have started to see an added value element of the service as more companies become involved with the College as a result of CT activity. The job brokerage element is also impacting positively on programme requirements, providing evidence of job-related outputs for learning. Further learners in part-time employment are gaining real work experience and a feel for a range of sectors; proper work experience that is helping to inform their career choices. CT Recruitment impresses the importance of high attendance in College before they will put a learner in front of an employer, and it is envisaged that this will positively impact on course attendance rates.

Impact to date:

Although CT Recruitment has only been actively engaging with employers and learners for less than 6 months the results speak volumes. The service has 60 employers with whom they are working. 300 learners have registered with CT Recruitment all of whom have received CV and interview advice. 40 students have undertaken specific pre-employment training, of which 30 have progressed onto further courses or training opportunities. 27 students have now secured employment through CT Recruitment and the service is currently working with local employers to fill Christmas vacancies.

Learners are progressing into provision and securing employment as a result of CT Recruitment’s activity. Clearly the methodology of mixing training and education with local employment opportunities in this way is reaping rewards. One learner reported that the service offered by CT Recruitment has been invaluable in securing employment:

…the service is brilliant. I have had support every step of the way. Help with the interview, CV writing. I had the opportunity of work experience. It was brilliant! The best bit was the support; everything you need to grow your self confidence. The support and reassurance from Glenn and Lorraine [tutor] was amazing! Pippa Howell, Learner  

View Pippa's full learner journey

Whilst another tells of the knowledge he has gained through enrolling with CT Recruitment, including a vital understanding about being self-employed:

When I was at school I wasn’t taught anything about setting- up my own business, so I didn’t really know about being self-employed. Now I know more, and realise I am good enough to do what I want to do. Steven Murch, Learner

View Steven's full learner journey