Engaging with Employers
Why do we engage with Employers in Edinburgh?
Employability organisations engage with employers because they want to co-operate with them on filling vacancies and helping people into work. For the partners as a whole we want to make sure that the strategy can respond to employers’ current needs – and we want to look ahead jointly to what will be needed in the next decade.
How do we engage with Employers in Edinburgh?
The processes are embedded in the operation of the ‘Employer Offer’. This is explained in more detail in the Helping Employers/Employer Offer section of this website.
The Employer Offer has resulted from feedback from employers who told us that they find the range of different services confusing, complicated and time consuming. It is designed to provide a more streamlined service to meet recruitment and retention needs. It uses the ‘no wrong door’ approach where employers can access the free services offered by all the agencies within the Joined Up For Jobs network through single points of access.
There are staff in the agencies whose role is to work with employers and promote both their own services and the overall Joined Up For Jobs ‘Employer Offer’. The Directory holds entries about the employer services of all agencies in the network. This gives them appropriate information to facilitate a seamless handover between organisations if this is in the interest of the employer. The Employer Offer is also designed to help job-seekers access a wider range of job opportunities through closer working amongst the Joined Up For Jobs network. This includes sharing unfilled vacancies, a coordinated approach to large-scale recruitment, joined-up approach to pre-recruitment initiatives, opportunities for joint marketing employer-related services etc. Marketing materials which explain the Employer Offer and are designed to support Employer Engagement are available.
Supporting Structures
Partnership Forum
There are regular meetings of the Partnership Forum which is open to all the Joined Up For Jobs organisations to attend. The Forum addresses current and emerging issues and provides a platform for networking with other organisations across the city. These meeting are supplemented with ad-hoc meetings as and when required.
Employer Engagement Sub-Group (EESG)
The EESG supports the delivery of the Employer Offer through the Operational Plan. The key actions identified by the Group include:
- Promote/market the Employer Offer amongst employers, partners and providers
- Identify employers' needs
- Deliver service to Employers that meets satisfaction rate
- Enhance outcomes from funded projects
- Develop further Employer Offer Strategic Opportunities
The Group includes Jobcentre Plus (lead partner for the Employer Offer), City of Edinburgh Council, Capital City Partnership, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, and Skills Development Scotland.
Networking for Employer-facing staff within Joined Up For Jobs
Following feedback from Employer Engagement staff in the provider community it is planned to introduce a network for this group. It will identify good practice and drive forward the ongoing delivery of the Employer Offer. The first meeting is planned for late August/early September 2009.
Academies Collective – a Sectoral Jobs Approach
There are a number of Academies servicing the main Employment Sectors and Employment Hubs servicing specific Development Areas across the city who offer opportunities and training designed to meet the needs of their Employer base. These meet on a regular basis. Further information on these can be found on the Sectoral Adademies and Employment Hubs page and on the Directory.
Jobs Strategy Team
There is a dedicated post within Capital City Partnership to support the delivery of the Employer Offer. If you have any queries about the operation of the Employer Offer contact - Rhona.McLinden@capitalcitypartnership.org or telephone 0131 270 6030.
