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Commercial cleaning and soft FM specialist, SBFM, has announced partnerships with Ingeus, Shaw Trust and Reed in Partnership to deliver a recruitment support scheme designed to help the long-term unemployed into sustainable employment.
The new initiative – in support of the government’s Restart Scheme – will see SBFM work in partnership with the organisations to help jobseekers build their confidence and self-esteem, better preparing people to get into work.
Candidates seeking work will be supported through a series of sessions across the UK and Ireland to help them acquire new skills, receive practical advice and gain access to jobs to increase their employability.
Participants will be supported to develop their employability, skills, and access to jobs, with a range of practical advice and support, from CV writing to confidence building.
These sessions will help jobseekers overcome many of the challenges they face in their job hunt by sharing practical and relatable tips on how to help unemployed people back into the workforce.
Specialist support will also be available for those seeking to develop practical skills for specific careers, or those who may need to study for GCSE English and maths qualifications.
Careers advice and skills training will be delivered as part of The Department for Work & Pension’s (DWP) Restart Scheme – the Government’s £2.9 billion flagship programme that is expected to assist 1,430,000 are long-term unemployed people back into work.
The programme, commissioned by the DWP, is open to those that have been out of work and claiming benefits for at least 13 weeks.
It is aimed at young people who are Not In Employment Education or Training (NEET), people supported by Adult Social Services, care leavers, those with Special Education Needs Disabilities (SEND) and individuals with ‘hidden’ disabilities, amongst others.
The facilities management sector is facing significant challenges in filling soft services roles, but the contribution it made in maintaining front line services during the pandemic has raised the sector’s profile, giving FMs the opportunity to widen the recruitment pool.
It is hoped the initiative will not only help support traditionally underrepresented groups into the industry, and provide opportunities for progression, but also narrow the recruitment gap in facilities management.
Ian Tidswell, Learning and Social Impact Manager at SBFM, said: “We are excited to be working with three fantastic organisations in Ingeus, Shaw Trust and Reed in Partnership to support the long-term unemployed into the workplace. As a business we are passionate about making a real difference to people’s lives and providing much needed alternative pathways into employment within the facilities management industry.
“We are already seeing considerable success through our supported sessions. A recent session in partnership with Ingeus allowed SBFM to secure 14 candidates in the Manchester area, and this is something we are hopeful of replicating this across other regions of the UK and Ireland. We are looking forward to providing much-needed support to people that choose the pathway to employment through this programme.”
