East Midlands food and drink firms with hard-to-fill vacancies are being advised to explore a new technical recruitment opportunity.
Business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum has teamed up with graduate recruitment experts HotProspects on a two-year project to offer small and medium-sized food and drink companies grants towards the cost of recruiting a graduate, either for specific projects or for permanent placements.
Now HotProspects has launched a new technical recruitment arm to address the needs of those in the sector with a more technically demanding focus.
With some of the most important technical abilities being learned after university, HotProspects² specialises in finding those graduates with specific skills and up to five years industry experience. At the same time, HotProspects continues to focus on the retention of fresh graduates, providing grant funded graduate recruitment through till 2011.
HotProspects² project manager Elizabeth Andrzejewski-Wilson said: “Since the launch of HotProspects back in 2006, the brand and the team has evolved, and it soon became clear that our strength lay in our ability to source those technically focused graduates with niche skill sets.
“Specific or rare skills sets can be very hard to find, especially in the food and drink sector where skills shortages have long held back business growth. Hence, HotProspects² was born.”
The new service allows businesses to pick and choose the elements they require, from a targeted marketing campaign through to full service graduate recruitment.
“We have taken what we believe are some of the strongest elements of the original service and developed them for a targeted market, allowing us to ensure we are best placed to meet their needs. Our fees are still fixed and agreed at the start, based on time expended, not a percentage of salary,” said Elizabeth.
“The HotProspects service continues to provide small business in the food and drink sector with grant-funded graduate recruitment within the East Midlands, meaning the standard recruitment process can be accessed at no cost to the business. Whilst HotProspects² allows those with more complex requirements to access the support they need.”
Grant funding of £1,000 per business is available for a limited period, thanks to funding that has been made available in partnership from East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
This can be put towards the cost of the HotProspects² service, as well as being used for HotProspects’ graduate recruitment.
For more information, contact Gemma Baguley at The Food and Drink Forum on 0115 9758810.
Showing posts with label HotProspects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HotProspects. Show all posts
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Grants available to help East Midlands food and drink firms recruit graduates
East Midlands food and drink firms planning to recruit graduates for permanent positions or placements are being urged to take advantage of grants available to help with their search for the right person.
The Food and Drink Forum has teamed up with East Midlands graduate recruitment organisation HotProspects on a two-year project to offer small and medium-sized food and drink companies grants towards the cost of recruiting a graduate, either for specific projects or for permanent placements.
Now it has been announced that grant funding for recruitment has been increased – making it the ideal time to get involved with the scheme.
Businesses signing up to the programme delivered by HotProspects will receive £1,000 towards the standard recruitment fees instead of the £500 that was previously offered, thanks to grant funding that has been made available in partnership from East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
“The programme provides support in the form of niche and technical search, graduate assessment centres and full service graduate recruitment to help businesses manage the recruitment process and find the best talent,” said Food and Drink Forum managing director Fiona Anderson.
“The food and drink sector is facing a skills shortage, but hiring a graduate can bring a number of benefits for a firm, such as introducing new skills to the business or giving a fresh perspective on something. Finding the right candidate can be time-consuming or difficult for a small or medium-sized business, so this project represents the perfect way for food and drink firms in the East Midlands to discover the pool of graduate talent that’s available.”
Graduates are available with a wide range of food and drink industry-relevant qualifications. One current example includes a graduate with an MSc in food technology and quality assurance from the University of Reading, who previously gained a first class Bachelor of Technology in bio-technology from a top engineering university. Fluent in three languages and with expertise in a range of techniques, including using nutritional software, conducting taste panels and sensory analysis, the graduate has good understanding of British Retail Consortium and EU/UK food regulations.
HotProspects programme director Iain McCracken said: “This grant-funded programme aims to support businesses and graduates in the region at a very challenging time in the employment landscape.
“The programme operates to help businesses and graduates connect on terms beneficial to each – brokering contracts that place graduates within organisations with schemes agreed from 2 weeks to 12 months and longer. The benefits of such a programme are clear – graduates gain valuable work experience that helps them connect with the market and businesses can access a skills resource that can make them better placed to emerge from the recession in a competitive position.
“We are finding that most strategically minded organisations view the current economic situation as an opportunity ... to acquire the most talented individuals in their field. Forecasts indicate that many sectors still and will face a substantial shortfall in skill sets.
“Organisations that are far sighted will use this time, when many are not operating at full capacity, to invest in their staff and development programmes so that they are in the strongest position possible when we emerge from recession.
“The programme offers a low risk, low cost, option for businesses to trial the benefits of employing graduates and the initial response has been wholly positive. Companies see the advantages of a scheme that operates with such flexibility and that allows them to engage with the graduate pool in a time and cost efficient way.”
The Food and Drink Forum is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, and is a membership organisation that offers support to businesses working in the food and drink sector in Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.
East Midlands food and drink businesses interested in finding out more about the graduate recruitment scheme should contact The Food and Drink Forum on 0115 9758810.
The Food and Drink Forum has teamed up with East Midlands graduate recruitment organisation HotProspects on a two-year project to offer small and medium-sized food and drink companies grants towards the cost of recruiting a graduate, either for specific projects or for permanent placements.
Now it has been announced that grant funding for recruitment has been increased – making it the ideal time to get involved with the scheme.
Businesses signing up to the programme delivered by HotProspects will receive £1,000 towards the standard recruitment fees instead of the £500 that was previously offered, thanks to grant funding that has been made available in partnership from East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
“The programme provides support in the form of niche and technical search, graduate assessment centres and full service graduate recruitment to help businesses manage the recruitment process and find the best talent,” said Food and Drink Forum managing director Fiona Anderson.
“The food and drink sector is facing a skills shortage, but hiring a graduate can bring a number of benefits for a firm, such as introducing new skills to the business or giving a fresh perspective on something. Finding the right candidate can be time-consuming or difficult for a small or medium-sized business, so this project represents the perfect way for food and drink firms in the East Midlands to discover the pool of graduate talent that’s available.”
Graduates are available with a wide range of food and drink industry-relevant qualifications. One current example includes a graduate with an MSc in food technology and quality assurance from the University of Reading, who previously gained a first class Bachelor of Technology in bio-technology from a top engineering university. Fluent in three languages and with expertise in a range of techniques, including using nutritional software, conducting taste panels and sensory analysis, the graduate has good understanding of British Retail Consortium and EU/UK food regulations.
HotProspects programme director Iain McCracken said: “This grant-funded programme aims to support businesses and graduates in the region at a very challenging time in the employment landscape.
“The programme operates to help businesses and graduates connect on terms beneficial to each – brokering contracts that place graduates within organisations with schemes agreed from 2 weeks to 12 months and longer. The benefits of such a programme are clear – graduates gain valuable work experience that helps them connect with the market and businesses can access a skills resource that can make them better placed to emerge from the recession in a competitive position.
“We are finding that most strategically minded organisations view the current economic situation as an opportunity ... to acquire the most talented individuals in their field. Forecasts indicate that many sectors still and will face a substantial shortfall in skill sets.
“Organisations that are far sighted will use this time, when many are not operating at full capacity, to invest in their staff and development programmes so that they are in the strongest position possible when we emerge from recession.
“The programme offers a low risk, low cost, option for businesses to trial the benefits of employing graduates and the initial response has been wholly positive. Companies see the advantages of a scheme that operates with such flexibility and that allows them to engage with the graduate pool in a time and cost efficient way.”
The Food and Drink Forum is based at Southglade Food Park, Nottingham, and is a membership organisation that offers support to businesses working in the food and drink sector in Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.
East Midlands food and drink businesses interested in finding out more about the graduate recruitment scheme should contact The Food and Drink Forum on 0115 9758810.
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Project serves up top graduates to the East Midlands food and drink sector
East Midlands food and drink firms interested in taking on a graduate could be in line for a grant to help with recruitment.
Regional business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum has teamed up with East Midlands graduate recruitment service HotProspects to run a two-year project aimed at boosting skills in the sector.
Up to £500 is available to small and medium-sized food and drink firms recruiting graduates, either for specific projects or for permanent placements.
“Hiring a graduate can create a number of benefits for a firm, such as introducing new skills to the business or giving a fresh perspective on something,” said Fiona Anderson, managing director of the Food and Drink Forum, a membership organisation which supports food and drink firms across Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.
“But it can be a big step for a small or medium-sized food or drink business to take on a graduate, so this scheme will help pay to find the ideal candidates. Ultimately we hope that it will both improve the skills in the sector and the businesses of food and drink companies in the East Midlands.”
The two organisations will work together to help place suitable graduates with companies interested in taking part in the scheme. Grants are available to firms looking to hire a graduate for a temporary project, which offers the chance to employ a graduate for a specific purpose, such as helping to set up a website or researching a new way of working.
They are also available to help pay for recruitment of a recent graduate or graduate with over one year’s relevant experience to work full-time for a company.
Money for the scheme has come from East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and is designed to increase productivity in small and medium-sized businesses in the region’s food and drink sector.
Launched in June 2006, HotProspects represents thousands of the highest calibre graduates, with a range of degrees. It has placed more than 600 graduates and has nearly 900 small and medium-sized enterprises registered on www.hotprospects.org.uk.
“This is the time of year for firms to be considering what skills their businesses will need this autumn and winter,” said Elizabeth Wilson, from HotProspects. “Graduates and post-graduates who want to work in the food and drink sector have recently left their universities, and we have a pool of talent waiting to move on and put their skills to good use.”
Food and drink firms keen to find out more should contact The Food and Drink Forum on 0115 9758810.
Ends
Regional business support organisation The Food and Drink Forum has teamed up with East Midlands graduate recruitment service HotProspects to run a two-year project aimed at boosting skills in the sector.
Up to £500 is available to small and medium-sized food and drink firms recruiting graduates, either for specific projects or for permanent placements.
“Hiring a graduate can create a number of benefits for a firm, such as introducing new skills to the business or giving a fresh perspective on something,” said Fiona Anderson, managing director of the Food and Drink Forum, a membership organisation which supports food and drink firms across Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland.
“But it can be a big step for a small or medium-sized food or drink business to take on a graduate, so this scheme will help pay to find the ideal candidates. Ultimately we hope that it will both improve the skills in the sector and the businesses of food and drink companies in the East Midlands.”
The two organisations will work together to help place suitable graduates with companies interested in taking part in the scheme. Grants are available to firms looking to hire a graduate for a temporary project, which offers the chance to employ a graduate for a specific purpose, such as helping to set up a website or researching a new way of working.
They are also available to help pay for recruitment of a recent graduate or graduate with over one year’s relevant experience to work full-time for a company.
Money for the scheme has come from East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and is designed to increase productivity in small and medium-sized businesses in the region’s food and drink sector.
Launched in June 2006, HotProspects represents thousands of the highest calibre graduates, with a range of degrees. It has placed more than 600 graduates and has nearly 900 small and medium-sized enterprises registered on www.hotprospects.org.uk.
“This is the time of year for firms to be considering what skills their businesses will need this autumn and winter,” said Elizabeth Wilson, from HotProspects. “Graduates and post-graduates who want to work in the food and drink sector have recently left their universities, and we have a pool of talent waiting to move on and put their skills to good use.”
Food and drink firms keen to find out more should contact The Food and Drink Forum on 0115 9758810.
Ends
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