Future of Jobs – Become a Future of Jobs Ambassador!

There has never been a more important time to build the bridge between education and a fast changing world of work. This was a core message from our Future of jobs commission and is an area where the expertise and drive of recruitment professionals can play a major role. Harnessing this input to raise awareness amongst future generations of workers is at the heart of our new ‘Future of Jobs Ambassadors’ network.

Recruiters can lead the way

Our Future of jobs commission - a coalition of policy makers, employers, think tanks and labour market experts – explicitly recognised the valuable contribution that recruiters play in helping people get into work and in providing mentoring and support throughout their journey. Many recruiters are also working with schools, universities and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPS); our aim, now, is to use some of the intelligence gathered through the Commission’s work to inform these ongoing discussions and to drive further engagement from REC members.

The extent of the skills challenge and the pace of change in many key sectors were really brought home during the recent roundtable at REC HQ between the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions Esther McVey and REC members. The discussions came on the back of the new Partnership Agreement between the REC and the Department for Work & Pensions which enshrines our joint mission of creating the best possible UK jobs market. Speaking at the roundtable event, the Secretary of State underlined her commitment to ensuring that “the UK labour market remains the envy of the world, not just by understanding the future of jobs, but creating real results for individuals who want to develop their skills to capitalise on opportunities.” This will require a renewed focus on preparing individuals for the new world of work which is where we come in!

 Make a difference - become a future of jobs ambassador!

Recent feedback from organisations like the Careers & Enterprise Company, the Education & Employers Taskforce and our chosen charity The Opera Global Youth Foundation has reinforced our belief that recruitment professionals have an increasingly important role to play in helping individuals navigate the fast changing labour market. The ‘Future of Jobs Ambassadors’ initiative will bring together REC and IRP members who want to help make a difference by providing heads-up to the next generation.

Specific areas where members can make a difference include feeding into the work of LEPs, partnering with local schools colleges, and universities to provide work experience placements, jobs, advice, and coaching and taking a lead on inclusion and diversity by working with local charities. Lots to do! Everyone should get the chance to succeed through work. Building a better bridge between education and the world of work is key to this which is where the Future of Jobs Ambassadors network comes in. Let’s crack open the Ferrero Rocher and crack on with making it happen!

 If you would like to become a Future of jobs ambassador, please contact neal.suchak@rec.uk.com for more details.

The REC has produced a new infographic highlighting the key messages from the report – please download it and use it with your clients and candidates.

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