Posted on February 22, 2021
Here in the West Midlands we are well known for our manufacturing plants, home to one of the world’s largest confectionary companies, the capital of leather manufacturing, and one of the UK’s Industrial hot spots.
It has come to light that it is imperative for us as a recruitment agency to start working against the skill-shortage within the Manufacturing and Engineering sector. The recruitment industry plays an important part in pairing candidates with fantastic opportunities. We like to think of ourselves as career matchmakers.
As an industry, we help place over a million workers within the UK. Like many other industries, the pandemic has had a significant short-term impact on the sector – but the wider changes in diverse working and looking at new strategies this year look only to increase the importance of good recruitment in the future.
The impact of the pandemic has pushed businesses more towards utilising a temporary recruitment service, as it is a flexible solution. Good recruitment is crucial for businesses. Quality, motivated, and reliable staff are fundamental to its growth and long-term success.
Oliver Rae are starting to work with business to implement a more diverse workforce with training programmes. After speaking to some of the businesses that we supply, there is a major skill-shortage meaning, severe lack of skilled workers that are applying for vacant roles. Whilst unskilled candidates may be applying for the roles that are out there, they do not “fit the bill” in terms of their previous experience and they are being rejected, struggling to find a way in other than an apprenticeship.
Whilst apprenticeships are brilliant, they only cater to people between the ages of 16 – 25. Even then, that isn’t to say that the younger generation are getting a fair crack at the whip in these opportunities. This is something that should be taught from within schools, colleges, and at home.
The stigma surrounding shop floors in the 1900s is still prominent today. In turn this should push our younger generation to fantastic opportunities within manufacturing and engineering.
This skill-shortage could be due to Brexit, Covid-19, Rapid Change, Un-employment, Weak training systems or simply – under-investment.
We are proud to be working with businesses hiring:
- Juniors
- Trainees
- Low-skilled operatives on training plans
Here at Oliver Rae, we offer a complete recruitment package completely tailored to your business and its needs. We were established in June 2020 and have been successfully able to place over 150 skilled, Temporary and Permanent candidates across the West Midlands. Our aim now is to make a real difference within the market, manage realistic expectations and allow businesses to see things the way we do and infuse new strategies. Not only can we do this by hiring top talent, skilled engineers, skilled manufacturing operatives but allowing the flexibility to assist you in training programmes and attracting candidates with a can-do attitude to assist your business in growth and development.
Don’t let your business suffer to a candidate-hungry market.
Focus on a future with us.
REC. (2021). Recruitment and recovery. How we can create a more productive and inclusive labour market. (1), 4.