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Joined Up For Business Susan Harkins Business Gateway Manager, Edinburgh. Rhona McLinden Employer Engagement Manager, Capital City Partnership. Background/context. Employer Offer Review: Need to grow employment opportunities Develop the SME market Dedicated Employer Engagement Team
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Joined Up For BusinessSusan HarkinsBusiness Gateway Manager, Edinburgh Rhona McLinden Employer Engagement Manager, Capital City Partnership
Background/context • Employer Offer Review: • Need to grow employment opportunities • Develop the SME market • Dedicated Employer Engagement Team • Develop a joint working relationship with Business Gateway
Key aspects to focus on • Identify business growth opportunities and unlock latent vacancies for sole traders and small businesses • Offer a single point of contact • De-risking recruitment for Sole Traders/Small Businesses to encourage growth by: • Providing access and having a quick and easy referral system to the existing array of technical support and resources of partner organisations • Offering dedicated mentors/account managers • Facilitating banking and accountancy support • Provide a bespoke recruitment service
What does the JUFB service look like? • Recruitment Support • Pre-recruitment Training • Financial Incentives • Business Growth advice • Business Growth support
Edinburgh’s Business Support Service ‘JOINED UP FOR BUSINESS’ Seeks to: Grow Employment Opportunities by Making It Easier To Do Business in Edinburgh Context and Edinburgh’s Business Support Service Model Employer Offer Coordinator Joint EET & BG working (expanding as it develops) Joined up for Business (Employer Engagement Team & Skills Training) Business Gateway (Business Advice & Relations Management) One Team One Focus One Shop Window One City Service
What is different in Edinburgh? • A working partnership at all levels, across a wide spectrum • City of Edinburgh Council’s ‘Strategy for Jobs’ • Business Gateway Services delivered in-house by City of Edinburgh Council • One door Approach for access to the broader Council Service e.g. Planning, Environmental Health, Trading Standards etc • Single Point of Contact in JUFB for Businesses • Senior management support & endorsement • Dedicated Employer Engagement Team • Co-location where possible
Critical factors to make it work • Sustaining support and drive from senior management • Dedicated development programme - buy-in from staff • Dedicated resource to co-ordinate the initiative • Clear understanding of the products on offer from each organisation • Regular flow of information to EET and BG Teams • Simple data capture system • Rapid response mechanism to meet business needs
Facts • Over 100 enquiries from Employers and Partners through CCP alone this year ( from base of zero!) • Around 20 referrals from Business Gateway for Recruitment , Training and Funding support • New Business Growth Advisers appointed • Dedicated HR Adviser planned • Joint Veterans Support in place between BG and JCP
Case Studies • Sole Trader decided to employ one permanent person then quickly engaged with work experience which gave another person a permanent job • Sole Trader approached Employer Adviser to get business growth advice, now taken on a JET school leaver & working with SDS to develop a Modern Apprenticeship on Cycle Maintenance • Small employer planning to double staff and annual turnover in next 6 months – recruitment, financial and business growth support all in place
Future Plans • HR Business Gateway Adviser being recruited • Develop the Recruitment & Skills Centre at Fort Kinnaird Shopping Centre • Develop focussed marketing aimed at SMEs • Increase response capability by a progress centre approach • Develop more Co-location where possible
Staff Development • Employer Engagement Staff up-skilling training – ‘Building Effective Employer Relations’ - over 70 people now gone through this training • Master Classes – sales/marketing the employer offer and financial incentive • Speed-dating/networking Events to build networks, develop knowledge and gain trust • Knowledge Building and Communication Workshops – gain understanding of what is available from each of the key partners to support employers’ recruitment and growth in the city • Job-shadowing Programme • Provide Sectoral awareness training to Client Advisers to familiarise them with employers’ needs