Waterstones ends unpaid work placements
A high street book store has pulled out of the coalition government’s Work Experience scheme after discovering that unemployed people were working at one of its outlets without pay. The Guardian said that, after it had highlighted the practice taking place at a branch of Waterstones, the retailer initiated a review of the situation. It […]
Awards shortlist for best internship provider unveiled
IBM and BP are among those shortlisted in the ‘best large organisation’ category for the National Council for Work Experience‘s 2012 Awards, which are due to be held next month in London. The British Red Cross and Cancer Research UK are likewise among the ‘best charity’ nominations, but the winners of all 13 categories will […]
Apprenticeships must provide more value for money, warns NAO
While adult apprenticeships provide a good return on public investment overall, value for money could be significantly improved by upping standards in line with other European countries, the government spending watchdog has advised. The report by the National Audit Office, released only days before the start of National Apprenticeship Week next week, revealed that, while […]
Trends 2012: Employment law
With so many new legislative proposals around at the moment, this summary sets out details of what is coming into force and when in order to help you plan for the changes over the year ahead and beyond. 1 February 2012 The annual increase to Employment Tribunal limits will take place. The maximum compensatory […]
Work experience scheme launched to help autistic adults get jobs
The National Autistic Society’s recruitment service is piloting a new 28-week course entitled ‘Preparation for Employment’ to help adults with the condition move into work. NAS surveys indicate that only 15% of autistic adults are currently in full-time employment, even though most are willing and able to work. Key barriers to finding and keeping a […]
Heads of flagship government apprenticeship schemes quit
The heads of both of the Coalition Government’s flagship multi-billion pound apprenticeship schemes have resigned on the same day. Geoff Russell, who heads up the Skills Funding Agency, and Simon Waugh, who was chief executive of the National Apprenticeship Service, both announced today that they plan to step down. Russell, who will leave his […]
100 employers pledge to open up equality of internship opportunities
More than 100 companies have signed up to Nick Clegg’s social mobility strategy and pledged to take concrete steps to open up work experience opportunities to young people from all backgrounds. Signatories to the Government’s so-called ‘Business Compact’ include nearly 20 financial services companies such as Barclays and HSBC, 10 high street retailers including Tesco […]
BMW negotiates with unions over agency worker get-out clause
BMW has entered into negotiations with unions over its use of a legal get-out clause to the Agency Worker Regulations, which would result in it not having to pay temp workers the same as permanent ones. The luxury car manufacturer had intended to employ the so-called ‘Swedish derogation’, which enables recruitment agencies to employ temps […]
Graduate recruitment to return to 2007 levels this year
Graduate recruitment is expected to return to pre-credit crunch volumes this year, although median starting salaries will remain unchanged at £29,000 per annum across all sectors. These are the key findings of a report entitled ‘High Fliers: The Graduate Market in 2012’, which was published by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The study revealed that hiring among the […]
UK’s largest employer bodies endorse ‘Youth Contract’
The UK’s four largest employer organisations have formally endorsed the Coalition Government’s flagship Youth Contract scheme and are urging their members to back the initiative. At a roundtable discussion today, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg welcomed support from The Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce, British Retail Consortium and Federation of Small Businesses […]
Unemployment so bad ‘even Santa’s elves feel insecure’
The official pre-Christmas job figures are so bad that even Santa’s elves should be worrying about their positions, experts have warned. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, the number of unemployed jumped by 128,000 to 2.64 million for the three months to October – the highest figure since 1994. The overall joblessness […]
Fashion houses face intern probes from next year
HM Revenue & Customs has warned fashion houses and designer labels against failing to pay the National Minimum Wage to interns. The government department wrote to London Fashion Week’s 102 exhibitors cautioning against using interns as employees as unpaid labour and cautioned that it would start compliance visits at the beginning of the New Year. […]
Call for employers to offer ex-forces training and work placements
Organisations representing the interests of ex-service personnel have called on the Coalition Government to encourage civilian employers to offer practical support in the form of training programmes and work placements. A report submitted to the House of Commons today by former Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Mike Jackson, who is head trustee of […]
250 employers win funding bid to offer degree-level apprenticeships
Unilever, Legal & General and Burberry are among the 250 employers that are to start offering degree-level apprenticeship schemes for the first time after being awarded Government funding. The winning bids were unveiled today by Business Secretary Vince Cable when he visited TNT UK, in Bodmin, Cornwall. The parcel delivery company is to work with […]
Clegg to fund youth wage subsidy by taxing rich
A new £1bn wage subsidiary scheme for employers hiring jobless youths is likely to be funded by taxing "people with the broadest shoulders", Nick Clegg said today. The Deputy Prime Minister announced that, from April next year, the £1 billion Youth Contract scheme will provide a subsidy worth £2,275 to any business owner taking on an […]
News Analysis: Cleggs’ ‘Youth Contract’ meets lukewarm reception
The Coalition Government’s £1 billion scheme to offer employers wage subsidies to hire young people has met with a lukewarm reception. From next April, the aim of the so-called ‘Youth Contract’ is to create up to 400,000 work and training placements for 18-to-24 year olds by paying employers wage incentives equivalent to half of the […]
Legal Insight: Working through the internship issue
Interns Anonymous recently revealed that 50% of the 647 interns it surveyed had completed at least two placements, with 86% indicating that each had lasted longer than a month. Given the apparent confusion about the legal situation surrounding internships and the fact that their popularity is continuing to mount, it is essential that HR professionals […]
Employers asked to bid for chunk of £250m apprenticeship pot
In a bid to try and tackle soaring youth unemployment, the Coalition Government is asking employers to bid for a chunk of a £250 million pot next year to take on new apprentices. The news came only weeks after the leak of a document from Business Secretary Vince Cable’s department revealing that official apprenticeship figures […]
Investment in work-based training has direct impact on bottom line
Investment in work experience, quality work-based training and apprenticeships provides not just soft intangible benefits, but also has a positive impact on the bottom line, a UK academic has advised. Jonathan Garnett, dean of the Institute for Work-Based Learning at Middlesex University, which held a ‘Getting the UK Working’ conference with employers lobby group, the […]
HR Forum: Shropshire Council – a talent strategy for change
In a bid to cope with huge organisational change as well as the implications of employing an ageing workforce, Shropshire County Council has introduced a proactive talent management strategy to try and ‘grow its own’ leaders of the future. The Conservative-led local authority hit the headlines this July after sending letters to each of its […]
