6 minute read
Skills and Employability
Employers urged to use their kickstarters or lose them, as Government scheme deadline looms
The chief executive of Liverpool City Region-based I Am Moore (IAM) has called on employers who are signed up to the Government’s Kickstart Scheme to use their kickstarters or lose them, before the March 2022 deadline.
Headed up by Lynn Lock, I Am Moore is a social impact mission set up to upskill and support young professionals from their initial meetings in Jobcentres until the end of a paid six month role, and then into long-term employment. So far, I Am Moore has placed over 180 young people into work - 29 in the last month alone - but there are employers signed up to the mission still yet to take the full opportunity the scheme presents.
Chief executive, I Am Moore, Lynn Lock, said: “There are a number of kickstart gateways like I Am Moore that have employers signed up but still yet to employ a kickstarter. This may be because they’ve not met a candidate suitable for a particular role or they’ve simply not had the time to go through the process.
“I want to remind those looking to employ young people about the amazing opportunities and benefits to their business the Kickstart Scheme can bring. You can train someone for a certain skill, which you are also paid to do, and their salary is reimbursed. And if you have a need for a specific skill, don’t be afraid to diversify your search and train them for what is needed in your business. The options are endless and very flexible, and as a gateway we will hold your hand throughout the whole process. But I do urge them to act now before the March 31 deadline.”
Working with employers from a range of sectors including hospitality, education and construction, I Am Moore’s pledge to get young adults aged 16-24 from across the Liverpool City Region and beyond into paid employment continues, with the aim of placing 500 candidates before the March deadline.
For more information about I Am Moore and the job vacancies available, visit https://www.iammoore.org/, or contact Lynn Lock on lynn@jaynemooremedia.com
Preparing for Hybrid Futures
During the pandemic over 100m people across Europe began to work from home, many of them doing so for the first time. Both organisations and their employees were forced to adapt to the ‘great working from home experiment’, and many of them found that remote work was not only possible but better than expected. Although there were challenges along the way (especially the often reported ‘Zoom Fatigue’), it quickly became apparent that remote work was highly desired by employees, with around two thirds saying they would like the option for flexible working in future.
Many businesses have responded to this demand with the introduction of hybrid working arrangements, where employees spend time in the office with colleagues as well as time working from home. When we think of this in relation to our students here at LJMU, remote working at scale was not common before the pandemic, and its introduction does present a range of questions for organisations and HE Institutions to address. What should policies and procedures say? How should hybrid and remote workers be managed? How often should employees attend the office? What are the health and safety implications of working from home? This all becomes relevant for our graduates’ futures.
Early career professionals without experience of building working relationships or managing office life can also find remote work difficult to navigate. Not everyone can or wants to work from home; some find that working from home is good for their wellbeing and work life balance, whereas others feel isolated or unable to switch off when their work equipment is in their personal space.
However, as hybrid work can lead to significant benefits for organisations, we need to consider how we address this to support the hybrid futures of our graduates. At LJMU, we are preparing our students for the hybrid workforce through our curriculum and by working with employers to deliver hybrid internships, yearlong placements, and live projects.
This activity is ongoing with students engaging in hybrid internships with employers across the Liverpool City Region. We can also support SME’s as they navigate their way through hybrid working via the Liverpool Business School’s Business Clinic.
Want to know more or get involved. Get in touch employerengagement@ljmu.ac.uk
University of Liverpool School of Management delivers government-backed management programme “Help to Grow”
to support local SME business leaders.
The School of Management at the University of Liverpool is delighted to be supporting this government initiative. It is a collaboration between the Treasury, BEIS, the Small Business Charter and the Chartered Association of Business Schools.
Iona Thomson, Client Director at SoM spoke with Liverpool Chamber’s Business Growth and Membership Manager Tom Woolley, who is currently taking part in the programme.
How are you finding the Help to Grow Management Course?
I have found the content covered so far to be of a very high quality and incredibly helpful in my role at Liverpool Chamber. The course has provided targeted, essential information while covering each topic so far, and has given me practical tools which I am already using in my day to day role. The peer group discussions have been excellent too; the opportunity to discuss issues and ideas with a network of fellow professionals is a really valuable aspect of this course.
I have already met with my mentor twice, and we are working on a growth plan to develop a key aspect of the business. The opportunity to step back from my “day job” and critically evaluate the ways in which I could develop key income streams has been a particular highlight of the course.
How is the programme delivering value to you aside from the learning content?
The main benefit that I have found from enrolling on this course has been the focussed time to step back and view Liverpool Chamber from the outside, evaluating opportunities and considering the best strategy to take the business forward. I have also found it very useful to develop a network of trusted fellow professionals, and I’m sure with the new skills I am learning on the course that I’ll be able to convince some of them to be future members of Liverpool Chamber too!
How is learning with other regional SME’s contributing to your role?
It is incredibly enlightening to see that no matter what sector a business operates in, we all face very similar challenges. This is particularly true in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and so this part of the course has been particularly relevant in the current climate.
Are there any key insights or takeaways so far that you have found useful for your role as Business Growth & Partnerships Manager at the Liverpool Chamber?
The key take-away for me has been the opportunity to look at the business from the outside and to take time to plan how we will grow in the short, medium and long term. This time, coupled with guidance from top academics and an expert mentor, has made the Help to Grow programme incredibly useful for Liverpool Chamber and I, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it as an excellent opportunity to anybody within the business community.
The programme aims to enhance UK productivity and give support to businesses post the pandemic. UK productivity has levelled out since 2008, which has pulled down the UK economic performance: this formal programme of taught skills is to support businesses to make a difference: to grow and develop their capabilities.
The course is shaped to deliver practical, applied management education to leaders and managers of small and medium-sized businesses. Each School brings their own capability to the shared curriculum. Professor Robert Blackburn, Director of the Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship noted that the Liverpool City Region has a thriving SME community which significantly contributes to regional prosperity, jobs and growth. The Help to Grow Programme is one of a range of school activities which contribute to local entrepreneurial ecosystems.
For more information go to:
https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/management/ for-business/help-to-grow/
Contact Iona on
