Joined Up For Joined Up For BusinessBusiness

Susan HarkinsSusan HarkinsBusiness Gateway Manager, Business Gateway Manager,

EdinburghEdinburghRhona McLindenRhona McLindenEmployer Engagement Manager, Employer Engagement Manager,

Capital City PartnershipCapital 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

 

Context and Edinburgh’s Business Context and Edinburgh’s Business Support Service ModelSupport Service Model

Joined up for Business (Employer Engagement Team & Skills Training)

Business Gateway (Business Advice & Relations

Management) 

Joint EET & BG working (expanding

as it develops)

Employer Offer Coordinator

One Team

One Focus

One Shop Window

One City Service

 

Edinburgh’s Business Support Service‘JOINED UP FOR BUSINESS’

Seeks to: Grow Employment Opportunities by Making It Easier To Do Business in Edinburgh

   

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

1. Sole Trader decided to employ one permanent person then quickly engaged with work experience which gave another person a permanent job

2. 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

3. 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

Any Questions?