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Temp Training Reaps Benefits For All

Recruiter, 3rd February 2010

Training up your temps might not seem an obvious course of action to take in these cash-strapped times, but as Colin Cottell discovered this has given many recruiters the edge over their competitors
Everyone is a winner, according to recruiters who have added a string to their bow by training their candidates. Recruiters receive an additional and welcome revenue stream, the workers gain essential skills, and clients benefit from a more highly skilled workforce.
The reputation of the recruitment industry is also given a welcome boost, confounding its critics, who argue that agency workers are second class citizens vis à vis their permanent colleagues.
A SecsLife survey (2007/08) by office recruiter Gordon Yates found that 41% of temps received some form of induction training and 43% were offered informal help from an existing staff member. By comparison, according to the secsLife 2009/10 survey, 82% of employers provide training for their permanent support staff.
Lack of training was one reason why construction recruiter Contract Scotland first began to train its contractors in 2004. “We began to notice that only those contractors out of work had the time to access these training courses [SMSTS – site management training five-day certificates and first aid courses], meaning those in work could be at a disadvantage when their contracts came to an end. We wanted to provide increased access to training courses for everyone,” says Carolyn Murray, Contract Scotland’s training & development manager.
Heather Slade, head of training at technical recruiter Advanced Resource Managers (ARM), says the company first began training its candidates five or six years ago in response to demand from both clients and candidates. She says one of the most popular training the company offers is Prince2 – a project management qualification. “Candidates might need a particular qualification to get to the next stage of their career, and we help them achieve that,” she says. “They are obviously increasing their skills so that their CVs are stronger and the number of opportunities open to them is wider, so it’s a career builder, really.”
Richard Grace, managing director of office recruiter Gordon Yates, says that offering their temporary secretarial workers training in the latest software fits in with the company credo, “by making sense to its ’Three Cs’ – candidates, clients and colleagues”.
But above and beyond this the recruitment industry receives a much needed boost, he argues. “We do have a positive impact on the world, but I don’t know how many people realise that.” 

Temp training reaps benefits for everyone, by Colin Cottell, Recruiter 3rd February 2010
To read the full article, visit www.recruiter.co.uk.

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