DWP encourages employers to recruit Kickstart candidates at local Job Centres

In an effort to get as many young people at work as possible, employers are now encouraged to conduct their recruitment process for Kickstart candidates at their local Job Centres.  With our increasing experience of the scheme and direct feedback from clients and DWP personnel, we can say that this is the most effective way to conduct the recruitment process for Kickstart candidates. Conducting the interviews at a local job centre can be a lot more time effective as it allows employers to expedite the application process by allocating a time to interview several candidates in one session, rather than in an ad-hoc way.

Kickstart candidates who interview at local job centres are likely to be a suitable match for the role as their Work Coach will pre-select those with suitable skills for the role before referring them. Additionally, conducting interviews in this way can ensure that you have time to get suitable employees in time for the next academic year as Kickstart candidates are usually immediately ready to begin working.

In addition, this will help reduce the likelihood of candidates not showing up, employers not finding the right link or issues with the application form which can be completed after an interview has been delivered. We are happy that this is not a concern from a safer recruitment perspective, and we have taken advice on this from PHP Law, as specialist education law firm. This is just one part of the process being carried out before the other.

Below are some comments from one of our clients from Bell Lane Primary School, who recently benefited from interviewing candidates at their local job centre:

With the summer holidays fast approaching, education providers looking to recruit suitable candidates for a September start would greatly benefit from interviewing a number of young people at the Job Centre in one session. We are happy to organise any of these sessions on behalf of employers.

WW