The MG Rover Task Force created a Job Matching Service and Manufacturing Skills Hub to support and enhance the recruitment activities of engineering and manufacturing employers and maximise the retention and development of skilled staff within the region, in particular those made redundant from MG Rover, Powertrain, Peugeot and MG Rover supply chain companies. Almost 800 individuals are registered on the scheme.

  This service included the following company offer:

—    Travel support for the Ex-MG Rover/Supply Chain/Peugeot, up to £75 per week for 20 weeks.

—    A company induction support allowance of £50 per week, for 12 weeks for each new recruit when they undertake the training support element.

—    Each individual recruited will be entitled to free retraining or upskilling typically to NVQ level 2/3 relevant to the needs of the business.

—    In addition the company will be entitled to free retraining or upskilling as noted above for an additional employee for each ex- MG Rover, Powertrain, Peugeot or supply chain employee recruited.

INITIAL JOB MATCHING ELEMENT

  From a personal perspective Job Centre Plus standard service was the best kept secret that we had come across in years. JCP have created a record system that builds up a comprehensive history of an individual's employment history. The system is also able to track employer's vacancies, who has applied and who has been recruited for that vacancy. The system also provides alerts to JCP staff to confirm recruitment or not against advertised vacancy. All JCP vacancies are advertised on the JCP intranet and the Internet. This free service is often used by agencies, who then charge companies large sums of money for finding suitable recruits.

  The only indirect negative comment regarding the JCP service was from employers who repetitively said more than half of the applicants never turned up for interview, to the extent that employers were put off using the JCP service in the future.

  Initially it was hoped that a direct matching service would be provided by sending vacancies from JCP to the HR department at MG Rover, for staff to search and contact suitable ex-MG Rover employees enabling then to apply for suitable posts. This was not as successful as anticipated, due to issues around using and sharing data between agencies, plus not enough information regarding individual's competences was held on file to enable an appropriate match. After writing to all ex-MG Rover employees only 1,000 agreed to participate in this level of support.

  What was extremely successful, were the weekly newsletters, which were sent out to ex-MG Rover employees summarising current JCP vacancies, any individual actively seeking employment acted on this weekly information. A number of employers found the initial job fairs an excellent means of recruiting ex-Rover individuals.

  If we could get employers to write job descriptions in the format of national competences and likewise individuals CV's then in future a true job matching service could be provided.

COMPANY OFFER

  The offer of travel support, induction payment and free training was given within three weeks of the plant closure. As a consequence no systems were in place to contract with companies for the payment of travel and induction support or providers for the delivery of the free training. It took considerable time for these systems to be put in place, which resulted in a number of upset individuals although no formal complaints were received. We need to learn from this and make sure existing systems can be adopted immediately or those systems created for this situation are recorded and can be pulled out again when needed.

  The regional agencies pulled together to support those affected by the MG Rover Plant closure, this did have an adverse affect when some parties involved issued statements or newspaper editorials summarising the offer, which in turn lead to multiple interpretations of the offer and confusion to potential recipients.

  The multiple agencies involved in the delivery of this offer initially created their own but similar spreadsheets with slight difference depending on their focus within it. Information collection and storage is a time consuming business. Eventually a shared database was created, although it still has limitations and needs to be developed further. It would be worth looking at setting up shared databases that could be used in similar circumstances, all information stored in one place with the various agencies having limited access to ensure we do not contravene the data protection act.

TRAINING OFFER

  Skill4Auto's main role as an independent broker, within the offer was to make contact with the employer and support the identification of the employer's training need for the ex-MG Rover individual and matched existing employee/s. Once the training need was established then Skills4Auto would recommend where possible a local Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) or quality assured LSC approved provider. If the company had an existing relationship with a provider then they could stipulate whom they wanted to deliver the training. This initial process was not as easy as it sounds. Companies participating in this offer ranged from multi-national to small companies employing two people. Some had on-going working relationships with LSC providers, some looked upon training as a hindrance not a help. Generally it took anything between half a day to three days to establish training needs and source a suitable provider.

  With our experience we were not surprised to find out how difficult it was to source training and speak to the right person within the LSC provider provision. Skills4Auto aimed to remove that difficulty for employers and made sure the provider was able to satisfy the companies training need before connecting both parties. We used various means to source training from Learn Direct, sub-regional skills search stations, local colleges to general searches on the internet.

  Under the training offer the LSC ideally wanted companies to pick up NVQ's but this was not always appropriate. Some companies had already participated in the NVQ qualification system and did not want to go near it again as they found it time consuming and as a company did not get a benefit from it. What has been most popular is the industry written Business Improvement Techniques NVQ, which companies do see as a positive contribution to the success of their business and the individual. Smaller industries without national competences were able to gain training through private providers as an exception to the rule.

SUMMARY

  As an offer it provided a good balance to the individual, employer and the local economy.

  Generally it is difficult to engage companies; in many cases we had to sell this offer. In future we need to ensure we streamline the process and having the privilege of supporting the offer from the beginning, never under-estimate the benefits of building a relationship and single point of contact to move agendas forward.

  Companies were genuinely impressed with the calibre of staff from MG Rover and even actively tried to employ Rover individuals as a means of benefit to society.

  Sourcing training and providing an independent brokerage service was greatly received by participating companies.