CHAMBER NEWS KICKSTART CASE STUDY: EXPRESS RECRUITMENT, NOTTINGHAM


Matt Rawding, from Nottingham, had struggled to find permanent employment since completing a business and marketing degree at Nottingham Trent University last summer. He recalled watching a news interview on his


graduation day in which a local business owner said it was the “worst time ever” for graduates looking for jobs. “This was really scary for me, particularly as a


business graduate wanting to work in an office environment, when so many businesses were making redundancies or closing.” But the 22-year-old now has a career path laid out


in front of him after joining Express Recruitment, a family-run SME based in Nottingham city centre, in February as a sales consultant via the Kickstart scheme.


He said it has protected his mental health during


the pandemic, adding: “The Kickstart Scheme is so important to me and my generation because it has given us all the opportunity to get into a work environment. We can now see a future that we perhaps couldn’t see this time last year.” Operations manager Theo Kirk said the company,


which employs 14 full-time and four part-time staff, believes the Kickstart scheme provides mutual benefits for both the employee and employer. She said young people are more equipped to deal


with constant changes in the workplace, while the subsidised wages has enabled the business to grow sustainably by pursuing new sales opportunities. She said: “Taking part in the Kickstart Scheme has


also cemented our idea that young employees can bring a new or different way of thinking to the business.”


trial new roles that could lead to future growth. “There’s still plenty of time for


employers to sign up and we continue to work with local authorities to engage with companies about why they should take advantage of the scheme while they can.” The £2bn Kickstart scheme pays


for 100% of the age-relevant National Minimum Wage, national insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week. Employers can choose to top up


this wage and are also eligible for a £1,500 Government grant for training people on a Kickstart placement. Once applications are accepted,


young people are referred into the roles via a Jobcentre Plus work coach. The scheme is due to run until 31


December – the date when Kickstart jobs must begin – with funding available until 30 June 2022. The Chamber recommends making applications by the beginning of August.


Express Recruitment operations manager Theo Kirk and sales consultant Matt Rawding


Businesses interested in applying for a Kickstart scheme grant should contact East Midlands Chamber education and business partnership manager Pieter Eksteen on pieter.eksteen@emc-dnl.co.uk or 0333 320 0333 (Ext 2241).


business network June 2021


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