Untapped talent: creating pathways into work

And I suppose that's where I wanted to start.

And Sarah, maybe I'll come back to you with this.

You know, when we talk sometimes as recruiters, we talk about the potential for there being a lack of talent.

Do you think that's a bit of evasion tactic when really the issue is a lack of access and opportunity, people not getting the pathways to the jobs that there are? And if that's true, how much of an issue is it for us as recruiters?

Yeah.

Absolutely.

I think the talent is there in spades.

I think that the accessibility and awareness is a huge issue, especially, as I said before, I'm representing the creative industry and the marketing communications industry.

That's, uh, that's where we, our background is based.

And knowing about those jobs and understanding those jobs, um, is a huge part of the problem.

Um, and then accessibility in terms of the networks that you move in and the people that you know play a large part in being made aware of the jobs being available.

Is some of that about visibility and representation?Or are there other things that we should be doing? I mean, you, you're supporting industries like marketing and communications.

It would seem to me that being able to...

You have to see it to want to be in.

Is that reasonable?

Yeah, absolutely.

Um, um, what we're all about is taking young people in their first or second job, in it happens to be in this industry, but it could be in any, in any industry, into schools and colleges and universities because they're role models, and they're relatable.

We're very supportive of ethnic minority groups and, and underrepresented groups generally.

But I think that more and more we need to go into schools and colleges and universities and let our young people demonstrate their lived experiences, their challenges, their journeys, a day in the life.

Um, and that's what we're doing at the moment with schools and colleges and universities so that the students don't just get awareness, but they get role models and someone that can then mentor them, that they can ask questions to build up that enthusiasm to get into their first and second job, and very much so it's about that accessibility.

So, and understanding what is a day-to-day part of that job, and I think there's a gap really at the moment between the employability organizations and the recruiters to take people from within their roles into the communities that are looking for jobs, but not really knowing what's available or what they could do.

And I suppose that's where I wanted to start.

And Sarah, maybe I'll come back to you with this.

You know, when we talk sometimes as recruiters, we talk about the potential for there being a lack of talent.

Do you think that's a bit of evasion tactic when really the issue is a lack of access and opportunity, people not getting the pathways to the jobs that there are? And if that's true, how much of an issue is it for us as recruiters?

Yeah.

Absolutely.

I think the talent is there in spades.

I think that the accessibility and awareness is a huge issue, especially, as I said before, I'm representing the creative industry and the marketing communications industry.

That's, uh, that's where we, our background is based.

And knowing about those jobs and understanding those jobs, um, is a huge part of the problem.

Um, and then accessibility in terms of the networks that you move in and the people that you know play a large part in being made aware of the jobs being available.

Is some of that about visibility and representation?Or are there other things that we should be doing? I mean, you, you're supporting industries like marketing and communications.

It would seem to me that being able to...

You have to see it to want to be in.

Is that reasonable?

Yeah, absolutely.

Um, um, what we're all about is taking young people in their first or second job, in it happens to be in this industry, but it could be in any, in any industry, into schools and colleges and universities because they're role models, and they're relatable.

We're very supportive of ethnic minority groups and, and underrepresented groups generally.

But I think that more and more we need to go into schools and colleges and universities and let our young people demonstrate their lived experiences, their challenges, their journeys, a day in the life.

Um, and that's what we're doing at the moment with schools and colleges and universities so that the students don't just get awareness, but they get role models and someone that can then mentor them, that they can ask questions to build up that enthusiasm to get into their first and second job, and very much so it's about that accessibility.

So, and understanding what is a day-to-day part of that job, and I think there's a gap really at the moment between the employability organizations and the recruiters to take people from within their roles into the communities that are looking for jobs, but not really knowing what's available or what they could do.