Shock from recruitment industry over DfE plans to abolish safeguarding children Quality Mark

Today the Department for Education announced their intentions to discontinue the  DfE Quality Mark Scheme from 31st March 2013.  The Quality Mark was first launched in July 2002 to help drive up standards in the education recruitment sector. The Quality Mark sets minimum standards for supply teaching agencies like how they interview, the vetting procedures when placing staff in to schools and much more.

In response to this Director and owner of Aspire People, a supply teaching agency in the Midlands said: "The Quality Mark is recognised as an important badge of best practice by LEAs, schools, parents and recruitment agencies. It is the only legitimate way of auditing the education recruitment industry, has raised the standards of supply teachers and ensured that recruitment agency are carrying out the necessary safeguarding and vetting checks properly. Further to this agencies will no longer be accountable."

Aspire People's Operations & HR Manager, Daniel Dawkins said: "We are keen for the Recruitment Employment Confederation to develop a new audit scheme to go live from April 2013 which QM holders can transfer on to. We are having a webinar this Friday with QM and REC regarding this."

The Recruitment Employment Confederation (REC) are writing to Michael Gove and David Laws to ask them to reconsider the decision. 

Source  http://www.onrec.com/news/news-archive/shock-from-recruitment-industry-over-dfe-plans-to-abolish-safeguarding-children-qu

London bankers fear bonus "donuts" to double

Twice as many London bankers fear the dreaded "donut", or zero bonus, in the current pay season compared to a year ago, according to a survey released on Monday.

Financial services recruitment services firm Astbury Marsden said a poll of bankers in London showed 22 percent are not expecting a bonus of any kind from pay awards covering 2012 performance, compared to 11 percent a year ago.

Regulators and politicians are taking a harder line on excessive pay, and Astbury Marsden said 44 percent of those polled cited that pressure as negatively impacting their pay.

Banks including Barclays , Deutsche Bank , UBS and Goldman Sachs are also keen to cut costs in a tough environment and show they have learned lessons from the past, which is also putting pressure on pay.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) predicts bonuses for 2012 in London's financial sector will more than halve to 1.6 billion pounds from last year, and will keep falling until 2015.

Bonuses - typically paid in February and March - will be down 86 percent from the record 11.5 billion pounds paid out in 2007/08, the CEBR said.

Bonuses still make up a big percentage of pay in the industry, and managing directors expected them to be worth 88 percent of their base salary.

Almost half of those surveyed said they would look to change employer if they were unhappy with their bonus, the number of those who would look to move overseas fell to 14 percent, half the level of two years ago.

A separate survey released on Monday said a third of London financial workers expect their base pay to rise in 2013, as firms try to attract and retain the best talent.

International Recruitment firm Morgan McKinley said 57 percent of financial workers it polled expected compensation to remain relatively flat this year and 33 percent expected a pay rise of up to 10 percent. Half of those expecting an increase cited firms' need to attract and retain the best talent as the main reason.

Morgan McKinley said there was a 36 percent drop in registered job vacancies in financial services in December from the previous month to 1,323 positions, down 24 percent from a year earlier.

It said it expects a pick up this month, as a seasonal slowdown in December was compounded by some banks postponing hiring until the new year.

Source  http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/a/-/world/15888343/london-bankers-fear-bonus-donuts-to-double/

Are LinkedIn, Monster killing the recruitment industry?

Since the growth of LinkedIn, a social networking website for people in professional job positions, many have pegged the question: is the recruiting industry dead? As the employment pool grows and the job vacancies shrink, companies rely on recruitment.

Business Insider published an article last spring that discussed how the headhunting industry, otherwise known as recruitment, was dying. Through websites such as Monster,LinkedIn and Workopolis, companies can find top talents and workers can find the best positions that suit their skills for free.

Indeed, the Internet has forced industries to evolve, while also creating a scarcity in other fields. Before the days of LinkedIn, businesses had to pay headhunters to discover the ideal worker. Nowadays, as these websites offer free services, companies can simply do it themselves without paying an exorbitant fee.

“In November 2008, in one week’s time, I lost 50 job orders. Everything just shut down. I don’t think it ever really came back, or will ever come back,” said Andrea Sobel, a former headhunter for more than two decades, in an interview with the business publication. “I think companies, in the meantime, have pretty much figured out how to do it without agencies, because of the internet mainly.”

With the unemployment rate in the United States hovering just under eight percent and an enormous phalanx of workers seeking jobs, companies may resort to recruitment agency again in the future.

Canon Recruiting Group, a recruitment firm for senior banking, IT, medical, insurance and technical professionals, has, perhaps surprisingly, become one of the nation’s fastest growing companies. Founded in 1980 by Tim Grayem, the California-based business has been recognized as one of the top human resources companies in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and sales have grown 584 percent during a three-year period from 2009 to 2011.T

he award-winning company, which maintains 500+ employees, notes that it specializes in hard-to-find and hard-to-fill positions, something that LinkedIn may very well lack because it has, according to its own statistics, more than 200 million registered users in 200 nations and territories.

Aside from recruiting, it also offers staffing solutions, consulting services, such as outsourcing and mergers and acquisitions, and payroll functions – it claims to have never missed a payroll in the company’s history.

For those looking for work, its website consists of a job board that lists professional employment opportunities in the U.S., such as project manager, mortgage closer, government and conventional underwriters and mechanical engineer.

Perhaps a job board is easy to search on and navigate and there is a pool of talent waiting to be tapped, but there isn’t a personalized touch, a trait that recruiting agencies are known to specialize in. Even if budgets at firms are tight, utilizing recruiting experts may pay dividends in the future with an array of professional, experienced, talented and skilled employees to carry out the necessary tasks.

As ERE.net writes: “LinkedIn needs recruitment to survive. Despite views to the contrary, recruitment companies still contribute the lion’s share of its revenue. LinkedIn is undoubtedly negatively impacting parts of the recruitment services market. But it’s not the third-party agencies. It’s the job boards.”

Source  http://www.futureofmediaevents.com/2013/01/16/are-linkedin-monster-killing-the-recruitment-industry/

Australian foreign minister warns against revising Kono statement

Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr said Japan should honor its 1993 statement acknowledging that the Japanese military forcefully recruited "comfort women" to provide sex for its soldiers before and during World War II.

That episode was one of the darkest in modern history, and a revision of the statement, issued by the then chief Cabinet secretary, is undesirable, Carr said in a joint news conference with his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, in Sydney on Jan. 13.

The government’s official statement, presented by Yohei Kono, acknowledged, “The then Japanese military was, directly or indirectly, involved in the establishment and management of the comfort stations and the transfer of comfort women.”

Responding to questions by Australian media, Kishida said, “Prime Minister Shinzo Abe feels distressed about the issue of comfort women, and he has the same thoughts as those of the successive prime ministers (following the statement).”

Kishida indicated the possibility of Abe upholding two statements by Prime Ministers Tomiichi Murayama and Junichiro Koizumi during their tenure that expressed apology and remorse over the Japanese invasion and colonial rule.

"(Abe) will honor the Murayama statement issued 50 years after the end of the war and the Koizumi statement 60 years after," he said.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga indicated caution about reviewing the Kono statement in a Jan. 4 interview.

But he also said the first Abe government (2006-2007) decided at a Cabinet meeting that documents found by the government carried no description directly indicating the forcible recruitment services and transfer of comfort women to so-called "comfort stations."

Suga also indicated that while upholding the Murayama statement, Abe would provide his own statement.

The Australian foreign minister’s remarks are believed to be intended to express concerns about all of these moves.

The foreign ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation with the United States over security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

But Carr took a mild tone in the news conference, saying they are not trying to contain China.

Patrys given nod to advance bone marrow cancer trial

Patrys (ASX: PAB) is progressing its Phase I/IIa PAT-SM6 multiple myeloma trial in Germany after receiving positive safety data from the first group of patients.

The company has received approval from the independent board monitoring the trial to move to begin treatment of the second group of patients after no significant adverse events were reported from the first group.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow, with the disease characterised by too many malignant (cancerous) plasma cells being produced.

The first group of three patients was treated in the Department of Haematology and Oncology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Germany, with each patient receiving four doses of Patrys’ lead antibody PAT-SM6, at a dose level of 0.3mg/kg.

Full data from this first cohort will be available in the March quarter of 2013.

The recruitment services of the second group of three patients has already begun, and each of the patients will initially receive four doses of PAT-SM6 at a dose level of 1mg/kg.

The trial is an open-label multi dose escalation trial in relapsed and multi-resistant patients with multiple myeloma who have failed all currently marketed drugs and have a very poor prognosis.

Initially, 12 patients will be enrolled in four dosing groups and will receive a minimum of two cycles of treatment, with additional cycles of treatment offered if a patient shows a partial response.

The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of escalating doses of PAT-SM6, while the secondary objective is to measure efficacy.


Expanding trial

Late last year Patrys received approval to begin the planned Phase I/IIa multiple myeloma trial of its lead anti-cancer product PAT-SM6 in Australia, expanding on earlier approval in Germany.

Approval has been received from the Alfred Hospital Ethics Committee, and the addition of the Australian site will provide Patrys with the option to accelerate patient recruitment rather than relying on a single site.


Growing target market

PAT-SM6 is an anti-tumour antibody that has shown promise as a potential treatment for multiple types of cancer including melanoma and multiple myeloma.

There is an estimated 200,000 cases of myeloma worldwide with only 40% of patients surviving over five years.

The multiple myeloma market is currently dominated by three major products – Revlimid, Velcade and Thalidomide – with combined net sales greater than US$3 billion in 2010.

A trial in patients with this disease is attractive from a development perspective as it is possible to determine very quickly whether the product is working by assessing routine blood counts and bone marrow samples.

Patrys has now screened PAT-SM6 against more than 200 tumours from individual patients with various cancers, and the product binds to over 90% of the tumours screened regardless of cancer type or patient age, gender or disease stage.

The company has successfully completed a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate PAT-SM6 as a therapy for melanoma.

Source  http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/38118/patrys-given-nod-to-advance-bone-marrow-cancer-trial-38118.html

Warning for Kiwis wanting to work in Australia

 New Zealanders are being warned to do their research before heading across the ditch for work.

A recruitment services expert believes over the last year or so the Australian market has dried up, and their government has been doing more to protect their citizens and keep them in work.

Managing Director of Hays New Zealand, Jason Walker, says the days of unskilled workers heading to Australia and picking up six figure salaries are now gone.

He says employers aren't hiring unless people have very specific skills.

Jason Walker also says there's been a number of issues which have made the Australian job market a tough nut to crack.

"It's very difficult, the Queensland government was almost bankrupt and making a significant number of redundancies, and there's a lot of unionised problems and issues over there with the mining sector."

Source  http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbnat/1526616000-warning-for-kiwis-wanting-to-work-in-australia

10 maltreated OFWs sue recruitment agencies, employers for ordeal

Ten maltreated overseas Filipino workers (OFWS) from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have filed cases against their recruiters and principals following their repatriation to the Philippines.

In a report to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Hans Leo Cacdac said the cases have been filed before the POEA’s Docket and Enforcement Division.

Cacdac added that the agency has provided lawyers to help the OFWs pursue their cases.

“The 10 OFWs who filed the cases were among 20 migrant workers who ran away from abusive employers in the United Arab Emirates and were earlier repatriated to the Philippines,” Baldoz said.

She identified them as Nerissa Molleda, Maria Malaya Padilla, Diana Lou Publico, Angela Uyammi, Clarence Viscarra, Mary Chell Afable, Lariza Arceo, Janet Bentero, Jonnalyn Belmosao, and Maida Esmael.

Charged before the POEA were: Futuristic International; Cyber Manpower; Noveau Riche International; Al Mashel Agency; Marhaba Recruitment Agency; Golden Tower Engineering Consultant; Dalandanan Manpower; Al Alammi Labour Recruitment/Ramil Amohtasib; CXM International Recruitment Services, Inc.; Expert Human Resource Consultancy Recruitment; Sky Resources Manpower; Ras Al Khaimah; Konnexion Manpower; Mohammed Naveed Nahrula Siddqi/Dar Almadina; Greenworld Agency; Rashi Mohammed Ali Salim Alkhaya; Dalandan International, et al; Al Amani Labour Recruitment/Royal Emirates Supermarket LLC/Fahad; and Shames Al Sobeh/Madam Rashia.

Cacdac noted that some of the recruiters had no POEA license and record of deployment.

He also cited Futuristic International, and Noveau Riche, which were found to be under documentary suspension by the POEA since November 19, 2011, and July 30, 2012, respectively, due to earlier cases.

Earlier, Labor Attaché to Dubai Delmer Cruz confirmed the repatriation to the country of the 20 maltreated OFWs.

The majority of the abused OFWs were illegally recruited women workers who risked going abroad as tourists and ending up abused and maltreated.

“We continue to stringently warn OFWs against falling prey to illegal recruiters and to immediately report any sign or suspicion of illegal recruitment activity to the POEA,” Cacdac said.

He stressed that recruiters who have continued to recruit OFWs even if their licenses have been suspended or canceled, would be deemed guilty of “blatant defiance of the law.”

Meanwhile, Baldoz reminded the DOLE’s labor attaches in 38 Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) of her earlier directive for them to go all out and prevent or pre-empt such illegal recruitment activities in coordination with Philippine Missions abroad and the POEA.

Baldoz, who sits as the POEA chair, emphasized that POLOs have been empowered to cancel the accreditation of any employer found violating the rules on the hiring and deployment of OFWs without having to go back to the POEA in the Philippines. 

Source  http://globalnation.inquirer.net/61263/10-maltreated-ofws-sue-recruitment-agencies-employers-for-ordeal

UAE creates jobs for Emiratis

An additional 2,000 jobs will be created for Emiratis at the travel and tourism company Emirates Group over the next five years. It is part of an initiative to increase the number of Emiratis in the private sector launched by the President Sheikh Khalifa, the state news agency Wam reported.

Emirates Group signed an agreement with Absher, a ministry initiative that helps companies comply with government policies and Emiratisation initiatives.

Emirates Group will meet annual recruitment services targets specific in the agreement by exchanging applicant information with the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.

Jobs will be created across the company’s 50 divisions, which include Emirates Airline and the air service provider Dnata. It employs 62,000 people and has had an Emirati recruitment programme for more than 20 years.

“The personnel hired as part of this programme will work in all fields and at all levels across The Group, including specialities such as engineering, ground services, inflight services, flight crew and overseas station management,” said Abdul Aziz Al Ali, the company’s executive vice-president of human resources, in a statement.

The Emirates Group will work with the Abu Dhabi Emiratisation Board and the National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority to recruit Emiratis.

Source  http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-1-152990-UAE-creates-jobs-for-Emiratis

Staffing Services Firm AREA To Streamline Recruitment Processes With Development Of App

 What if applying for a job can be as easy as downloading an app for your smartphone?

Australian Regional Employment Agency (AREA), a private company that specialises in the provision of labor to regional and remote locations throughout Australia, recently divulged plans regarding the development of an application for smartphones which will fast-track the recruitment process to the benefit of both job hunters and businesses looking to fulfil their manpower requirements.

Unlike conventional job boards wherein available jobs are posted, AREA has built its own recruitment process called "Target Recruiting." With this system, a person looking to find work in Australia, particularly in the farming, mining, hospitality, construction and entertainment sectors, simply needs to create an account with the recruitment agency to receive notifications about available jobs. Majority of the workers AREA supplies employers are Australian Working Holiday Makers, Working Travellers, and Grey Nomads.

For applicants, this means that they only get notifications about jobs that closely match their preferences, while for employers, this means cutting the time allocated for recruitment services as the job offers are sent only to those who match their requirements. Concurrently, AREA posts available jobs on their Facebook page which the page's viewers can tag their friends with.

AREA Managing Director Nick Thompson explains that the development of their smartphone app is the next logical step as the company seeks to differentiate itself from other migration recruitment agencies by embracing social networking and emerging technologies.

"Our main goal has always been to ensure continuity of work so that the clients we supply staff to get better quality workers. The development of our app is just another step further to minimising waste for a smoother recruitment process," Thompson added.

In 2012, AREA launched a web-based farm labour hire/contracting recruitment platform which sources out only the staff that match a position request. By fine tuning their recruiting staffing services process, AREA has put a premium in filling the manpower needs of its clients, a vital resource which is essential in the farming industry.

Source  http://www.melodika.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=549629&Itemid=50

NRI hiring may double this year as India Inc looks to go global

A growing desire in India Inc to induct global talent with international exposure is expected to result in a near doubling in the recruitment of non-resident Indians (NRIs) this year.

The country is expected to hire around 50,000 NRI professionals this year, compared to 27,983 recruited last year, finds a survey by a global recruitment tendering platform MyHiringClub.com. Bangalore will lead this recruitment, accounting for 11,894 jobs, followed by Delhi-NCR and Mumbai with 10,320 and 6,780 jobs respectively.

Among the sectors surveyed, IT & ITeS is expected to create 11,450 jobs, followed by FMCG (8,930), automobile & manufacturing (7,341), infrastructure (4,894), pharma & healthcare (3,245), telecom (1,391) and banking & financial services (1,391). 

Source  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/NRI-hiring-may-double-this-year-as-India-Inc-looks-to-go-global/articleshow/17863860.cms