Government and Security recruitment specialist Miriam Lee commented:

“In the last six months our clients have increased the demand for both permanent and contract IT professionals to almost insatiable levels. It is fantastic for our business, but we are acutely aware that we will have to find new streams of supply for SC cleared (or ability to attain SC clearance) I.T. individuals.”

So what is security clearance?
Security vetting is carried out so that individuals operate or execute tasks, which in the course of doing so, requires national security clearance. Government organisations including the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces, together with consultancies that supply services such as IT to Government organisations require Security Cleared personnel.

Clearance levels vary depending upon the sensitivity of the information that is accessed.

You cannot apply for Security Clearance as an individual. Clearance is requested by an employer and carried out by Government agencies. Security Clearance is granted for a specific period of time depending on the employment term or for a particular project.

Miriam Lee explained further:

“For our clients who are focused on IT, the two main levels of clearance that we look for are SC and DV.

Security Check (SC) is a Basic Check plus UK criminal and security checks and a credit check. To gain (SC) clearance you will normally have had to have been a resident in the UK for a minimum of 5 years.

Developed Vetting (DV) This is a much higher level of Security Clearance and involves Security Check (SC) and, in addition, completion of a (DV) questionnaire, a financial check, checking of references and a detailed interview with a vetting officer.

Demand continues to grow for IT professionals with security-clearance, which is driven not only by an  increase in security consciousness, but also by the fact that more and more organisations are dealing with government bodies, as work is outsourced to the private sector”.

Summary & further information:

If you are an IT professional with current or lapsed security clearance, or you are a British national who is interested in working in this sector, please visit our webpage on this subject at: http://www.jenrickcpi.co.uk/sc-dv-cleared-it-jobs (where you can search our latest jobs), or alternatively call Miriam Lee on 01932 245500.

Scott Davies, Jenrick Engineering’s Manager of their Burton Office, provided this overview on the current Mechanical Engineer Job Market within their area:

“We have been witnessing a shift in Mechanical Design Engineers moving from permanent roles into contract positions. As a result this has led to excellent opportunities for Engineers seeking a new permanent career move, as a substantial number of our clients desperately require permanent Mechanical Design Engineers to develop an increasing number of projects.”

With regards to the projects and industries, we have seen constant growth within all aspects of the Power & Energy Sector (Oil, Gas, Nuclear, Hydro, Wind) plus all aspects of the Utilities Market (Water supplies, Electrical & Gas supplies, Water waste), in line with a recent statement released by Dr. John Morton – Chief Executive of the ETB, who stated;

“The solutions to the current global problems (of pollution) will be critically dependent upon the skilful application of SET, therefore the public expects the SET sector to find answers for disposing of nuclear waste, providing clean water and sanitation for all, reducing air pollution, improving water quality and mitigating climate change. Commercial application of SET will make a significant contribution to solving the problems of today and of tomorrow.”

Alec White, Manager of the Camberley Office of Jenrick Engineering, noticed some slightly different patterns emerging within the London and Southern Counties:

“Although we have also seen the same trend of an increasing number of permanent Mechanical Design Engineer jobs, we have also seen movement towards the Special Purpose Machinery Market, as a direct result of designs becoming smaller and smaller with the aim of efficiency improvements.

As a result, Design Engineers with experience in the small mechanical component sector are greatly in demand.

In addition, we have witnessed an increased commitment to training (from companies), specifically related to the 3D software packages used for development, such as Catia. Companies are realising that it is more important to find an Engineer with the correct culture fit, work ethos and attitude (and to invest in them to ensure their skillset is right for the business function), rather than compromising on candidate choice purely because they have the appropriate software background.

This is an excellent indication of how Engineering companies are taking a much longer-term perspective on personnel development and recruitment strategies.”

Summary:

Overall, this engineering sector (although evolving) is buoyant and offers a variety of career opportunities.

To read more, please visit the Jenrick Engineering website where you can register your CV for engineering vacancies and search our latest engineering jobs.

rescue package for the banking system

This will initially make the extra capital available to eight of the UK’s largest banks and building societies namely; Abbey, Barclays, HBOS, HSBC, Lloyds TSB, Nationwide Building Society, Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Chartered.

In return for injecting this extra capital the government will potentially receive preference shares in the above institutions. (Preference shares pay a fixed rate of interest instead of a dividend, which has to be paid before other shareholders receive anything, but they do not carry voting rights.)

The money will be used to prop up a banking system that has seen confidence evaporate and share prices plunging in recent weeks. This has led to banks struggling to access funding, as the money markets are not functioning.

In addition to billions of taxpayers money from the Government, a further £200bn will be made available by the Bank of England for short-term borrowing to provide liquidity to banks and building societies.

The Treasury has said that all UK banks are eligible apply for inclusion in the plan.

In an interview with BBC’s Nicky Campbell this morning the Chancellor did not rule out the possibility of having to take “further measures to secure the future of the banking system” which he pointed out was “vital to businesses and depositors all over the UK”. However, Mr Darling refused to confirm that the government would underwrite depositor’s funds.

It is hoped the measures will help restore confidence to get banks lending to each other again.

In return for the funding, the Government is also demanding banks cap executive pay and shareholder dividends.

They are also being asked to increase lending to homebuyers and small businesses.

The hosts for the event were Jim Dowd (MP for Lewisham) and Andrew Miller (MP for Ellesmere Port), and was organised by ATSCo (Association of Technical Staffing Companies) and sponsored by Lloyds TSB.

The afternoon was opened by Jim Dowd, who has been a member of parliament for Lewisham West since 1992 and is currently sitting on the health select committee and has held positions as Senior Government Whip and spokesperson for Northern Ireland. Mr Dowd gave a brief introduction to the event and witty overview of the “collapse of capitalisation” in recent weeks. He then handed over to Ann Swain.

Ann delivered an insightful overview of ATSCo’s position regarding the Temporary Workers Directive and re-iterated the views of Jenrick CPI and other ATSCo members that vulnerable workers in all industries must be protected. However, the fear was that the proposed legislative change would potentially affect IT Limited Company contractors. Swain commented “IT and Telecom Limited Company contractors do not fall under the bracket of vulnerable workers” and will therefore not be affected by the introduction of the TWD.

Next to speak was Andrew Miller MP who was quoted earlier this year:

“I am delighted that consensus was reached at the Council of Ministers this week.  The agreement on both the Working Time Directive and the Agency Workers Directive achieved the Labour Government’s twin objectives in these areas – to ensure fair treatment for agency workers and also to maintain the labour market flexibility for employers and employees which has been central to the creation of an extra 3 million jobs in the UK over the past decade.  

“This now paves the way for the principal provisions of my Private Member’s Bill (The Temporary and Agency Workers (Equal Treatment) Bill) to become law in the very near future.”

The Bill aims to secure equal treatment for agency workers and will ensure that over 1.4 million agency workers in the UK are entitled to the same terms and conditions as their directly employed colleagues.   

Andrew Miller said:

“My Bill is not aimed at those agencies who run a reputable operation but at rogue agencies who exploit both indigenous and migrant workers, undermining their terms and conditions and in some cases, operating what can only be described as a ‘Dickensian’ setup. 

“The UK should be striving to be a high skill, high pay economy that is based upon a well trained workforce.  That goal is not achievable with 1.4 million workers in the agency sector, few of whom receive any opportunity to upgrade their skills.” 

Together with defining the agency targets of this bill (“Rogue Agencies”), Miller also made clear that professional Limited Company contractors will not be affected by the bill and should expect to see no change in their working conditions.

Further details of the bill can be found in a ministerial statement by Pat McFadden (Minister of State for Employment Relations and Postal Services) http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file47072.pdf

Having attended the session representing Jenrick CPI, MD Peter Jezeph commented:

“We were very pleased to have confirmation from Andrew Miller that our core business associates, IT Limited company contractors, will not be directly affected by this bill, and this will not impinge on our ability to continue delivering a valuable service to British industry.”

Should you have any questions or comments regarding this article, please do not hesitate to contact Philip Fanthom (Sales Director) – philip.fanthom@jenrickcpi.co.uk

Surrey HR jobs

Trevor Lee, Managing Director of the company, confirmed that his consultant team has seen a gradual rise in the number of H.R. related roles that their company has been asked to source candidates for. He explained it in more detail:

“We have been asked to fill more and more HR roles, particularly within Surrey, throughout 2008, across a range of specific deciplines and industry sectors.

The job titles tend to vary; HR Security Administrator, Head of HR, Recruiting Managers and Personnel Managers, yet, all have the core function of Human Resources.

Our clients tend to look for candidates with approximately 3 years experience within the HR environment and have a preference to those with CIPD membership / qualifications (or equivalent). Although, I must add that personality is key driver as the roles are so people orientated.”

So, the message is simple, if you are an HR professional who is seeking a new career challenge Jenrick Commercial may be of help.

Useful links:

Testimonials – HR & other testimonials / case studies from existing clients
CV Registration – register your CV for HR jobs in Surrey, London & the Home Counties
Job Search – apply online for Surrey HR jobs through our website

Please remember that if you don’t find the type of HR job you wish to apply for, contact Jenrick Commercial’s team (on 01932 230 868) to register your CV and have an informal chat.

Like most businesses, Jenrick Engineering started from humble premises (a small office in Hammersmith), yet now finds itself operating from 4 offices throughout the UK, enabling candidates and clients to receive complete national coverage for their jobseeking or recruiting needs.

Unlike many other engineering agencies, Jenrick does not suffer from high levels of staff turnover. In fact of the staff have been with the company in excess of 5 years and within engineering recruitment for over 10.
This provides numerous benefits to clients and candidates, but in particular;

Continuity of service – you can call an office next week, next month or next year and speak to a familiar voice. A person who knows your company, account or skillbase.

Knowledge & Experienced – our candidate to role matching is one of the best in the business, simply because our consultants are experienced within the sector and accurately understand job specifications and candidate skills.

These two factors in particular have ensured Jenrick Engineering is one of the best engineering agencies as well as being one of the top recruitment companies to work for.

To learn more about Jenrick Engineering, please take a look at our: Engineering recruitment testimonials

Also, if you are currently seeking a new role or contract, search our: jobs in engineering

This update article will highlight job market news, highlighting the specific FMCG job roles and experience requests that we are receiving from our clients:

“Maintenance Engineer, Supervisor and Manager jobs are in particular demand, especially engineering professionals who are electrical biased or multi-skilled – in both contract and permanent capacities.

We have clients in The Midlands, Home Counties and East Anglia, who are all seeking engineers with these skills to work within all aspects of FMCG environment.

Qualifications tend not to be the driver with these appointments, with the priority being placed on relevant experience within the Food Industry.

We see this sector increasing over the coming 12months as there appears to be notable investment within the production process platforms of a number of our clients.”

To view testimonials from the FMCG sector: FMCG engineering testimonials and case studies

In addition, click on the following link to search our current engineering jobs, contracts and careers.

‘personal contact’

I fondly remember, way back in 1988 when I first started with Jenrick CPI as a bright-eyed eager to learn ‘snapper’ – when it was drummed into me just how important personal contact was to be successful in the recruitment world. In those good old days I’d rush off at a moments notice to see a client (over a beer or two, maybe the odd sandwich thrown in) to hear what they had in mind. Perhaps it was a new project, or just exchanging ideas etc, scribbling away madly on the back of an old fag packet – picking the client’s brains for thoughts and ideas.

I loved the challenge, this was ‘real’ recruitment – just great! - rushing back to base - furiously looking through all my old contacts and favourite contractors I knew & could rely on then belt back to see the client, arriving with three of my best CV’s to discuss their respective merits and giving an insight into their personalities - strengths and any perceived weakness and explain how they work and would fit in the client’s team. That’s what I call real personal service – and it worked!

Though with the invent of the Internet, email and SMS etc, a whole new ball game had opened up.

Yes, meticulous searches on the database, internet and job boards etc still allowed the ‘winging’ of three of my best CV’s, cc’d to others – looking very smart, neat and professional – but does not tell the full story. . . .

On the downside (email wise) who can say hand-on-heart they wished they could turn the clock back instantly when they pressed the ‘Send & Receive’ button.

Obvious glaring spelling mistakes (maybe in haste) - ‘you never get a second chance to make a first impression’ – springs to mind.

Email sent to the wrong person with possible, severe repercussions.

Email misconstrued / misunderstood in what you were trying to say / achieve – which could on some occasions lose the clients trust, goodwill, friendship etc.

The morale of the story is the internet / email is an exciting tool to use to your advantage if used in the ‘right way’ – but always remember, nothing and I mean nothing can replace good old fashioned ‘personal contact’ – it is the real key to a genuinely successful working partnership

Some of my present working relationships have lasted 5,10,15 and even 20 years in some cases. When they move to new employment – we continue our rapport – often helping them secure their new position. They in turn use us as a valued supplier in their new job, if they are in a hiring position or recommending us to their colleagues who are in these positions.

In conclusion – I firmly believe that the age of modern Internet with all its amazing tools – would be nothing without personal interaction.

“It’s good to talk, laugh, smile, share ideas, agree or disagree over regular meetings. Combine this with the Internet and you have a very powerful cocktail for continued success.”

Chris Chilton has worked with Jenrick CPI for over 18 years and is one of the most experienced account managers within UK I.T. Recruitment.

Amie Norton of Qdos Consulting, the compliance and insurance organisation commented:

“After detailed analysis of the Dragonfly judgement, we have concluded that there is no massive additional exposure to IR35 risk for contractors. The key lessons from this case are the right to substitution, control and the intentions of the parties. The interpretation of substitution has narrowed, but this can be clarified by contractors with their clients.”

Jenrick CPI’s advice for contractors is to still take urgent action to ensure their contracts and working arrangement with clients are clear, and that any potential sources of doubt over their IR35 status are clarified.

One positive outcome of the case is that the Appeal Judge ruled that HMRC cannot ignore the intentions of the parties, although their intentions still cannot overrule the implications of the hypothetical contract.

For further Information on IR35 Compliance
Jenrick CPI is taking advice and has posted IR35 guidance notes on our website for contractors, with practices and procedures that can be put in place to assist in not falling foul of any fall-out from the case.

For more information please visit the following article on our website: http://www.jenrickcpi.co.uk/dragonfly-case-ir35-compliance

Information provided by www.contractorcalculator.co.uk

The Catlin Arctic Survey is due to commence in February 2009 and will provide the first comprehensive surface based dataset available to scientists. It’s data will be used to determine the likely date for polar meltdown.

After the meeting, Philip Fanthom (Sales Director) stated:

“It was fantastic to meet with Catlin and plan our strategy for ensuring the Catlin Arctic Survey message reaches as many people as possible. This survey will be a remarkable feat of human endurance and scientific discovery that will have an impact on every corner of the globe. The findings are likely to change the way we view climate change for ever.”

During the meeting it became clear that there are a number of parallels between the two companies and their ambitions for the Catlin Arctic Survey. Catlin Group and Jenrick CPI have agreed in principal to work closely together for the promotion of the survey’s efforts and progress. The promotion will be primarily web orientated with a growing degree of media interest over the coming months before the official launch.

The Catlin Arctic Survey team are currently undergoing a very strict training regime, being instructed by an ex-marine. The fitness levels have to be at their optimum to cope with the challenging conditions that lie ahead.

The team will need to be physically and mentally equipped to haul sledges from the edge of the permanent sea ice of the Canadian coast across 2000km of disintegrating and shifting polar ice, for over 100 days in temperatures down to -50C. In addition, they need to mantain the ability to continue surveying through blizzards, white-outs, fog and ice rubble-fields, even donning immersion suits when open water and thin ice crossings deem it necessary. 

Jenrick CPI and Catlin Group are fully committed to supporting both the survey team (Pen Hadow, Anne Daniels and Martin Hartley) and the OSB (Operations Support Base) back up team, in London, throughout this historic venture.

All updates and information will be posted on our website – www.jenrickcpi.co.uk also please do not hesitate to contact Philip Fanthom on 01932 245500 for further information.