Pictured above: HotProspects team
Graduate Recruitment Service, HotProspects, is encouraging
companies from across Lincolnshire to employ a grant funded
graduate - before it's too late.
The service has been working with Lincolnshire County Council
for over two years to deliver fully grant-funded recruitment to the
region's businesses. This grant is worth £1000 to every
business, but recently an additional £1500 has been available
on top - bringing the total available for each business to an
impressive £2,500.
Currently there are only 10 of these supplementary grants left
which are being funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for
England (HEFCE). The grants, worth £1,500 are to cover the
graduate's wages and allow small to medium sized enterprises to
employ one of the UK's brightest graduates for a twelve week
placement or longer at no cost.
With priority for the grants being given to businesses in the
Lincolnshire region, there has never been a better time to employ a
graduate. HotProspects Project Manager Elizabeth
Andrzejewski-Wilson believes the grants provide a window of
opportunity for businesses to widen their skills base. "So far we
have allocated ten HEFCE grants allowing small and medium sized
businesses in the region the chance to employ some of the UK's most
talented graduates. University leavers offer businesses a
cost-effective and lower risk way to access higher level
skills.
"At HotProspects we aim to give graduates the best possible
start to their careers in the form of a placement, an internship or
their first job perfectly suited to their skills. Competition
for jobs has become much tougher as more graduates fight it out in
an increasingly competitive market. Therefore it is increasingly
important for Lincolnshire businesses to take advantage of
recruitment grants in order to retain the brightest graduates."
The benefits of the HEFCE grants are clear, graduates gain
valuable work experience that helps them connect with the market
and businesses can access a skills resource that can make them
better placed to emerge from the recession in a competitive
position"
Grantham-based Amari Plastics is one business who has already
benefitted from the HEFCE grants. Branch Manager Ben Senior said:
"This is the first time we have taken on a recent graduate and it
has been a real success so far. The HEFCE grant made the decision
much easier and eases the financial burden of recruitment."
"The Hot Prospects approach to recruitment was very different;
they took time to understand the role we were offering which made
the interview process much easier. The candidates sent for
interview were keen on the position being offered, which is not
always the case."
To find out more about the programme and how to access the
grant-funded recruitment and consultancy, contact Hot Prospects on
0845 450 5460.