Executive victims of recession flock to job club
EMPLOYMENT experts behind a pilot scheme to help senior managers made jobless in the recession say demand has been so high they are considering a roll-out across the region.
Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) launched the Executive Job Club in Tamworth, where unemployed former high-fliers come to share their experience and expertise to find ways to get back into work.
The company is now considering extending the initiative across Staffordshire, Birmingham, Coventry and further afield.
Members of the Tamworth club include a helicopter pilot whose passengers have included David Cameron and members of the Saudi royal family. PPDG said several clients have found new jobs thanks to the scheme.
The Tamworth club is co-ordinated by employment coach Chris Sly. He said: “The idea is to help executives and people who have had jobs at management level to find employment at a similar level. It has really snowballed since its launch and we are now looking to work alongside business organisations such as the Round Table, Business Link and the Chamber of Commerce.
“The members are job-searching together and networking online with potential employers through sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Linked-In.”
Nigel Howard, who secured employment with computer giant IBM, is social networking secretary of the club and is planning to give a talk on how to harness the power of the internet for executive job search.
A monthly breakfast networking meeting is staged and guest speakers are invited to address members on employment and business topics. The next meeting will take place at PPDG’s Tamworth offices at 8am on December 6, when the speaker will be former PPDG client Peter Holland who secured a job as sales and marketing manager at cloud computing company Cnap.
Mr Sly said: “The club seems to have captured the imagination of the members who are driving it forward themselves and developing ideas, with advice from PPDG and free use of all facilities such as computers, business stationery and IT equipment. Members are reminded that they are not alone in a very difficult economic climate and are regaining confidence by working together, sharing contacts and supporting each other as a team.
Based in Edgbaston, PPDG delivers a range of Government Welfare to Work initiatives helping disadvantaged job seekers in the West Midlands and the North. More than 100,000 job seekers have been helped into sustained employment by the company since the projects began
In 2008 PPDG was acquired by Australia-based employment and people development experts Employment Services Holdings (ESH), creating an organisation with a combined workforce of over 1,400 staff operating from 138 sites across the UK and Australia.
