An appeal has gone out to businesses recruiting people with engineering and manufacturing backgrounds to look at hiring people made redundant at Rolls Royce.
The Redundancy Working Group, launched by Derby’s Economic Recovery Task force, is helping Rolls Royce employees after the firm announced it would shed 1,300 posts in Derby this year alone.
It is also preparing to help staff being made redundant from other companies as the city struggles with the economic fallout of Covid-19.
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The group has created a website which allows people to promote their CVs, and firms to post vacancies so that skills-matching can take place.
Derby City Council Leader Councillor Chris Poulter said more than 750 Rolls-Royce workers have already registered for the service, with more than 1,600 ‘hits’ recorded on jobs listed on the site and 82 applications completed.
Coin Poulter said: “We know that workers leaving Rolls-Royce will have significant skills that could be a great asset to other employers.
“The web portal allows workers to view vacancies and submit applications, but it also allows registered companies to view displaced employees’ CVs and make approaches to them.
“In short, we can connect talent and opportunity – helping both the companies and the individuals and retaining skills in the region.
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“What we really need now is for more engineering and manufacturing companies with vacancies to let us know about them.”
The Redundancy Working Group is pooling expertise from the public and private sectors and includes representatives from Derby City Council, other local authorities, Unite, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, National Careers Service and TRS, which provides the web portal.
Derby City Council said there was concern that the city’s economy will be particularly badly hit by coronavirus because of its role in the aerospace sector.
As well as the posts being cut by Rolls-Royce, aviation supply chain companies Incora and Gardner are also making redundancies.
Universal Credit claims in the city were up by 142 per cent in May compared to the same month last year and there are fears that the local unemployment rate could hit double digits after the Government’s Job Retention Scheme ends later in the year.
Coun Poulter said: “We want people to know that we are here to help.
“Whether that’s someone facing redundancy, a company that plans to cut jobs or an employer who is looking to recruit, we will try to assist, and we want to hear from you.”
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The working group is collaborating with providers across the region to develop a support package for Rolls-Royce staff, with a focus on four areas:
- Careers advice and employment support
- Education, skills and training support
- Advice on self-employment
- Legal, welfare rights and other advice
Its initial efforts are concentrated around manufacturing and engineering, but it is preparing to work with companies and employees from other sectors.
Companies interested in recruiting staff being made redundant by Rolls-Royce can