Supporting employers

Supporting Northumberland’s businesses is key to ensure our continued growth across the County, and promoting local people into good work helps deliver a more inclusive and sustainable local economy.

A key part of the NEP is the support available for employers of all sizes across Northumberland.

The business-facing part of the project is delivered by an experienced Employer Engagement Coordinator working with Business Northumberland, the business growth, regeneration and inward investment arm of Northumberland County Council.

We can give you the advice and guidance you need to help resolve your recruitment, skills, employee development and any other people needs you identify, and the practical support to put advice into action.

With our knowledge of the skills funding landscape, we can work with you to identify your needs and signpost you to any funded provision available, helping reduce the cost of your employee development.

Covering all of Northumberland and employers of all sizes, we can help you if you have identified;

  • recruitment or skills issues, whether immediate or when planning for future growth
  • where your current recruitment pathways are not producing the candidates you need
  • skills needs, now or for future growth, and whether you would like to investigate funding support for these
  • staff retention issues, either across the organisation or in particular roles
  • a wish to engage with individuals and providers supporting these who may be progressing towards work, including those with disability or health issues, and who may be under-represented in your workforce
  • employee processes, procedures, policies or business culture that would benefit from review
  • that working towards the Good Work Pledge, Disability Confident or Investors in People awards would provide a framework for developing employees and encouraging diversity
  • a possible downturn in your business that has the potential to lead to staff reduction
  • the potential to relocate all or part of your business in Northumberland, where you need to be confident that your employee needs can be met

The project is currently funded by the North East Combined Authority (NECA) until 31 March 2025. There is no charge for any of our services or interactions, and your Employer Engagement Coordinator is not restricted in the time spent to help you resolve any issues identified

What you will receive from this service

With experience across all aspects of supporting people and businesses, your Employer Engagement Coordinator will provide practical support, advice and guidance to help you deal with any employee-related issues – these include:

Support – we’ll help you find solutions to recruitment issues, identifying the most effective reach required to fill your vacancies, whether local, national or international. We’ll advise on how social media, online agencies, DWP, the Employability Partnership, DWP and employment agencies can help you reach the right people. We are passionate about encouraging you to consider how those who are under-represented or who have barriers to employment can be included, and work closely with specialist provision that ensures all candidates can be accommodated in the workplace

Analysis – if you’re finding it difficult to attract the right candidates with the skills you need, we can review your recruitment pathways, campaigns, media and activities to help you get in front of the most suitable candidates. We’ll share local and regional employment trends and help you analyse the employment and skills marketplace to ensure you have the best chance of recruiting the right people.

Using knowledge of the local Apprenticeship provision, the Employer Engagement Coordinator can align your business needs with training and retaining local talent. Candidates can be identified through your recruitment processes or through engagement with those providing their qualification and skills element, including Northumberland Skills and Northumberland College (EPNE)

To promote better retention, we can help you consider the reasons behind staff exits and how your internal offer, staff development, policies, processes and conditions may be improved to retain talent – this can also include a review of your business culture and how this is projected to staff. As there is often a link between staff leavers and internal development, we can help you understand where training, upskilling and succession planning opportunities can improve retention and motivate your employees

We can work alongside you to understand and resolve your current staff development and skills needs, where these can be sourced, what qualifications may underpin these and whether these can be funded. We will review skills options with you to ensure you have the most suitable provision and help you evaluate its effectiveness

Where you find there are gaps in provision or you struggle to find the skills provision you need locally, we can take this to skills providers to help influence future delivery

If your business has taken a downturn, we can work with you to explore how jobs may be safeguarded and support your sustainability and future growth. If redundancies are inevitable, our contacts across a wide range of sectors and employers can support those affected into new jobs or help their future prospects through support from our employability network

We will help identify the most suitable pathways for recruitment and work closely with you as you locate your business in the County

Support – we’ll help you find solutions to recruitment issues, identifying the most effective reach required to fill your vacancies, whether local, national or international. We’ll advise on how social media, online agencies, DWP, the Employability Partnership, DWP and employment agencies can help you reach the right people. We are passionate about encouraging you to consider how those who are under-represented or who have barriers to employment can be included, and work closely with specialist provision that ensures all candidates can be accommodated in the workplace

Analysis – if you’re finding it difficult to attract the right candidates with the skills you need, we can review your recruitment pathways, campaigns, media and activities to help you get in front of the most suitable candidates. We’ll share local and regional employment trends and help you analyse the employment and skills marketplace to ensure you have the best chance of recruiting the right people.

Using knowledge of the local Apprenticeship provision, the Employer Engagement Coordinator can align your business needs with training and retaining local talent. Candidates can be identified through your recruitment processes or through engagement with those providing their qualification and skills element, including Northumberland Skills and Northumberland College (EPNE)

To promote better retention, we can help you consider the reasons behind staff exits and how your internal offer, staff development, policies, processes and conditions may be improved to retain talent – this can also include a review of your business culture and how this is projected to staff. As there is often a link between staff leavers and internal development, we can help you understand where training, upskilling and succession planning opportunities can improve retention and motivate your employees

We can work alongside you to understand and resolve your current staff development and skills needs, where these can be sourced, what qualifications may underpin these and whether these can be funded. We will review skills options with you to ensure you have the most suitable provision and help you evaluate its effectiveness

Where you find there are gaps in provision or you struggle to find the skills provision you need locally, we can take this to skills providers to help influence future delivery

If your business has taken a downturn, we can work with you to explore how jobs may be safeguarded and support your sustainability and future growth. If redundancies are inevitable, our contacts across a wide range of sectors and employers can support those affected into new jobs or help their future prospects through support from our employability network

We will help identify the most suitable pathways for recruitment and work closely with you as you locate your business in the County

Testimonials

Contact

Ian Coull

Employer Engagement Coordinator
Business Northumberland

For further information on Ian and the services offered please use this link

If your business is located in Newcastle, please contact Richard Oswald, Newcastle City Council, at richard.oswald@newcastle.gov.uk

If your business is located in North Tyneside, please contact Michael Kennedy, North Tyneside Council, at michael.kennedy@northtyneside.gov.uk

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