Jobs firm bucks national unemployment trend
A West Midlands recruitment agency bucked a worsening national employment trend by landing a record number of people into work in September, it was revealed today.
Starting Point Recruitment (SPR), which has offices in Walsall and Birmingham, placed 140 jobseekers in roles in September as part of the government’s Restart scheme.
The firm said this was the most roles filled it has filled in a single month in its 23-year history – and said it should “give hope to jobseekers.”
9,000 fewer jobs advertised nationwide
This came as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced the UK jobs market had continued to slow in the three months to September, with an estimated 9,000 fewer vacancies advertised over the period.
The ONS said the estimated UK unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage points to 4.8% on the previous month and the worst in the UK since the Covid pandemic.
The latest unemployment rate for the West Midlands was 6.2%, the ONS said, with estimates from the earlier this year of more than 130,000 people out of work in the region.
‘It’s tough but there’s hope’
Professor Paul Cadman, chief executive of SPR, said: “It’s undeniably tough out there right now for employers and jobseekers, but our numbers for September are bucking is trend.
“At SPR we are connecting great people with jobs at great firms across a range of growth sectors including life sciences, tech, creative industries and sport.
SPR dealing with up to 2,000 jobseekers at any one time
“September was a record month for us with 140 people placed into work, and we’ve rolled over another 20 jobs into this month. At any one time we’re engaging with up to 2,000 jobseekers, including graduates and military veterans.
“I hope our recent story gives hope to jobseekers and businesses looking to recruit right now. Despite the bleak picture, there’s hope.”
He added: “At SPR we look at the person, not just the CV, and we’re passionate about transforming people’s lives and giving them purpose.”
SPR, established in Walsall in 2002, deals with a wide range of candidates, including those on the government’s Restart scheme.
In Q1 of this year 131,000 people in the West Midlands, and 1.67m nationally, were officially listed in ONS stats as unemployed.
