Just the job for you and your community

Now thereís an easier way to connect to a career that not only offers outstanding benefits and training, but also the sense of satisfaction that only comes from making a difference to your community. And that is 1001careers.com, an online careers centre set up by the housing sector for the housing sector.

A network of senior HR professionals working for several of the countryís leading housing associations including New Charter Housing Trust Group from right here in Ashton-Under-Lyne, Greater Manchester have joined forces to beat the impending skills shortage facing the housing sector. A modern recruitment strategy designed to defuse this ëtalent time bombí; 1001careers.com is smarter than the average job board. It tells the inside story of what life is like working in social housing for the first time.

The concept has been developed in partnership with recruitment advertising and HR communication specialists, RCChr. Using their in-depth understanding of the housing sector, web building and marketing, theyíre uniquely positioned to promote housing as a modern place to build a long and varied career to people outside the sector.

Ben Cork, 1001careers.com, Client Services Director explained:

ìThe housing sector is an enjoyable environment to work in boasting some of Manchesterís best industry work/life balance initiatives and training & development schemes ñ a statistic backed-up by the number of housing associations figuring highly in The Times Top 100 Companies to Work Forí.

ìThis illustrates just how far housing associations have come - the problem is very few people in Manchester are aware of this progress.î

Despite this optimism, research shows tough times ahead for New Charter Housing Trust Group. The housing sector is set to grow by an incredible 35 per cent over the next three years, 50,000 of the existing employee base is set to retire by 2014 ñ meaning a staggering 40 per cent of the current workforce will be lost over the next ten years.

Ben Cork, 1001careers.com, Client Services Director added:

ìThe future is characterised by a shrinking talent pool and increasing skills shortages. However, itís about more than just skill, as having the right people with the right attitude is the platform upon which success is built.

ìNew Charter Housing Trust Group is finding it harder and harder to find these individuals. This is further complicated by a requirement for the greater skills diversity necessary to deliver housingís changing service profile and role in the Greater Manchester community. Whatís even more alarming is that current recruitment processes are not delivering the quality or quantity of candidates today.î

Christine Amyes, Director of Organisational Development at New Charter Housing Trust Group in Ashton-Under-Lyne, commented:

A career in housing may not be top of people's lists, but there's every reason why it should be. There's a wide variety of roles, and we offer great terms and conditions. There's a culture of excellent training and development, leading to good prospects for career progression. Nationally, the housing sector will lose about 40% of qualified and experienced staff over the next decade. We need to be noticed, and appeal to job hunters from outside the sector. That's why using the web through 1001careers is a good step forward.

So in addition to telling Manchesterís ëhousing storyí, 1001careers.com also acts as your local online careers adviser. This ëcareers centreí function takes candidates through a series of carefully selected questions designed to help them match their skills to one of the 1001 jobs available in housing right here in the Manchester area.

For further information about 1001careers.com, please visit www.1001careers.com or contact the main office on 01565 621118.