Quest to find that one in a million

There are currently more than 1.4 million temporary workers helping to keep the wheels of the UKís turning on a daily basis.

But the search is now on to find just one among this million plus who could be crowned the UKís top temporary worker by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, the representative body for the UKís private recruitment and staffing industry.

Now in its eighth year, the 2008 One in the Million Award is the highlight of National Temporary Workers Week, the RECís flagship event which runs from June 2nd to 6th and celebrates the enormous contribution the UKís legion of temporary, contract and interim staff make to the UK economy.

This yearís National Temporary Workers Week has an added dimension due to ongoing Trade Union pressure from more national legislation covering temps and for a European Directive on agency work to be agreed in Brussels. The risk is that these additional regulations could add substantial bureaucracy for employers and agencies which in turn could limit the opportunities that temping provides for workers.

The calls for more regulation are often based on the mistaken premise that temporary workers are systematically underpaid and exploited which is something that National Temporary Workers Week challenges. The experiences and feedback of the workers themselves confirms that temping and contract work provides flexibility and choice as well as giving those furthest away from the jobs market a stepping stone into employment.

For recruitment consultants and agencies, getting involved in National Temporary Workers Week - in particular, by nominating temporary, contract or interim staff for the coveted One in a Million title - is an opportunity to make a real difference by promoting the crucial contribution that agency work makes to the UK economy and labour market.

The overall winner will be selected from 15 categories so could come from any walk of temporary working life either in a role as a childcare or social worker, as a driver or industrial worker, or as an interim manager, IT or TEC contractor. Others could be challenging the stereotype for a particular job role or have made a successful transition from a temporary to permanent position.

The awards will include one new category for the MMC Contractor of the Year which follows the setting up of the RECís new Marketing, Media and Communications sector group.

But their eventual success can only be celebrated if recruiters across the UK bring them to the RECís attention. The current title holder Michael Ross, the Agency Office Worker of the Year, impressed the judges with his tireless work helping one of the regional directors of the Alzheimerís Society to such a degree, he helped change the whole administration system within the office.

Anita Holbrow, the RECís Director of Marketing said: ìAll 14 of our category winners last year were a real inspiration. There were so many other wonderful stories, such as our dustbin woman who certainly challenged the common image of a refuse collector and a supply teacher from Ghana who took one of the most demanding jobs of all ñ as a teacher in a young offendersí institute.

ìAll of them demonstrated great dedication to their respective areas of temporary work. We are absolutely positive there are many more incredible people like them who are worthy of such recognition. So it is all down to our members to put them forward for the award and celebrate their achievements.î

Entry forms for the One In A Million Award can be downloaded by visiting the website www.tempweek.uk.com. For further information about the REC or to find a member near you, call 020 7009 2100.