Pioneering people resourcing company Xchangeteam Group, has launched InterXchange, a new service designed to provide organisations with skilled English-speaking communications & PR, events and marketing consultants, originally from overseas but with no previous UK experience.
InterXchange gives companies access to pre-vetted professionals who will have a minimum of three years experience from markets other than the UK. The consultants will be placed on a ëfee-freeí initial two-week period and paid 50 per day directly by the hiring organisation. After the second week the organisation is given the option to extend the assignment at which at which point the consultant is paid the ëgoingí market rate. This is a unique option that gives organisations access to a wealth of talent and both parties a chance to ëtry before they buyí.
The service aims to address the severe skills shortage that has been reported across the board in marketing and creative services, especially at the middle management level. This shortage is only set to get worse. In the next three years alone, the number of UK workers in the core working 25-44 year age group is forecast to decline by 5%, or a staggering 634,000 people (McKinsey).
There is a huge pool of talented consultants in the UK, originally from overseas, that could dramatically reduce the skills shortage. However the majority are not currently being utilised by organisations. While many other industries have turned to overseas talent to plug skills gaps, marketing and creative services have been reluctant to do so.
Xchangeteam’s own research into the marketing and creative sectors has shown that over 60% of respondents struggled to get work initially as employers cited a lack of UK experience and contacts and 40% said resourcing agencies wouldnít put them forward for suitable opportunities.
Over fifty consultants attended XchangeClub recently, a networking event at Xchangeteamís offices (CafeXchange) dedicated to overseas consultants and the launch of InterXchange. Consultants were predominantly from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America and Europe and the majority were struggling to find work, despite commanding senior positions in their native countries. Feedback on the night was overwhelmingly positive as consultants heard from peers that had persevered and found good roles. Already, Xchangeteam has seen an increase in registrations from non-UK professionals.
Emma Brierley, CEO at Xchangeteam commented: ìInterXchange is a wake up call to the industry that they are missing out on an array of talent from overseas. The shortage of good people at mid-management levels is causing major problems for companies and unless the industry is going to invest in substantial training programmes and recruitment drives, organisations will have no option but to consider the talents of our overseas visitorsî.
Xchangeteam establishes InterXchange to address shortage of marketing and creative sector skills
Xchangeteam claims answer is right under its nose
