Kickstarters and All Rounders

Robinson Manufacturing (RML) has been making good use of the Government’s Kickstart programme since it was launched as part of HM Treasury’s Plan for Jobs. Part of the launch of the scheme, with a virtual visit from Dr Therese Coffey, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions during an early lockdown, RML was also visited by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who met some of our Kickstart team at Wolverhampton last summer

We are currently advertising for a final batch of Kickstart recruits before the scheme is wound up later in the year. This time we have been approved to take on a further 20.

Our experience with the scheme has been greatly positive, as head of Production Oversight Darren Cross explains: “The Kickstart programme has allowed us to bring in new and younger talent, and we have found our recruits to be very committed – many of them from previous recruitment rounds are now in full time permanent jobs with us.” You can see the impact the scheme has had on our age profile here.

With this round, RML has taken the decision to advertise a single all rounder job description, giving Kickstarters the opportunity to explore roles in production as well as in supporting office roles. Darren again: “The business has discovered some exceptional talents in previous intakes, and we believe that giving recruits the chance to experience different ways of working gives them more change to find a longer term role that works form them as well as for us.”

Recruiting from the Kickstart scheme has not been without challenges; many have either never had a job, worked as part of a team or had an appraisal before, so we have found we’ve needed to help them understand work ethics and culture. Darren sums up: “Being in a position to give people a step on the ladder of a productive life is always a good thing to do, and reinforces RML’s late founder Tim Robinson’s approach to people. It also provides a development pathway for existing team leaders, who have had to develop their skills to provide the right level of support.”