Midlands recruitment agency Encore Personnel is renewing its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant for another year as it steps up to Silver accreditation, thanks to its dedication to supporting ex service men and women to find work.
The company has 10 branches across the region, including its head office in Leicester and offices in Nottingham and Derby city centres and employs more than 200 staff. It specialises in warehousing, manufacturing, logistics, driving and engineering recruitment.
The business first signed the Armed Forces Covenant in May 2021, when it achieved a Bronze award which recognised its commitment to supporting the military community. Over the last year, Encore has placed a real emphasis on helping ex-service men and women find employment and is proud to have found jobs for more than 50 members of the ex-armed forces community.
This year, the recruitment agency is aiming to achieve Silver status in which it will be doing even more, including introducing new HR policies and guaranteed interview schemes to demonstrate and advocate their support to help ex-service men and women find their feet in a new world of work.
Headed up by business development consultant at Encore James Simpson, who joined in 2020 after serving five years with the 26 Regiment Royal Artillery, 159 Battery (Gutersloh, Germany) and 132 Battery (Newcastle), the latest pledge aims to showcase the work that Encore is doing in practice.
James comments: “We’re making real progress, with more ex-service personnel joining our team than ever before. Having the right support in place is crucial for ex-service people. I know how hard it is to step out of the routine of military life into the working world, but Encore really go the extra mile to ensure that you are supported. They are so accommodating and understand that it takes time to adjust to changes.
“Since I first suggested signing the Covenant, Encore has been hugely supportive and I’m proud to be leading on something I’m extremely passionate about. We can really help change people’s lives.
Encore aims to make a real change within the recruitment industry to help more ex-service men and women find jobs suitable to their needs without any discrimination. With only 0.5 per cent of registered recruitment agencies having signed the Covenant, Encore are leading the way for others.
