28 October 2007

New Service Set to Help Small Businesses and Jobseekers in Durham Launches

An exciting new social enterprise, People Acumen, which is set to help smaller businesses across County Durham to find and recruit staff, is launching its new branches in Seaham and Bishop Auckland.

Formed by Acumen Development Trust, with funding from One NorthEast through the County Durham Economic Partnership, People Acumen is well placed to offer high levels of support both to jobseekers and smaller organisations.

Regional Manager Hilary Farrow said: “With many years of working with employers and people who are removed from the job market, Acumen is well placed to start up this tailor made service for employers and potential employees.

“People Acumen is a recruitment service that is genuinely different.  The length of time our consultants spend working with their candidates is what sets us apart from other recruitment agencies.  Plus we have the facility to set up customised training to suit both employers and candidates.

“We will predominantly work with smaller employers who may not be able to afford to use a high street agency.  We offer a friendly and professional service that is tailored to their specific recruitment needs, hassle free and excellent value for money.”

One North East’s Economic Inclusion Manager, Robin Beveridge, said: “The region’s aim is to have about another 80,000 people in our workforce employed by 2016, because increasing employment levels is the only way for the North East to really see long-term economic growth. This is a chance to explore ways of combining the opportunities offered by County Durham’s smaller enterprises, with the ongoing task of enabling more people to move into sustainable jobs – particularly when they have been out of work for a long time.”

The new Seaham branch is at 15 Church Street, in Seaham Town Centre and the Bishop Auckland branch is at 46 Fore Bondgate, in Bishop Auckland Town Centre.  People Acumen will also be opening a branch in Stanley.