Paul Branton

While we are still besieged by Brexit uncertainty, the UK Government has indicated that free movement will end once we have left the European Union, which means there will be fewer candidates on the market, intensified by: The UK facing its highest employment rates since 1971 A reduction in EU applicants applying and entering the UK workforce; post referendum, our business alone saw our percentage of EU hires for UK roles drop from 28% in 2016-17 to 18% in 2018/19 Employees who would be ready for their next career move deciding to stay put due to economic uncertainty To help employers remain alert to potential changes and sustain their ability to attract and retain people best suited to their business needs, we have created a checklist to help them prepare their workforce for Brexit.   1. UNDERTAKE A FULL WORKFORCE REVIEW - IDENTIFY VULNERABILITIES, GAPS IN SKILLS AND POTENTIAL LOSSES DUE TO VISA RESTRICTIONS The scarcity of available skills and labour, potentially exacerbated by further contractions post-Brexit once free movement comes to an end, means workforce planning and development should be a priority. To be able to respond in good time, employers need to assign greater urgency to undertake strategic workforce planning that will help identify the skills and knowledge required now and for the future, which in turn will help to identify the extent of learning and development required.   2. DO YOU CURRENTLY EMPLOY EU NATIONALS?  If so, encourage them to sign up to the Government’s EU Settlement Scheme – the Government has also produced a toolkit for employers. EU citizens and their families who are living in the UK prior to 31 October 2019 have until 31 December 2020 to apply for settled status. However, given the uncertainty in how the UK immigration system will work in a no-deal scenario, it is recommended that EU citizens apply before 31 October 2019. EU citizens who have settled status are able to demonstrate that they have permanent leave to remain. However, employers will not be required to check this until at the earliest 1 January 2021.    3. ONCE YOU KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE LIKELY TO ARISE, PUT IN A PLAN COVERING:  Upskilling existing workers into hard-to-fill positions Post-study work (PSW) visa options (the points-based system is only a suggestion – see point 7 for details) Using flexible workforces (contractors to fill short-term gaps) Investigate remote working (can you use technology to access skills in other countries without having to physically locate people in the UK)   4. IF THERE ARE LESS PEOPLE AVAILABLE AND MORE COMPETITION, THEN LOOK AT HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELVES FROM OTHERS AND IMPROVE YOUR EMPLOYER VALUE PROPOSITION: Build on your employee value proposition through non-financial benefits Modernise working models and practices, for example, the provision of flexible working and clear career development will help organisations both recruit and retain the people and skills An attractive business culture will enhance your brand and go some way to address hiring difficulties in the short-term but also make your organisation more attractive   5. IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE SHARING OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE BETWEEN COMPANIES - MOVING TO COLLABORATIVE WORKING AND PARTNERSHIP MODELS? Partnerships with academic institutions and between companies are on the rise, with some employers recognising that in order to access the skills they need, a blended approach to resourcing is necessary, moving from direct  hires to sharing resource through collaboration. 6. DO YOU PROVIDE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (EEA) STAFF INTO ROLES WHERE THEY REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS? The mutual recognition of professional qualifications we currently have with other EU member states will end. There will be changes to how services are regulated and how professional qualifications obtained in the EEA and Switzerland are recognised. Ensure that you are aware of how this may affect your business - more information can be found on the Government’s website here. 7. ARE YOU PLANNING TO EMPLOY EU NATIONALS IN THE FUTURE? If there is no-deal, the Government has announced there will be a transitional EU immigration period from the day after the UK leaves the EU until 31 December 2020. In this period, EU citizens and their family members will be able to move to and work in the UK as they do now. Right to work checks for employers of EU citizens will remain the same as they are now.  During this transition period, in a no-deal scenario, the Home Office will open a new voluntary immigration scheme, the European Temporary Leave to Remain (Euro TLR) scheme, giving EU citizens the ability to stay in the UK for 36 months from the date Euro TLR is granted. If you recruit an EU citizen during this transition period, who entered the UK after its exit from the EU, and who is intending to stay in the UK after 31 December 2020, the Government has stated that they must have permission to stay granted either under the Euro TLR or under the standard immigration system. More information can be found on the Home Office website. The Government intends to introduce a new immigration system from January 2021. They plan to introduce this whether the UK leaves the EU with a deal or no-deal. This new system will mean that the same immigration rules will apply to both EU citizens and non-EU citizens from 1 January 2021. This may result in less EU citizens deciding to come to work in the UK and we recommend that you prepare for this. The Migration Advisory Committee is currently consulting on the immigration future system.

This weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix marked an important milestone in the history of Formula 1 racing – celebrating the 1,000th Formula 1 World Championship race. Sunday’s Grand Prix in Shanghai saw reigning champion Lewis Hamilton take a comfortable win to hold on to the drivers championship lead, driving with Mercedes. Of course, modern day Formula 1 is a far cry from the first Grand Prix, which took place in May 1950 at Silverstone. Attracting drivers from Italy, France, Germany and the UK, the first Grand Prix title, and eventual first Drivers’ World Championship winner, was claimed by Italian racing legend Giuseppe Farina, driving an Alfa Romeo 158. The inaugural season in 1950 comprised of six Grand Prix races – all in Europe - count towards the drivers’ World Championship, plus the Indianapolis 500, compared with the 2019 Formula 1 calendar, which features 21 Grand Prix across five continents. Vast improvements to cars, tracks and arenas have seen the industry completely transform over the course of its almost 70-year history – however, the thrill for speed, the ambition to win and the rivalry to develop the most technically advanced engineering - has not changed! During our business’ 40-year history, we have had the pleasure of working with OEMs, tier 1, 2 and 3 suppliers and SMEs through to teams competing in FIA F1 motor racing, F2, F3, Le Mans, IndyCar, NASCAR, BTCC, DTMs, British GT Championship, WRC and WRX. It is an industry that demands the highest calibre of candidates in advanced engineering, powertrain, electronics and mechanical engineering – but it is a challenge that we relish being a part of. This is supported with our industry partnership with the Motorsport Industry Alliance (MIA). The MIA is the world's leading trade association for the motorsport, high performance engineering, services and tuning sectors. As an industry that is constantly having to deal with rapid development, it’s the MIA’s role to globally represent the specialised needs of their members. It is our ambition to continue supporting the motorsport industry and indeed MIA members to access the right level of expertise. We look forward to seeing how Formula 1 and the motorsport industry innovates and evolves over the next 70 years! View the latest motorsport jobs by clicking here.   Photo credit: Giuseppe ''Nino'' Farina (1952 French GP)" by F1-history.

Wednesday 25th April, 10.00am - 16.00pm Silverstone Circuit If you are thinking about a career in the automotive or motorsport sector, then be certain to attend the MIA Motorsport & Automotive Jobs Fair where more than 30 other high profile companies will be at Silverstone to discuss career opportunities. Whether you are an engineering student wanting to know which route to take or an experienced professional wanting to take the next step in your career, there won’t be a better opportunity to get your foot in the door. Jonathan Lee Recruitment will be in attendance alongside many of the sector’s leading engineering and manufacturing companies including: Aero Tech Laboratories (ATL) AP Racing AVL UK BMW Bosch GRM Consulting Hewland Hypermotive Ilmor Engineering Jaguar Land Rover Jonathan Lee Recruitment Lentus Composites MAHLE Powertrain McLaren Automotive SST Technology Titan Williams F1 A wide range of roles and opportunities will be available on the day, including jobs in engineering, design, manufacturing, sales & marketing, motorsport events, motorsport courses and apprenticeship schemes.  Tim Parkes and I will be attending on the day to offer our advice and to let you know what positions we currently have on offer, whether you’re finding your first job after graduating or have gained experience already. To find out more about and to book your free tickets click here.