Lack of language skills predicted to worsen UK youth unemployment

According to recent figures published by Ucas, there has been a 5% drop in modern language applications.

International Business Times reported that according to All Languages, language and interpretation specialist, the latest set of Ucas figures, which show a 5% drop in modern language applications despite the overall number of students applying for university places rising, will only worsen UK unemployment and exacerbate tougher competition for graduate positions due to the lack of language skills.

Commenting on the challenges of recruiting multilingual professionals, Mark Nesbit, managing consultant at specialist procurement, buying, supply chain and logistics recruitment company Cast UK, said: “Our procurement team has direct experience in recruiting multilingual candidates for international companies with operations across the globe. Having successfully completed recruitment campaigns on behalf of many leading multinationals, we have also delivered recruitment solutions to those organisations consolidating procurement functions into centralised hubs here in the UK.

“Recruiting professionals with business-level linguistics to effectively manage a European supplier base is challenging as this is a rare profile for UK candidates. To tackle this, our team of consultants possess both operational procurement experience as well as fluency in a variety of languages including Spanish, French, Italian and German.

“This means that we are capable of conducting language skills test on behalf of our clients, which is invaluable when accelerating recruitment processes. Given Ucas and All Languages’ concerns around the future of multilingual UK graduates, I think that as long as recruiters, like ourselves, have the systems and teams in place to effectively manage language-based recruitment, international candidates will continue to fill the growing language skills gap.”

Procurement professionals urged to move out of comfort zone to develop skills

In a recent interview with Supply Management, Nick Jenkinson, head of indirect procurement at Aryzta, said switching sectors helps to push people out of their comfort zone and develop more skills.

“You can get quite comfortable and that’s not necessarily how you develop,” said Jenkinson. “You develop yourself by constantly trying to push out of your comfort zone, and evolve your own range of skills.

“Think about what development you need and how can you actually gain the experience you need to develop that skillset. It could be in your current industry, but a move into another industry may be exactly what you need.”

Adding to Jenkinson’s comments, Mark Nesbit, managing consultant at specialist procurement, buying, supply chain and logistics recruitment company Cast UK, said: “Given the opportunity, procurement leaders should welcome the chance to make the leap into other industries.

“Changes in culture, environment and procurement processes and methodologies really broaden the skillsets of professionals, consequently enhancing their marketability. This is particularly true for indirect procurement specialists, like Jenkinson at Aryzta, whose category expertise ensures candidates remain attractive for positions across the professional services sectors and the full spectrum of industry through FMCG, Engineering and beyond.

“Furthermore, this diversification is often the platform for movement into consultancy and interim work, which gives individuals the confidence to excel in new environments. Many of the industry leaders we represent and recruit for can identify a particular career move that served as the springboard for their success, and the best ‘next step’ is not always the most obvious one.”

Charlotte excels in Cast UK Graduate Training Academy

Charlotte Mitchell has been promoted to the role of supply chain consultant covering the East Midlands, having successfully completed Cast UK’s Graduate Training Academy.

Having joined the company in November 2013, Charlotte previously worked in a purchasing role at a US software company after graduating with a business studies degree from Manchester University.

Commenting on her promotion, Charlotte said: “I was keen to work in a results-oriented environment and was really attracted by Cast UK’s Graduate Training Academy. It allowed me to really get a handle on all aspects of the business, with dedicated one-to-one support from a mentor.”

Charlotte, who grew up in Singapore and moved to Manchester to study, feels that the graduate market is still tough though there are opportunities out there for those with ambition, initiative and drive.

Wayne Brophy, managing director of Cast UK, added: “We’re thrilled to announce Charlotte’s promotion. As someone with a strong work ethic and a positive approach to career development, she is a valuable asset to our team and will support our company’s expansion within the East Midlands.”

Cast UK comments on top themes affecting the retail sector

Some of the retail sector’s biggest names spoke at Retail Week Live about challenges facing the industry, particularly homing in on key themes ranging from international growth to IT.

Peter Hobson, managing consultant at Cast UK, recruitment specialist in Procurement, Buying & Merchandising, Supply Chain, Logistics, Warehousing & Transport, takes a closer look at how these core areas are affecting recruitment sector:

International strategies

Given the increasingly global nature of the retail industry, as a recruiter of retail buying professionals, more emphasis is being placed on understanding the evolving customer base in order for our candidates to be successful. The key to success is to understand what customers are looking for so the buying team can ensure they provide the products that customers’ desire. One size fits all is rarely a successful approach.

The shopping environment

Retail buyers are experts at creating the right shopping environment. With so much competition, selecting a range that is attractive to the consumer and having the products available in the right place at the right price will help to create an environment where shoppers want to return.

IT is core for chief execs

It's great to see CEOs taking IT seriously. IT has transformed our industry by enabling clients to react quicker and speeding up processes to deliver cost saving benefits. Point of sale and point of supply have increasingly become global. Control of data and information are key to obtaining a competitive advantage, which is underpinned by strong IT systems and processes. These projects are being driven by our candidates.

Innovation

Product innovation within retail needs to be led by the buying team. In a competitive market, a pipeline of new exciting products should be continuous to stay one step ahead of the game.

Need for reinvention

Candidates within the retail industry need to embrace change. Omni-channel strategies are changing the face of the retail environment; putting customers at the heart of everything. Those resisting change will be left behind by newer, innovative entrants to the market.

Retail image problem

Working in retail doesn't mean simply working in a store. There are many opportunities to progress across different positions and levels within the retail sector. At Cast UK, we specialise in retail buying. Our candidates have the opportunity to travel the world, work in a vibrant, dynamic environment and progress their careers quickly. More needs to be done to bring this to the attention of top graduates to make working in retail a more attractive proposition from the outset.