Arras People Press Releases

June 2009 - Arras People in the Community: Career consultations fund generous donation to Youth Charter

Arras People, a national project management recruitment agency based in Heywood, made a £500 donation to The Youth Charter, Salford Quays, Manchester. The ceremony was marked with a cheque presentation and photos Thursday afternoon.

Senior Consultant Mick Hides and PR Co-ordinator Dan Strayer made the cheque presentation Thursday to Geoff Thompson MBE, Founder and Executive Chairman of The Youth Charter, at the main headquarters of the TYC office in Salford Quays.

After conducting a series of Project Management Careers Clinics for nearly a year, the total sum of the donations made for each clinic have been rounded up by Arras to present four different charities based around the Greater Manchester area. The four registered charities selected to receive donations this year include: The Youth Charter; George House Trust, a leading HIV-assistance charity; Derian House Children’s Hospice, Chorley; and Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, Edenfield, Ramsbottom.

Donations made by Arras People total £2,000, a large grant based on the popularity of Arras People’s commitment to providing prospective project management candidates with quality career consultation and advice. Arras People’s managing director, John Thorpe and Lindsay Scott, and consultants Mick Hides, Nicola Thorp and Gary Holmes, provide career advice and assistance for people on their CV and share their opinions and tips in areas such as qualifications, training, current job markets in project management. Fees for the sessions were donated to the charity of the candidate’s choice.

Said John Thorpe, a director of Arras People: ‘It is great to have a dedicated team who are willing to make time to share their experience and at the same time generate money that goes towards helping others in our local community.’

Thompson, renowned as a five-time World Karate Champion, corporate coach and social activist, was pleased with Arras’ generosity and stated that money from the donation would be funnelled toward web development for the organisation, enabling greater interaction with those who need their services. Youth Charter provides a variety of leading social and human development programmes through sport, arts and cultural activity toward life development. Through a variety of programmes including social coaches, training & skills development, self-awareness/development programmes and campaigns in art, culture, sport, environment and conflict resolution, Youth Charter has attracted the attention of both public and private sector entities that wish to contribute to a better community. Ambassadors for Youth Charter come from all over the world in a variety of walks of life, including Nelson Mandela, Mary Peters, Lennox Lewis, Kate Hoey MP, John McEnroe and Fatima Whitbread, among many others.

The Arras representatives came away from the visit pleased with Youth Charter’s efforts in community building and cultural enlightenment.

Said Hides: ‘The Youth Charter has worked tirelessly for years, offering disaffected and disadvantaged young people with the means to take responsibility for their lives. The use of our modest donation demonstrates what can be achieved if the right attitude is adopted. We wish the Youth Charter continued success with their work.’

The Project Management Career Clinic has been set up by Arras People to provide advice and help for people who are looking for project management careers/training/CV/market intelligence advice. To use the service, professionals are asked to donate £25 to one of the three charities nominated by Arras People. The service provided by Arras People’s trained staff provides general CV help while also providing educated advice, tips and opinions with students in areas such as qualifications, training, current job markets in project management and other related topics.

June 2009 - Arras People is named as a supplier on the Department of Health/NHS PASA Commercial Resources framework

Arras People, the Project Management Recruitment Specialist, has been successfully awarded by both the Department of Health & the NHS Purchasing & Supply Agency (NHS PASA) for the supply of Commercial Resources in a national and regional capacity.

Headquartered in Greater Manchester, Arras People as one of the awarded suppliers named on this framework will to work with the DH, its ALBs (Arms Length bodies) and NHS PASA to improve commercial capability through an increased emphasis on efficiency and value for money, specifically in a project and programme management capacity. Arras People is widely acknowledged for its expertise in project and programme management and the company will provide recruitment services and consultancy in the hiring (both for local and national NHS entities) of future non-permanent Project Manager, Programme Manager and Project Co-ordinator positions.

Arras People’s success to date has been attributed to our unique niche in recruitment for targeting project management & programme management personnel, giving the eight-year old national PM workforce supplier a competitive advantage against High Street and other niche recruiters. As part of the tender evaluation criteria Arras People had to demonstrate ability to present quality candidates that will transfer their commercial skills in a manner that will ensure long-term sustainability to commercial development for both the DH and the NHS. In addition, Arras was awarded supplier status for their cost effective recruitment tactics as a value for money supplier.

"The team at Arras are looking forward to engaging with the NHS and the Department of Health personnel. We feel that our inclusion recognises the value of professional project management and specifically the value that we can deliver as a knowledge based, niche recruitment supplier." said John Thorpe, Managing Director of Arras People.

The plan, titled the Commercial Resources Framework (CRF), is a primary objective of both the NHS and the DH that allows them to bring in non-permanent workers with commercial skills through the help of pre-qualified suppliers.

The CRF (Commercial Resources framework was awarded in April 2009 and commenced on the 1st June 2009- 30th April 2012 (with an option to extend further for 2 periods of 12 months).

May 2009 - Careers Clinics Fund Generous Donation to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary

Arras People, a national project management recruitment agency based in Heywood, made a £500 donation to George House Trust, an HIV Voluntary Organisation, Manchester. The ceremony was marked with a cheque presentation and photos Wednesday afternoon.

The four registered charities selected to receive donations this year include: George House Trust; Derian House Children's Hospice, Chorley; The Youth Charter, an extracurricular activities provider for Children, Salford Quays, Manchester; and Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, Edenfield, Ramsbottom.

Donations made by Arras People will total £2,000, a large grant based on the popularity of Arras People's commitment to providing prospective project management candidates with quality career consultation and advice. Arras People's managing director, John Thorpe, and consultants Mick Hides, Lindsay Scott, Nicola Thorp and Gary Holmes, provide career advice and assistance for people on their CV and share their opinions and tips in areas such as qualifications, training, current job markets in project management. Fees for the sessions were donated to the charity of the candidate's choice.

Said John Thorpe, a director of Arras People: 'It is great to have a dedicated team who are willing to make time to share their experience and at the same time generate money that goes towards helping others in our local community.'

Consultant Nicola Thorp and Arras People PR Co-ordinator Dan Strayer were given a thorough tour of the George House Trust (GHT) facilities Wednesday under the direction of GHT Chairman Jim Vann and Fundraising and Events Coordinator Sue Fletcher. Vann and Fletcher presented Nicola and Dan with a Certificate of Appreciation to commemorate the contribution, which would go toward one of several ongoing campaigns GHT is undergoing. Currently, George House Trust offers a variety of group and one-to-one services for those coping with the realities of life with HIV, while also raising awareness and educating the North West with strong campaigns.

Said Nicola: 'I feel pleased to be donating to a worthwhile charity which is tackling an issue that often gets overlooked. I didn't realise they did as much as they do, and I think most people wouldn't be aware, like the support services provided by GHT. I can speak for Arras People when I say that we're honoured to contribute in whatever positive manner we are capable of doing.'

Said Vann: 'George House is the leading HIV charity for the North West; we support over 2000 people in the region. Our work is challenging as many people living with HIV still face stigma and discrimination. Our "still live with HIV" message is at the centre of our philosophy and we work hard to empower people living with HIV to lead the fullest life possible. The opportunity to talk to the forward thinking staff at Arras People about our services is a fantastic way to connect up the voluntary and the private sectors. We're hugely grateful to Arras People for their donation of £500 to support our work.'

The Project Management Career Clinic has been set up by Arras People to provide advice and help for people who are looking for project management careers/training/CV/market intelligence advice. To use the service, professionals are asked to donate £25 to one of the three charities nominated by Arras People. The service provided by Arras People's trained staff provides general CV help while also providing educated advice, tips and opinions with students in areas such as qualifications, training, current job markets in project management and other related topics.

For more about Nicola's take on the visit to George House Trust, click here to read her blog entry at How to Manage a Camel.

May 2009 - Careers Clinics Fund Generous Donation to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary

Arras People, a national project management recruitment agency based in Heywood, made a £500 donation to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, Edenfield, Ramsbottom. The ceremony was marked with a cheque presentation and photos Monday afternoon.

Serpie, a former circus showhorse now living at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, shows off her patented hand shake to Nicola Thorp as Arras People colleague Lindsay Scott looks on. Bleakholt's Head of Stables, Martin Mercer, stands in the background.

The four registered charities slated to receive donations this year include: Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary; Derian House Children's Hospice, Chorley; The Youth Charter, an extracurricular activities provider for Children, Salford Quays, Manchester; and George House Trust, an HIV Voluntary Organisation, Manchester.

Donations made by Arras People will total £2,000, a large grant based on the popularity of Arras People's commitment to providing prospective project management job candidates with quality career consultation and advice. Arras People's managing director, John Thorpe, and consultants Mick Hides, Lindsay Scott, Nicola Thorp and Gary Holmes, provide career advice and help for people on their CV and share their opinions and tips in areas such as qualifications, training, current job markets in project management. Fees for the sessions were donated to the charity of the candidate's choice.

Six Arras People employees were treated to a tour of the Bleakholt facilities by Martin Mercer, Head of Stables at the Sanctuary, which has officially operated near Ramsbottom since 1957 and served as a registered charity since 1969. Mercer led a tour of the stables that feature 27 horses and 11 donkeys; stalls for farm animals, including two New Zealand Kune Kune pigs; and kennels featuring a variety of dogs and some cats. One former circus horse named Serpie showed off her patented hand shake to the overjoyed group, while several different dogs caught the eyes of the dog lovers in the group.

The Project Management Career Clinic has been set up by Arras People to provide advice and help for people who are looking for project management careers/training/CV/market intelligence advice. To use the service, professionals are asked to donate £25 to one of the three charities nominated by Arras People. The service provided by Arras People's trained staff provides general CV help while also providing educated advice, tips and opinions with students in areas such as qualifications, training, current job markets in project management and other related topics.

For Lindsay Scott's take on the visit to Bleakholt, click here to read her post about it at How to Manage a Camel.

May 2009 - Arras People Turns Careers Clinics Into Sizable Donation to Children's Hospice

Arras People, a national project management recruitment agency based in Heywood, made a £500 donation to Derian House Children's Hospice, Chorley, Lancashire. The ceremony was marked with a cheque presentation and photos Friday afternoon.

The four registered charities slated to receive donations this year include Derian House; Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, Edenfield, Ramsbottom; The Youth Charter, an extracurricular activities provider for Children, Salford Quays, Manchester; and George House Trust, an HIV Voluntary Organisation, Manchester.

The Project Management Career Clinic has been set up by Arras People to provide advice and help for people who are registered with Arras People as a project management professional looking for project management careers/training/CV/market intelligence advice. To use the service, professionals are asked to donate £10 25 to one of the three charities nominated by Arras People. The service provided by Arras People's trained staff provides general CV help while also providing educated advice, tips and opinions with students in areas such as qualifications, training, current job markets in project management and other related topics.

Roya Khadem, the Fundraising/Volunteers Co-ordinator for Derian House, appreciated Arras' generous donation, which she indicated would see immediate use for one particular upgrade at the Derian House facility.

"Thank you very much to Arras People for their kind generosity," Khadem said. "We can assure that the money donated will go toward the new teenage and young adult unit extension we are scheduled to begin building next month. Thanks from everyone at Derian House."

April 2009 - Arras People, DWP join in fight for unemployed project professionals

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently included Arras People, the Project Management Recruitment people, as one of several organisations to deliver a new job search service for newly unemployed project management professionals.

Arras People was one of several recruiters nationwide to win a tender to launch the JobSearch Support Services for Newly Unemployed Professionals this month. The Heywood-based project management recruitment and consultancy specialist will work with the DWP and Jobcentre Plus on the new programme, launched as part of the Government's response to the economic downturn. The service is targeted specifically at professional or executive jobseekers in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) who have become unemployed after a period of long term employment.

Arras People will be delivering a variety of services across the whole of the UK to project professionals as an extension of our current career support offerings to prospective job seekers. Those who qualify for the service will receive career counselling and guidance on topics such as skills audit, CV writing, cover letter writing, interviewing skills, market intelligence and job search techniques.

"This opportunity to work with the DWP is a natural fit with the services we currently offer to those looking to advance their careers in Project Management," said John Thorpe, Managing Director & Founder of Arras People. "Preparing yourself to be effective in the job market is a skill which many people need help and advice on if they are going to secure a new role. The team at Arras People have a track record in helping people achieve this."

The DWP has introduced a wide range of additional services for their customers, including the JobSearch Support Service for Newly Unemployed Professionals. JobSearch Support is modelled as a one-day package complete with focused, intensive job search support for customers who have little or no experience with current job search channels, but display the confidence and motivation to seek work independently.

To use the JobSearch Support Service provided by Arras People, JSA qualifiers (particularly those with a background in projects) are encouraged to seek further advice about Arras People's involvement in the programme through their Jobcentre Plus adviser.

Those interested can go to http://www.arraspeople.co.uk/DWP/ and learn more about Arras People's involvement with Jobcentre Plus and the DWP in JobSearch Support Services for Newly Unemployed Professionals.

April 2009 - Arras People Turns Seven Years Old This Month

Project Management Recruitment leader will celebrate their seventh birthday throughout April by offering customers one day full of free careers clinics

Arras People, the Project Management Recruitment Specialist, are celebrating the company's seventh birthday throughout the month of April. The month-long celebration will be highlighted by a full day of free Project Management Careers Clinics for project management candidates.

Formed in 2002, Arras People has established itself as the premier project and programme management Recruitment Company in the UK, bringing unparalleled levels of service to clients and candidates alike. Recognising the growth in the UK project management market as more organisations took a project centric approach to delivery, the founders used their own experiences to form a company that was able to offer knowledge based recruitment services in response to the growing demand. The principal of using experienced project management practitioners to deliver recruitment services still holds strong and defines the company in the marketplace.

According to Managing Director and Co-Founder John Thorpe, "It is an approach that is based on respect to all our clients, be they clients looking to take on new hires or candidates looking for a new opportunity."

"It sounds simple, but from our own experiences of the marketplace and from conversations we have with individuals, it still marks us out in the crowd."

Unlike most who celebrate their own birthday, Arras People will be the ones bestowing the gifts this month – namely a free day of the popular Project Management Careers Clinics on the 27th April. These 30-minute one-to-one telephone consultations assist project management professionals who need independent advice in their pursuit of the next step in their project management career. Most often, clinic participants gain advice and feedback on their CVs. However, other clinic participants have used the clinic to get a better feel for the job market, received advice on project management training, and guidance about developing their careers.

The clinic, which normally charges a small fee, was recently offered for free at the Project Challenge Spring Show 2009 at the NEC Arena in Birmingham. So strong was the response for the service that the available slots were fully booked online within 10 days.

"We have a lot of good memories to look back on, and we think going forward that the Clinics will continue to stand out as our unique way of extending our expertise in the field to project and programme management professionals," said Dan Strayer, Marketing Co-ordinator at Arras People. "When you get down to it, the Project Management Careers Clinic is one of the most popular tools we have to show that we are here for our candidates. Any way you cut it, everybody is a winner this month with Arras People."

A web page will be updated throughout the month with features and information on how prospective free clinic participants can register for an open slot 27th April. Keep checking in at http://www.arraspeople.co.uk/seventh_birthday/index.html for more details.

February 2009 - Arras People Celebrates ISO9001 Accreditation

Arras People celebrates ISO9001:2008 Accreditation: Raising the Standards in Project Management Recruitment

Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, today celebrated the accumulation of months of preparation with the award of their BS EN ISO9001:2008 Certification for the provision of project Management and staffing solutions.

The award, granted by the International Organisation for Standardisation, followed a successful independent audit of Arras People's key business policies, processes, procedures and best practices techniques which are used in the project management recruitment process.

The Certification was the natural next step for Arras People, given the growing expectation in business today that companies can demonstrate and maintain quality management systems. This accreditation not only demonstrates that Arras People is a sound and solid business but also gives official recognition to the wider marketplace of what the business was already doing; providing a project management recruitment service that exceeds expectations for all its clients – both recruiting organisations and candidates.

Lead consultant for Arras People, Mick Hides, commented; "The ISO 9001 Certification now opens up new markets for Arras People, it has enabled us to start working with new clients that had specific procurement requirements in place, specifically that new suppliers must have the accreditation. We're looking forward to supplying our unique services to a wider market"

Commented John Thorpe, Managing Director of Arras People, "It's reassuring to know that we went through the ISO 9001:2008 process with no major changes, we worked hard in the preparation but fundamentally the accreditation shows we're running a controlled business and it is a great platform on which to continue grow and provide our customers with an enhanced recruitment experience"

L-R Allan Baskerville of Certified Quality Systems, John Thorpe, Managing Director of Arras People, Michael Hides, Lead Consultant at Arras People

Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, are offering 30 free careers consultation appointments at the Project Challenge Spring Show on the 25th & 26th March 2009 at the NEC Birmingham.

Project Management Careers Consultations

Project Management Careers Clinics are a well established and popular offering from Arras People, through which project management professionals gain access to the Arras recruiters for career advice and guidance. Over the last three years hundreds of project people have taken these one-to-one consultation sessions to health check their CV's and positioning in the market. The Project Challenge Spring Show sees the Careers Clinics on the road for the first time.

To celebrate the launch of the Roadshow, Arras People will be providing free ½ hour careers consultation on a first come, first served basis to project management professionals who attend the show. Full details of booking can be found at http://www.arraspeople.co.uk/projectchallenge

The career consultations can be accessed by anyone looking for help and advice in these areas:

Commented Lindsay Scott, director of Arras People, "The Project Management Careers Clinics have been a popular and useful service to over 600 project management professionals over the last three years. A lot of our consultations are normally done over the phone or carried out at our head office so we wanted to launch our first years exhibiting at Project Challenge with something special for delegates".

Arras People contact:

Lindsay Scott,
47 York Street
Heywood
Lancashire
OL10 4NN
Tel: 01706 – 366444
Fax: 01706 – 366544
http://www.arraspeople.co.uk

February 2009 - Arras People Survey of the UK Project Management Market 2009

Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, used independent research company Benchpoint's™ unique real time polling technology to question 1200 permanent and contract Programme and Project Management Professionals during January 2009.

The survey shows how the economic downturn is affecting project managers' earnings, aspirations and professional life.

Arras People estimate there are nearly 80,000 Project Managers in the UK. Why are they important? As one respondent put it "A good PM provides leadership, a professional approach and experience to ANY form of business".

Commented John Thorpe, Managing Director of Arras People, "This is our fourth annual survey of the project management profession in the UK, and we are continuing to build an unparalleled repository of information which gives a valuable insight into what is happening in this market.

Whilst the current market is tough and people are anticipating a reduction in opportunities and even earnings, it is fascinating to see that the community remains upbeat about what they can contribute to the UK economy."

PRINCE2® and P3O® is a Registered Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce in the United Kingdom and other countries

Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd. Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent, contract or interim positions.

Arras Services began trading in February 2002, and now provides its services to many of UK's leading blue chip organisations in the UK, as well as public sector (central and local government), IT, engineering, marketing and media organizations, not for profit and charities.

The Programme and Project Support Office Specialist Interest Group (PPSOSIG) will be holding the first 2009 conference on Wednesday 18th March in Birmingham. Arras People has sponsored the event for six years and looks forward to another successful conference in March 2009.

The event, entitled P3O® Examined, covers the new P3O guidance from the OGC. P3O Examined will provide answers to "So what will the new P3O guidance mean to your role, your PMO and your organisation?"

P3O Examined will guide their delegates with presentations, workshops, networking and Q&A sessions that concentrate on the reality of P3O. The intent is to provide delegates with a whole new set of ideas and plans to take away from and implement into their PPSO structure.Introducing the theme for the day is Sue Vowler. Sue is the Lead Author for the new P3O guidance, and will be taking delegates through the importance of P3O to today's Portfolio, Programme and Project Offices. Sue will be positioning P3O alongside other published guidance and giving delegates an insight to the key areas of P3O. Craig Kilford is the Lead Reviewer for P3O and also the author for the Portfolio Management Guide from OGC. Portfolio Management and the new P3O guidance are closely linked; the first P in P3O covers the Portfolio Office. In this presentation Craig covers the main themes of Portfolio Management and the way forward for P3Os. Alan Ferguson from AFA, an accredited training organisation and one of the first organisations to offer the P3O training, will be sharing details of the syllabus and the value of P3O training. Expect a lively presentation and debate!

There will also be hosted sessions and interactive workshops; the PPSOSIG delegates will gain insights, ideas and take part in thought provoking debates around central P3O themes. Questions which stimulate discussion, such as; how does your organisational maturity determine you P3O implementation; the importance of the CoE aspect of a P3O; will P3O deliver value for money in these hard times - how will you secure your sponsor? This facilitated session will help delegates examine P3O and understand more about what it means to them and their organisation.

Lindsay Scott from Arras People says: "The response to this conference has been immense and its proving to be our largest conference to date. We knew it would be a very popular conference due to the launch of P3O and the buzz it has created in the PPSO community, we're really looking forward to welcoming the 100 delegates in March and stimulating a lively P3O debate."

P3O Examined is one day event commencing at 9.30am on Wednesday 18th March. Go to www.ppsosig.co.uk/Events.php for more information on rates and the seminar agenda as well.

January 2009 - Arras People – The Project Management Recruitment Agency that Speaks to Candidates, Not Just Clients!

Arras People are a niche project management recruitment agency founded in 2002 with the aim of providing a service that overturned the perception of the recruitment industry.

The founders of Arras People are project staff with experience of recruitment agencies both as client and candidate.

Their experiences mirrored those of current UK job seekers who report an impenetrable industry where the flow of information is all one way.

UK job seekers report feeling undervalued, frustrated and ignored by recruitment agencies where:

Since its inception, Arras People has strived to overturn this perception of recruitment agencies by offering our candidates a service where they are valued as highly as our clients.

Our latest improvement is to individually appraise all CVs received from candidates who wish to register with us and provide feedback within 2 working days. CVs are read on a daily basis by a recruiter who assesses them in accordance with the following criteria:

Candidates are then issued with an e-mail advising them whether their application to register has been accepted. CVs of accepted candidates are added to our database to be matched with vacancies.

Candidates who we feel unable to help secure their next role are directed to the comprehensive resources on our website for assistance. These include a 16-page document assessing project management qualifications, CV writing advice and a suggested template and a project management entrance guides for graduates & career changers. All the above are free of charge and require no personal details to download.

Candidates who wish to go a step further can pay £30 for a 30 minute phone call with one of our recruiters who will evaluate their CV, discuss career options and provide one to one, honest advice on how best the candidate can pitch themselves in an increasingly competitive market place. Candidates can sign up for one of our Project Management Careers Clinics at http://www.arraspeople.co.uk/PMC_Clinic/.

John Thorpe, Managing Director of Arras People, says: "Managing the expectations of our candidates and increasing the accessibility of recruiters to help job seekers improve their competitive edge is an ongoing concern for recruitment agencies keen to be in contact with the cream of the candidate pool".

December 2008 - Fourth Annual Arras People Project Management Survey Is Now Online

The 2009 Arras People Project Management Survey was released to UK based project management professionals on Thursday.

Now in its fourth year, the survey once collated will provide a current picture of what is happening in the Project Management field in the UK. Regarded as the most comprehensive report available for the project management marketplace in the UK, questions revolve around practitioners' views on professionalism and accreditation; their views on the current state of the market place; trends around rewards and benefits during 2008 and looking forward into 2009, as well as many other topical issues affecting project management.

"With 2009 looking to be a challenging year, it will be especially interesting to get the views of a group of professionals who can make a major impact on the economy. Challenging times require focussed projects which can deliver real benefits and skilled project professionals to ensure that the desired outcomes are achieved," said John Thorpe, Managing Director/Founder of Arras People.

Surveys from previous years have been cited in many different presentations worldwide since its inception in 2006, and project management professionals have repeatedly cited the Arras People Project Management Survey when looking to present current data and trends in the profession.

All UK based project management professionals are invited to participate in the 2009 Arras People Project Management Survey.

November 2008 - Community Volunteer Wraps Up 13-Week Project, Is Immediately Hired

Arras People's recent sponsorship of university graduate Zoe in her volunteer project work with Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale has come to an end. The volunteers during Zoe's 13-week stint with Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale show their bond as a group - though not permanently!

The volunteers during Zoe's 13-week stint with Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale show their bond as a group - though not permanently!

As a result of her hard effort and consistent growth with Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale, Zoe's experience led to her attainment of a full-time position with the organisation as NEET Project Officer Assistant for the Youth Department.

'This job is working on a project with young people that are not in employment, education or training, and helping them pursue any plans they may have for their future,' Zoe wrote in her Week 13 diary entry.

The thirteen weeks as a volunteer seemed to fly by, as Zoe's contributions to our webpage with weekly diary entries about her volunteering experience have given insight to both us as consultants and her interested online readers. The goal at the beginning was to take a recent graduate aspiring to become a project management professional and plug them into a fast-track programme that would serve as a harbinger of things to come in their professional life. As volunteer organisations are often in need of assistance, we at Arras People felt the online diary and recounts of Zoe's experience in such a role would shed light on what it takes to become a reputable project professional.

In the case of Zoe, her efforts were noticed. Not only have both Arras People and Zoe endeavoured to show what good volunteering can do for developing project management ideals, we got a first-hand glimpse of the rewards of such volunteering!

"The experience was very beneficial and interesting, and it provided me with many opportunities and experiences," she wrote. "I would recommend this scheme to any individual that would like experience in a similar field."

Arras People plans to sponsor another voluntary assistant in the future, so be sure to stay tuned to all forms of Arras Services Media (including blog, website, and newsletter) for any upcoming events.

October 2008 - Groundwork Volunteer Project Kicks Off For Arras Sponsored Candidate

Because Arras People project management consultants are asked constantly about ways to get into project management, we adopted Arras in the Community: The Groundwork Volunteer Project, in September to give our online readers a glimpse at answering the most common project management FAQ among job seekers.

Setting up a volunteer project assistant co-operation with Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale, Arras People will sponsor recent graduate and former Arras summer intern Zoe in a 13-week volunteer programme designed to build her project maintenance capabilities. Groundwork is currently developing Zoe's abilities through project participation and involvement in environmental/regeneration programmes. You can learn more about Zoe's take each week with diary entries (you can start at week one and work your way up) and analysis from our PM Consultants about elements of project management Zoe encountered that week (week three is located here).

Arras People plans to sponsor one graduate each year in a similar Groundwork project. For more details, check back in periodically to find out our requirements. But this year will provide the ground work (no pun intended) for what we hope will be annual event. Each week on this page during her 13-week assignment, Zoe will provide us with an updated diary, complete with reviews of her assignments, images of her work and previews of what lies ahead. The diary entries will tackle several elements of project management, from the working atmosphere to teamwork to resources available to planning.

The Programme and Project Support Office Specialist Interest Group (PPSOSIG) will be holding the second 2008 seminar from 17-18 September at Warwick Conferences in Coventry. Arras People has sponsored the event for five years and looks forward to another successful conference in September 2008.

The event, entitled Sweating Your PPSOs Assets: How Do You Get Best Value Out of What You Already Have?, seeks to help Programme and Project Support Officers take what they know their assets be and get the most out of them in a belt-tightening, credit crunching, recession-wary business era. Delegates are given the opportunity to evaluate their most valuable assets in their PPSO and learn more about how they can get the most value from what they already have without the need for extra outgoing costs and resource expenditure.

Sweating Your PPSOs Assets will guide their delegates with presentations, workshops, networking and Q&A sessions that concentrate on four main asset concentrations: infrastructure, skill sets/knowledge, personal skills and information. The intent is to provide delegates with a whole new set of ideas and plans to take away from and implement into their PPSO structure.

Sweating Your PPSOs Assets is an overnight event (accommodation is included in the delegate rate) commencing at 9.30am on Wednesday 17th September and concluding at 12 noon on Thursday 18th September. Go to www.ppsosig.co.uk/Events.php for more information on rates and the seminar agenda as well.

Another donation from our successful project management careers clinics to a local charity - Little Monkeys

February 2008 - Arras People Survey of the UK Project management Market 2008

Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, used independent research company Benchpoint's™ unique real time polling technology to question 1650 permanent and contract Programme and Project Professionals during January 2008.

The survey provided a detailed picture of project professionals' careers, earnings and prospects building upon the data gathered in previous surveys.

Commented John Thorpe, managing director of Arras People, "This is our third annual survey of the project management profession in the UK, and we are gaining a valuable insight into what is driving this market, which now employs between 1.5 and 2 million people.

We have noticed some big changes, particularly in the climate and remuneration of contractors, and also the persistence of gender and age issues in the workplace.
"Although nearly three quarters of our respondents say they have an acceptable work/life balance, a worrying 23% claim that their lifestyle is "unacceptable", which is worrying, and we try to analyse why."

Thank you to all our candidates that took part we had a great day helping candidates as well as raising £250 to Comic Relief.

On Friday 16th March, Arras People will be running their Red Nose Project Management Career Clinic throughout the day for new and existing project management candidates, in support of Red Nose Day 2007 – The Big One. Candidates can choose between advice on their own project management career or gain advice on making improvements to their CV in a 30 minute session

Slots are available throughout the day starting at 9am, and each sessions costs £10. All donations will be matched by Arras People and all the money raised from the event will go to Comic Relief. Candidates can book their session through our website – www.arraspeople.co.uk

"We've been running this service for a number of years totally free to candidates and the feedback on how we've made a difference to candidates' CV's and careers has been brilliant. We wanted to do something different for Red Nose Day where we could involve our candidates so the 'donations for advice' through the clinic service seemed the best idea. We'll also be having fun during the day too with in-company silly competitions and jokes galore."

For further information, contact: Lindsay Scott, 01706 366444 or Lindsay.scott@arraspeople.co.uk

Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd. Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent or interim positions. Arras Services began trading in February 2002, servicing the market associated with excellence in Programme and Project Management. For further information: http://www.arraspeople.co.uk 47 York Street, Heywood, Lancashire, OL10 4NN.

Heywood, Lancashire, UK, 28 February 2007. Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, have published their second survey on the UK project management market, with a detailed study on working conditions, rewards and contractor/employee sentiment.

John Thorpe, a director of Arras People commented "There are more and more people calling themselves project management professionals, as private and public sector organisations increasingly rely on their skills and attributes to provide a flexible and focused resource. This study provides a very detailed picture of the project personnel's professional life and the key differences between contractors and employees, and between the differences in major sectors.

2. Survey details: Arras People used independent research company Benchpoint's unique real time polling technology to question 1,225 permanent and contract Programme and Project Professionals during January 2007.

The survey provided a detailed picture of project professionals' careers, qualifications, earnings and prospects, building upon the data gathered in previous surveys.

3. About Arras People: Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd. Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent, contract or interim positions.

Arras Services began trading in February 2002, and now provides its services to many of UK's leading blue chip organisations, including some of the Top 20 project management consultancies in the UK, as well as public sector (central and local government), IT, engineering, marketing and media organizations, not for profit and charities.

Issued on behalf of Arras People by;
Richard Gaunt
Gaunt Corporate Affairs and Business Communication
London
W4 3AP

Tel 077 11 69 19 28
gaunt@gaunt-cabc.com

Arras People Survey: Confusion reigns on new ageism regulations - Is the traditional CV on the way out?

Heywood, Lancashire, UK, 27 September 2006. A survey on awareness of new Ageism legislation by Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, highlights a surprising lack of awareness of new regulations to prevent age discrimination at work.

Nearly 40 per cent of respondents do not know of the new regulations. In the16-34 years age bracket (which are heavily affected by the regulations), 64 per cent of respondents are unaware of the regulations. Even in the 50-plus age group, 15 per cent are not aware.

Under the regulations, employers will no longer be allowed to use age as a consideration in employment, promotion or retirement decisions. Yet the overwhelming majority -81 per cent of respondents- does not intend to amend their CVs. (There are no significant differences between the age groups). At the other end of the spectrum the minority plans to remove their date of birth or even 'experience' dates that enable it to be calculated".

Nearly 60 per cent of all respondents (and again there are no significant differences between the different age groups) expect agency recruitment staff to amend non-compliant CVs before presenting them to an employer.

Said John Thorpe, a director of Arras People, "The objectives are commendable, but it is difficult to predict how this legislation will work in practice. The Regulations use terms such as 'legitimate aim' and 'proportionate' which lack any clear definition. Removal of birth dates from CV's is only part of the story, as work history and education details generally indicate age. In any case, our survey indicates the majority of people will probably not be making any change to these aspects of their CV's.

"The question is, will the CV as we know it today have any relevance in the future, or will we need to find a new way of 'neutrally' presenting candidates to prospective clients?

Employers can no longer describe roles as "senior" or "junior", even in long established hierarchies and career structures. Employers will have to define precisely what attributes their employees need in terms of skills, experience and qualifications without recourse to simple statements such as "5 years experience".

It is a classic paradox; a candidate can still provide a CV in which they describe themselves as a 'Senior Project Manager' as this is describing how they see themselves against their peers (from an experience point of view) but a potential employer can no longer ask for a "Senior Project Manager" as this could be seen as Direct or Indirect discrimination!

According to John Thorpe, employees may need to start rethinking, how they classify their career levels. Phrases like "ten years' experience" will have to be replaced by concrete examples against which candidates and employees alike can be measured. This could lead towards industry or sector recognised 'professional' career levels which are explicit and published for all to use.

Said John Thorpe, "The regulations are well meaning, but have the potential to impose another meaningless level of bureaucracy, without making any real difference to the majority of active employees and job seekers".

This thought is echoed by the survey. 60 per cent of respondents do not believe the legislation will improve job opportunities. The percentage rises to 64 per cent for the over 50's.

• Arras People surveyed 370 project management professionals between 19-27 September 2006.
• On 1 October 2006, new laws will come into force to protect workers from age discrimination.
• The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations will make it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees, trainees or job seekers because of their age and ensure that all workers, regardless of age, have the same rights in terms of training and promotion.
• The regulations will cover direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation; and will include all workers and those taking part in or applying for employment-related training including further and higher education courses.
• Employers will be required to revise their recruitment and retention policies, as they will no longer be allowed to use age as a consideration in employment, promotion or retirement decisions. They must also update their equality policy to include age, and all staff should be made aware of the implications of the regulations.
• Nearly a third of the labour force will be over 50 by 2020.

Arras People works with some of the Top 20 project management consultancies in the UK, public sector (central and local government), IT, engineering, marketing and media organizations, not for profit and charities.

Arras People, the project management recruitment specialists, conducted a survey of over 1000 current practitioners working in the field of project management, a growing sector in UK employment. The results show how the market has changed since 2000, and the key drivers in the sector today.

Once upon a time job security and status meant a senior position with a major company, underpinned by several years' solid service. You could look forward to promotion, a decent pension, and lots of goodies, like cars, away days, courses and conferences. Not any more.

Click here to download the full press release (Word Doc 000kb)

Click here to download charts

Click here to download the full published version of the Arras People Report (Acrobat pdf file -444 kb )

Richard Gaunt MCIPR
Gaunt Corporate Affairs and Business communication
London
W4 3AP

Arras People contact:

John Thorpe,
Arras People
Arras House
47 York Street
Heywood
Lancashire
OL10 4NN

June 2005 - How To Draw The Hunters- Article From The Independent 02/06/05

There are ways to make good jobs come looking for you, rather than vice versa, says Steve McCormack

In the football world, it's known as being "tapped up" and, although it's reportedly going on all the time, it's against the rules of the professional game. In business, though, the practice of head-hunting is more respectable and becoming an ever more widespread means of recruitment.

For well over a decade, it has been well established in several core sectors, including financial services, IT, the engineering industry and consumer businesses such as retailing and the media.

Recently, though, senior jobs in the public sector have increasingly been filled using head-hunters, a reflection of growing salaries in these areas, and the blurring of the lines between private and public, caused when major projects, in health, education and infrastructure, are run by private finance initiative (PFI) organisations.

But there remains a whiff of intrigue about the practice, fuelled by the semi-conspiratorial way the prey of a head-hunting operation may refer to the method of their recruitment. The un-stated message from someone who's been head-hunted is that they were a highly sought-after commodity, for which the recruiter had to pay big money.

Even though many feel flattered to be contacted by a head-hunter, it's by no means the only emotion displayed when people pick up the phone, out of the blue, to be asked if they might be interested in changing jobs.

"The initial contact has to be done in a very discreet manner," explains Peter Blundell, of Arras Head Hunting, in Greater Manchester. "People can be abusive, feel threatened, flattered or just ask: 'Why? I'm quite happy where I am.' "

Arras, a small company with seven employees including directors, was set up in 2002 by three managers from the IT industry, frustrated at the difficulties they were experiencing hiring good project and programme-management executives. From a standing start, the firm has grown into a business with a turnover of more than £1m.

When a head-hunting assignment is taken, Blundell looks into 20 or 30 companies that might have someone on the books fitting the bill. From this list, he usually identifies eight or nine individuals worth contacting in person, from whom he'll try to present three or four suitable candidates to the hiring company.

But Arras also welcomes contacts from people keen to market themselves as potential head-hunting targets. "There's no harm in advertising yourself," says John Thorpe, one of Arras' senior directors. "But you need to be careful which companies you are giving your details to."

It is important to be convinced of the head-hunting firm's confidentiality and integrity, he says, and also to be satisfied that the people are knowledgeable, preferably with first-hand experience, of the employment sector you work in.

For those eager to be proactive in career advancement, but still a little nervous about entering what may seem a shady world, a book out this month attempts to demystify the head-hunting scene and offer practical steps to get noticed in the right places.

How To Be Headhunted, by John Purkiss and Barbara Edlmair, claims to tell you all you need to know if you are looking for a senior executive position or a seat on a board.

Purkiss's working life began in banking and consulting, after which he joined the head-hunting firm Heidrick & Struggles, where he became a partner, and worked alongside Edlmair. The pair set up Purkiss & Company three years ago.

The head-hunting process, says Purkiss, is becoming much more transparent and accepted as part of routine business life, which underlines the importance, for anyone in the £50,000-plus salary bracket, of making their mark with the right people in the right way.

The first objective is to identify the half-dozen or so individual head-hunters specialising in your area of expertise. This can be done by a mixture of internet research and talking to colleagues and contacts in the business sector.

Next you have to crystallise exactly what you think are your unique attributes and strengths. Here, Purkiss strongly advises against woolly generalities - "I'm very entrepreneurial and a good team-player." - and favours concrete facts and achievements ("I have led a team of 10 software developers", "I've worked in France and speak French" or "I've been CEO of a company sold for £100m.")

With this pitch prominent on a concise CV, you can then approach the head-hunters directly.

"If you sort out clearly what you have to offer and put it in front of the right people, you are oiling the wheels and making it easier for them, and you are much more likely to get in front of a client," Purkiss reasons.

Also helpful in this quest, according to Neil Gobal, at the leading firm Whitehead Mann, is being able to approach the head-hunter via a third party known to both of you.

"That makes it more difficult for them to ignore you," he says. "One then feels more obliged to try to do someone a favour."

Gobal, who specialises in filling main board positions in the UK's top 200 companies and government bodies, says CVs should be two pages at most. He also warns against neglecting the day job.

"Be visible within your job. Speak at conferences and, in all your dealings, be polite and civil, and take time with people. There is no substitute for basic human warmth."

Moira Benigson runs a small "executive search" company ("head-hunting sounds a bit like a secondhand car salesman") turning over £2.5m a year and specialising in the fashion and retail sectors.

She agrees that it is always good to know who the head-hunters are, particularly if you are planning a move in the next 12 months, and it is always wise to be nice to them.

But, like Gobal, she stresses the importance of honing your current performance. "The best way to advance your career is just to be fabulous at what you do," she says. "It starts from very early. There are brilliant stars we track from when they're young."

So it seems that it's never too soon to do something to advance your career prospects, and you never know when someone important might be looking.

'How To Be Headhunted', by John Purkiss and Barbara Edlmair, is published by How To Books

November 2004 - New Office for the Project Management Recruitment Specialists

Arras® People , the UK's leading programme and project management recruitment company, today announced the opening of their new Head Office in Greater Manchester. Previously Head Quartered for the past two years in Norden, Lancashire, Arras People has seen substantial and profitable business expansion during this period leading up to the new office acquisition.

John Thorpe, Director of Arras People, said: "The new office allows us to continue expanding our service offering whilst at the same time continuing to gain new business and maintain the high level of service our existing clients expect from us. We're looking forward to recruiting further project management professionals to work as part of the Arras team and to expanding our service offerings especially in the exciting area of virtual project offices (Arras Virtual ™).

Consolidating on from the successful introduction of our knowledge based services, the establishment of our Bedford office and our newly established London operation, our move to new Head Quarters in Manchester sees another phase of our business plan coming alive.”

Editor's Notes
Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd. Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent or interim positions. Arras Services began trading in February 2002, servicing the market
associated with excellence in Programme and Project Management.
For further information: www.arraspeople.co.uk or www.arrasservices.co.uk

Arras® People , the UK's leading programme and project management recruitment company, announced the opening of the first PMC, Project Management Clinic, available to job-seekers. This is a new service, available to candidates who register or are registered at Arras People, where they can call and speak to one our senior consultant team regarding issues specific to their careers in project management related services.

Lindsay Scott, Director of Arras People, said: "Through this service we offer our candidates an even higher quality service and promote two way communication, both often a bugbear for candidates dealing with generalist recruiters. The PMC service allows each person a 15 minute slot to talk about whatever related matter they want and gain advice from our team, themselves qualified and experienced project management practitioners. Topics covered in the calls include the more general careers advice - anything from CV critique to training course recommendation through to specific project issues from achieving deadlines or to difficult negotiations with third parties for example."

The clinic is open to all who currently work or would like to work as a project management professional, from programme directors, project managers to project support and graduates. The PMC is taking bookings now through the Arras People website - www.arraspeople.co.uk.

March 2004 - Recruitment companies move from being a "necessary evil" to a value added service

A recent survey commissioned by Arras People set out to gain a snapshot of the recruitment market across the UK, revealed that 45% of recruitment companies believe their services to clients to be a "value added service", though a quarter responded suggesting that recruiters are seen as a necessary evil! Perhaps surprisingly 43% believe candidates see agencies as a professional industry where quality of service is improving, with 18% seeing agencies as necessary evil.

"The recruitment companies own perceived value is that of a provider of professional and high quality recruitment services to both its clients and candidates, but the reality can often be very different" said Lindsay Scott of Arras People. "Many candidates are still surprised to be offer a professional service where the recruiter treats them with respect and dignity so I often wonder what kind of service they've received in the past."

Over a 100 REC (Recruitment Employment Confederation) registered agencies responded to our questions which were designed to ascertain their agency view of the market place for jobs and to show trends for the past 3 months. This survey was not aimed at any particular market sector, it included a mix of large high street agencies and discrete niche agencies specialising in specific job roles.

The survey also indicated that the number of candidates applying for positions over the past 3 months has increased. Ian McKenzie from Arras People said "At the moment it looks like the fees for agency services have remained the same over the last three months (51%); however some agencies believe they are now firming up with some claiming that their fees are starting to edge upwards (26%)."

The general view of the agencies is that activity in both the contractor (50%) and permanent (51%) market places has increased; there are now more jobs available through recruitment agencies in most sectors. In terms of the anticipated market trends for agencies, there is a resounding agreement of yes to expected growth over the next 12 months particularly in the contractor arena (68%).

With regards to which job sites agencies use to advertise opportunities nearly 60% of the agencies said they use Reed, with over a quarter using TotalJobs (28%) or Jobserve (26%). Many agencies also responded saying that they use a combination of sites plus their own job boards. The preferred site for agencies is the Reed Freerecruitment because it's free!

Ian McKenzie went on to comment, "We are pleased to report the job market has picked up for many agencies (positive for candidates also) with sustained growth expected over the coming 12 months. The agencies view themselves as seeking to do a better quality job, improving their professionalism and value to both candidate and client."

About Arras People
Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd. Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent or interim positions.

Arras Services began trading in February 2002, servicing the market associated with excellence in Programme and Project Management.

Lindsay Scott
Arras People
01706 366444
Lindsay.scott@arraspeople.co.uk
Survey results online @ Survey

Greater Manchester based Arras People (www.arraspeople.co.uk), knowledge based Project Management Recruitment Specialists, are delighted to announce the opening of their second office in Bedford.

The new location has been chosen specifically to recognise and service our growing activity in London and the South East whilst also recognising the growth potential in Bedfordshire and surrounding counties. Our aim is to maintain our ongoing commitment to provide a superior service to all existing and new clients.

Managing Director John Thorpe comments, "We are looking forward to the many opportunities our Bedford office will offer as an integral part of our ongoing expansion plan. Our aim is to become the leading UK Project Management Recruitment Specialists."

Arras People is the Project Management Recruitment Division of Arras Services Ltd. Arras People provides programme and project management professionals and professional project office support personnel across all industry sectors, for either permanent or interim positions. Arras Services began trading in February 2002, servicing the market associated with excellence in Programme and Project Management. For further information: www.arraspeople.co.uk or www.arrasservices.co.uk

Arras People Press Office

June 2009 - Arras People is named as a supplier on the Department of Health/NHS PASA Commercial Resources framework

May 2009 - Careers Clinics Fund Generous Donation to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary

May 2009 - Careers Clinics Fund Generous Donation to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary

May 2009 - Arras People Turns Careers Clinics Into Sizable Donation to Children's Hospice

April 2009 - Arras People, DWP join in fight for unemployed project professionals

April 2009 - Arras People Turns Seven Years Old This Month

February 2009 - Arras People Celebrates ISO9001 Accreditation