A consortium of UK industry experts is launching a new initiative to get marketers back into world amid predictions that the new lockdown will trigger further job cuts on the back of the estimated 40,000 people who have already been made redundant during the Covid pandemic.
Virtual agency network Pimento has teamed up with leaders in the world of HR, finance, and wellbeing to provide support for those who find themselves out of work, with the scheme already being endorsed by the Alliance of Independent Agencies and the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA).
Research by the Chartered Institute of Marketing estimates that almost 40,000 people – one in ten of the sector’s workforce – have already lost their jobs during the pandemic, with many more to come as the UK heads into lockdown 2.0.
In response, a consortium – including Reality HR, Talent Spark, Premier Consultants, Wilcox Day Wealth Management, Pimento People, and MHFA England ambassador and instructor Michelle Morgan – have launched the initiative in an effort to get people back into employment.
The ‘What Next?’ programme is designed to provide specialist advice across a breadth of topics, and give those in the creative, marketing and communications sectors the skills, tools, and motivations to find a new role or set up as a freelancer.
Starting on November 10, it is launching a series of interactive workshops will cover a range of topics from mental health advice through to going freelance and CV writing.
Pimento founder and chief executive Stephen Knight said: “We are expecting a ‘jobs bloodbath’ in the coming months. The marketing and communications industry will be among the hardest hit, and these seminars are designed to help those affected to get their feet back on the ground after the shock of redundancy.”
It is understood that the Advertising Association and the DMA are also looking to extend the reach of the programme in the coming weeks.
For more information on the scheme, and how to join, visit the Pimento website>
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