Dominic Raab has urged UK firms to rent extra ex-offenders once they depart jail with the intention to ease the nation’s labour shortages.
The Justice Secretary mentioned firms struggling to fill roles ought to realise there’s a ‘captive market’ of potential employees who’re extra expert than bosses might imagine.
He mentioned many ex-convicts have the ‘proper type of angle that these employers need’ and companies have discovered former prisoners take ‘much less sick days’ and work more durable than different employees.
Dominic Raab has urged UK firms to rent extra ex-offenders once they depart jail with the intention to ease the nation’s labour shortages
An estimated 45,000 working age offenders are launched from jail yearly.
However only one in seven reportedly discover work inside six months, with Mr Raab telling The Instances he desires to see a ‘quantum leap’ in employment charges within the coming years.
Mr Raab lately met with prisoners who’re coaching to be lorry drivers and the Deputy Prime Minister mentioned the haulage sector is a key trade the place ex-convicts may assist alleviate employee shortages.
He instructed the newspaper: ‘To these employers who’re saying they’ve short-term points, I am saying you have received a captive market right here and these individuals are most likely higher than you assume.
‘Should you’ve received shortages – and we all know there are some – there’s a captive viewers there with some expertise and never the fallacious type of angle however in lots of circumstances the correct of angle that these employers need.
‘There’s an excellent added bonus to society too in addition to coping with any short-term shortages that you could have.’
An estimated 45,000 working age offenders are launched from jail yearly however just one in seven discover work inside six months
The Justice Secretary is internet hosting a summit in the present day with main employers, together with Greggs and Halfords, as he tries to steer corporations to rent extra ex-offenders.
Mr Raab mentioned he was not conscious of any firms which have signed as much as such recruitment programmes having had a unfavourable expertise.
‘We had one employer say you’ve much less sick days, extra motivation, more durable work they usually’re simpler not simply to make use of however to advertise,’ he mentioned.