Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has said that the Ministry of Defence has looked at the possibility of taking the armed forces recruitment contract back in-house.
At a House of Commons Select Committee, after hearing that less than 60% of the target had been met, Williamson said:
“If it becomes apparent in the next financial year that Capita are continuing to fail in what they do, we are going to have to look at different options in terms of the contract.
We have started to see a turnaround in the number of recruits and that is starting to head in the right direction. If it doesn’t continue in the right direction, they will have to be relieved of their contract and we will have to look at different ways to deliver it.”
A Capita spokesperson said:
“The Army recruitment partnership between the British Army and Capita was re-set last year to ensure a closer working relationship that will deliver significant improvements in performance. Indications of improved performance are good: applications are at a five-year high and the length of time it takes from application to starting basic training has reduced by 20%, with the quickest candidate receiving a job offer just 22 days after applying.”
…and about time. If they were one of my suppliers they would be history.
Cancel the contract!
Then bring back recruiting offices and bring serving members who have suffere mental and physical injuries in to run them. That way the physically injured don’t have to be ‘retired’ out. Massive for the mentally injured who in every interview I’ve seen and guys I’ve spoke to mention the loss of camaraderie and routine hitting them as well as all ready suffering.
I’m all for giving people opportunities but you need to think that through a bit more. The idea of recruiting offices is to encourage people to join!
Exactly. Recruiting posts used to be where the less able or unwilling were farmed out to for a couple of years in the hope they’d just fuck off eventually. Absolute mincers job. Would need re vamping and sexing right up if it was brought back in house
Yeah, that’d work
22days we have been trying to get my son in for 2 year now and capita keep knocking him back for silly things . Scrap them and take it back in house
During the 1930s when the RAF was struggling for recruits they did something counter intuitive, they raised the bar for entry. And it worked.
As someone currently trying to go through the system and suffering badly (unanswered phone calls, bugs with the system etc) all I can say is please please change it or get on top of it.
Why would you want to at the moment? The job is on its arse at the moment
At an all time 5 year high for recruitment levels? How long have Capita had the contract?
An absolute waste of space and should have lost the contract years ago, just as they appear to lose so many applications for both Regular and Reserve troops.
The sooner military personnel are recruiting for the military again the better as they truly want the best in the military as they’ll be working with them.
when i was finishing off my time,i did a stint of recruiting in the regimental support team..not in the recruitment offices, i was based at the local TA centre and we used to travel to shows and put on a bit of a display,or display stands with some of the equipment we used to bolster recruitment.we even went around schools talking to kids that were due to leave..but all that stopped when they brought in these useless idiots called Capita
I missed 3 intakes for BRNC Dartmouth thanks to a Captia medical error. This is music to my ears that other people may not have to spend £800+ of their own money on appeals that didn’t need to happen.
I was a Recruiting Sergeant (Quite sure I’m not a mince! As Mr Reaper put it!) It was great taking a young person from walking through the door all the way to Swlearing the Oath and sticking them on a train. 5 other Regiments also recruiting, good competition. I know of lads I recruited still serving and having great career.