Having triggered one of the worst global job crises since the Great Depression, there is a very real danger that the Covid-19 pandemic labour fall-out will increase poverty and widen inequalities; the impact of which will be felt for decades to come. Although the current unemployment rate sits at 34.5%, South Africa is not the only country to experience staggering shortages. Faced with the converse, the UK is predicted to be 2.6 million workers short by 2030. 

“Countries now need to do everything they can to stop this jobs crisis from deepening into an irreversible socio-economic disaster. This means rebuilding labour markets to be more flexible and resilient,” explains Quintus Sliep, Managing Director at Worldwide Staffing. “It is with this urgent need in mind that we decided to expand our South African Temporary Employment Service (TES) offering into the UK market,” Sliep continues.

Addressing global shortages

“Workforce International Scotland was established with the intention to alleviate the devastating effects of unemployment in South Africa, while addressing a critical labour shortage in the UK by means of temporary employment placements through our company, which is fully registered in the UK,” Sliep notes.

Bringing it home

“We will be offering South Africans struggling to find permanent employment at home the opportunity to earn a living abroad, on a flexible but fixed term basis. In addition to being able to provide for their families back home, South Africans will also benefit from on-the-job training, which means that they will return home at the end of their contract, bringing with them new skills and workplace knowledge from Europe that can be positively applied for the growth of the South African economy,” Sliep adds.

Smoothing the way

From entry-level to artisan and highly-skilled placements, finding work abroad as a South African can be exceptionally challenging, particularly when dealing with foreign employment or recruitment agencies. By expanding our geographical reach into the UK through Scotland, South African job seekers will be able to deal directly with South African TES providers who understand their unique challenges and can help them with everything from visas, flights and accommodation, to getting them temporarily settled abroad. 

Bridging supply and demand

“By opening new job markets to South Africans, the rest of the world can experience exactly how hard working our people are. This is an exciting step toward building resilient labour markets, and we pride ourselves on our ability to match international demand with local talent. We deliver a quality service not only to clients with an international footprint looking to fill vacancies on a flexible basis, but also to jobseekers looking to expand their horizons. We will continue to fulfil our promises to prioritise employee well-being, doing everything in our power to assist them to make a smooth transition in their careers,” Sliep concludes.