APSCo’s merger with ASWEB could be shape of things to come
30 March 2012
The merger of the trade association for recruiters placing professional social workers with the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) due to begin on 1 February could herald similar arrangements by the professional staffing company trade association with bodies representing other professions, according to APSCo’s chief executive.
Mon, 30 Jan 2012
The merger of the trade association for recruiters placing professional social workers with the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) due to begin on 1 February could herald similar arrangements by the professional staffing company trade association with bodies representing other professions, according to APSCo’s chief executive.
Under the terms of the merger, all 13 member businesses of the Association of Social Work Employment Businesses (ASWEB) will become full APSCo members. ASWEB itself will function as a sector group within APSCo, retaining its name and logo.Ann Swain, chief executive of APSCo, tells Recruiter: “We will continue the ASWEB brand that is recognised in their market.”
ASWEB was established in April 2007 to raise professional standards among both recruiters placing social workers and the locum social workers who they place. Its 13 members have a combined turnover of roughly £55m per annum.
Swain continues: “We see this as a logical fit. Both ASWEB and APSCo members place candidates who are predominantly graduates with professional qualifications and both trade bodies share a common determination to raise professional standards.
“APSCo can offer the kind of commercial benefits and infrastructure support which can be prohibitively costly for a small association to provide.”
Swain says the merger could be the start of similar arrangements with bodies representing other professionals outside APSCo’s traditional ‘catchment area’ of business. “Naturally, we will be looking at doctors and teachers [as other possibilities]. There are other areas, which without question we are looking at,” she says.
Ben Arnold, managing director of Amicus Recruit and chairman of the ASWEB sector group, says: “We approached APSCo because of their reputation for energy, innovation and ability to deliver a superb service to their members. All our members are extremely excited about moving forward.”
The 13 ASWEB members are: Reed Social Care, Social Work 2000, Backstop, Sugarman Group, Action First, DASH, Caritas Recruitment, Remedy Recruitment, Amicus Recruitment, Fawkes & Reece, DLK Social Care, Medicare First and Manpower.
The merger of the trade association for recruiters placing professional social workers with the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) due to begin on 1 February could herald similar arrangements by the professional staffing company trade association with bodies representing other professions, according to APSCo’s chief executive.
Under the terms of the merger, all 13 member businesses of the Association of Social Work Employment Businesses (ASWEB) will become full APSCo members. ASWEB itself will function as a sector group within APSCo, retaining its name and logo.Ann Swain, chief executive of APSCo, tells Recruiter: “We will continue the ASWEB brand that is recognised in their market.”
ASWEB was established in April 2007 to raise professional standards among both recruiters placing social workers and the locum social workers who they place. Its 13 members have a combined turnover of roughly £55m per annum.
Swain continues: “We see this as a logical fit. Both ASWEB and APSCo members place candidates who are predominantly graduates with professional qualifications and both trade bodies share a common determination to raise professional standards.
“APSCo can offer the kind of commercial benefits and infrastructure support which can be prohibitively costly for a small association to provide.”
Swain says the merger could be the start of similar arrangements with bodies representing other professionals outside APSCo’s traditional ‘catchment area’ of business. “Naturally, we will be looking at doctors and teachers [as other possibilities]. There are other areas, which without question we are looking at,” she says.
Ben Arnold, managing director of Amicus Recruit and chairman of the ASWEB sector group, says: “We approached APSCo because of their reputation for energy, innovation and ability to deliver a superb service to their members. All our members are extremely excited about moving forward.”
The 13 ASWEB members are: Reed Social Care, Social Work 2000, Backstop, Sugarman Group, Action First, DASH, Caritas Recruitment, Remedy Recruitment, Amicus Recruitment, Fawkes & Reece, DLK Social Care, Medicare First and Manpower.
