Recruiters across the UK will see massive benefits before and after the London 2012 Olympics, as organisers come to terms with the huge numbers of staff needed to get the Games off the ground.

Culture and sport minister Tessa Jowell pledged the raft of business benefits associated with the Games will spread far beyond the capital, with expertise and manpower needed from all parts of Britain.

The 2012 economy needs a massive range of staff from all over the country and agencies, supplying everything from builders to cooks, could play a vital role in the preparations.

Speaking in Leeds at the first business conference focused on the Games, Jowell announced a range of measures to help businesses make the most of 2012 and said companies right across the country need to play a part.

"No Olympic city has been as proactive as we are about engaging with the country as a whole. Every region has been involved," she explained.

She said the sheer scale of the task, coupled with staffing pressure on London meant there would be major opportunities for workers and businesses from other regions of the UK.

"As well as being the biggest construction project in Europe, 2012 will also provide benefits for leisure, creative, hospitality, tourist and retail companies both large and small," she added.

There are literally thousands of contracts associated with the Games and most of the successful businesses will need more staff to cope.

With more than 500,000 people per day expected to attend the event, there are huge opportunities for logistics, catering and tourism businesses.

Companies can now go online to find out more about how the procurement system will work, register for updates on tender opportunities or join a national 2012 club designed to encourage collaborative working.

Tourism is one industry that could face some major staffing issues if growth predictions prove accurate and Jowell also announced a package of measures to help build skills and attract new people to an industry that already carries more than 219,700 vacancies.

www.london2012.com