NCAS 2019 – See You “Beside the Seaside”

So that time of the year has come. Nestled between Bonfire Night and Christmas (this year) it is the 2019 NCAS conference. For the Public Sector, specifically across Adults and Children’s Services it is the key event of the year, equally for ourselves that sit in the recruitment/resourcing across the interim and executive space.

2019 has been a tough year to say the least, but if we were being really honest,  the last few years have been an interesting rollercoaster. With austerity measures continuing to press councils to make dramatic savings across all areas, even Children’s and Adults Social Care is beginning to feel the pinch after other verticals were targeted to leave front line provisions intact. Tie this in with multiple elections, and the ongoing Brexit saga – which I could write a blog specifically around but I think everyone has heard enough – these are testing times.

We return to Bournemouth year, and it is my first time attending the conference as the Director of Imperium Resourcing, having previously attended under a few different guises. The conference is what you make it, it’s a busy 3 days but it’s always incredibly interesting to hear what innovations the wider sector and our peers are looking at to truly make a difference. Less budget doesn’t have to mean less innovation, it’s just a different way of working. With some great seminars this year I am personally interested to really get an understanding of how as a resourcing and recruitment business we can support change across the sector.

I don’t envy the Private Sector at all, but with the tried and not so trusted impact of IR35 across the Public Sector in 2017, as a business we have seen a massive change around resourcing. There has been a shift from a high level interim operational staff, to a much more focussed programme and project management expertise that is required to drive these transformational changes. The market reacted and we are still supporting a number of clients on how best to engage the candidates that can drive these changes through. An interim can make the changes that an authority may require and we surround ourselves with candidates that have a proven expertise and successful delivery.

For me the conference is a great time to catch up with old colleagues, and meet new colleagues alike, and really understand how we, Imperium Resourcing, can support the sector moving forward. So if you are there and would like to have a quick discussion I’d love to hear your thoughts, and how we can really make a difference.

I am very happy, if you haven’t heard me posting it everywhere, to say that we are the proud sponsors and partner of the Guardian Jobs quiz on Thursday evening. An industry tradition where I have forbid my team to talk about work. After a tough year we are looking forward to just catching up, enjoying the quiz and some great company! Everyone deserves this and as its all for charity, remember to bring some money for the great causes involved.

Excuse the slightly tedious analogy but, by tomorrow with a seaside view from my hotel, the tides are truly changing across Social Care, and the wider Public Sector, and if Imperium Resourcing can support with anything then we would be more than happy to have a conversation, and the conference is the perfect time.

We look forward to seeing you, bumping into you, or just having a general chat, as at the end of the day no matter what sector you are from, we all are there to hopefully make a difference. Keep posted for my write up of the conference next week when I have returned to normality.