Industry leaders rally to provide support as one in ten marketeers lose their job

With the nation back in lockdown and redundancies expected to skyrocket, virtual agency network Pimento has teamed up with leaders in the world of HR, finance, and wellbeing to provide support for those who find themselves out of work.

Research by the Chartered Institute of Marketing estimates that almost 40,000 people – one in ten of the sector’s workforce – have already lost their jobs during the pandemic, with many more to come as the UK heads into lockdown 2.0.

In response, a consortium of experts – including Reality HR, Talent Spark, Premier Consultants, Wilcox Day Wealth Management, Pimento People, and MHFA England ambassador and instructor, Michelle Morgan – have launched a joint initiative to get people back into employment.

The ‘What Next?’ programme is designed to provide specialist advice across a breadth of topics, and give those in the creative, marketing and communications sectors the skills, tools, and motivations to find a new role – or set up as a freelancer.

Starting from November 10th, the series of interactive workshops will cover a range of topics from mental health advice through to going freelance and CV writing.

“We are expecting a ‘jobs bloodbath’ in the coming months,” says Stephen Knight, founder and CEO of Pimento and the driving force behind ‘What Next?’.

“The marketing and communications industry will be amongst the hardest hit, and these seminars are designed to help those affected to get their feet back on the ground after the shock of redundancy.”

Endorsed by the Alliance of Independent Agencies and the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), several other leading industry bodies are also looking to extend the reach of the programme in the coming weeks.

For more information on the scheme, and how to join, visit: https://pimento.co.uk/what-next/.