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Serco has been appointed to deliver the Ministry of Defence’s next-generation recruiting solution for the Royal Navy, the British Army, the Royal Air Force and Strategic Command.
The Armed Forces Recruitment Service (AFRS) contract sees recruitment for these branches of the military brought together for the first time.
The contract will run for a seven-year term and comes with options for a further three one-year extensions. A 21-month mobilisation period is expected to begin in April 2025 with the new service commencing in early 2027.
Serco will be the prime contractor and, in conjunction with a strong team of delivery partners, will provide an end-to-end service from candidate attraction through to assessment, enlistment and onboarding into initial training. The new recruitment service, including management of all Armed Forces Career Offices across the UK, will operate with a blended workforce that incorporates military service personnel. It is underpinned by best-in-class integrated technology, designed to improve the overall candidate experience at the same time as modernising and speeding up the current recruitment process.
The principal members of ‘TEAM Serco’ are:
- Serco – as the prime contractor, will be responsible for overall AFRS delivery including integration of all programme activities to be undertaken and will lead the transition from the current recruitment arrangements, providing career advice, a new contact centre, asset and fleet management, and estate management.
- Pegasystems – specialises in enterprise transformation and platform solutions, empowering leading organisations worldwide. Pegasystems is the current provider of the Recruiting Information Technology System for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.
- Adecco – with a presence in 60 countries, Adecco is a global leader in workforce solutions, supporting 3.5 million careers daily.
- Akkodis – as Adecco’s in-house technology business, Akkodis specialises in talent management digital solutions, with 20+ years supporting the UK Ministry of Defence.
- TMP – the largest UK recruitment marketing agency, with over 80 industry awards for creativity and effectiveness.
- Optima Health – the UK’s leading supplier of employee health assessments, supporting over 10 per cent of the entire UK working population.
- PA Consulting – works across the defence and security ecosystem, helping it to innovate and transform.
- MPCT– is a leading provider of vocational education and training for people aged 16+ in the UK. With a focus on fitness, vocational qualifications, and employability skills, MPCT prepares learners for rewarding careers in the Armed Forces or uniformed services.
Mark Irwin, Serco Group Chief Executive, said: “It is a true privilege to be selected to partner with the UK Ministry of Defence in service of the nation’s current and future Armed Forces. Serco has been working with the MOD for over 60 years, and we fully recognise the critical importance of recruiting and retaining the right number of well-trained personnel willing to serve and defend their country. Along with our partners, we have invested in the development of this solution since the procurement for AFRS was launched in 2021 and we are fully committed to ongoing collaboration with the MOD to ensure we adapt to current and emerging needs.”
On 27 February FMJ will be hosting a webinar in partnership with workplace management solutions provider, Matrix Booking, to discuss the challenges posed by managing hybrid work models, meeting sustainability targets, and dealing with economic pressures, which have long required a fine balancing act for Facilities Managers. This is set to become more complicated this year with the Government announcing plans to allow staff to work more flexibly.
The webinar will bring together the digital experts from Matrix Booking alongside a panel of workplace thought leaders to discuss how FMs can create the perfect balance.
Can’t make it no problem… Simply sign up below and after the webinar has been broadcast, we will send you a link to watch the recording. Register for the webinar by clicking here.
