More companies are joining the coalition of 45 companies who plan to offer jobs to Ukrainians fleeing their homes.
Entrepreneur Emma Sinclair has told the government she has created a group who have 10,000 jobs available for Ukrainian refugees.
FDM Group, which is a professional services provider, has announced its formally joined the coalition and will offer jobs to Ukrainians.
Ms Sinclair’s crew of companies are pressuring the government, as it believes there has been a less than adequate response to the Ukraine crisis.
However, the government believes it has made entering the UK easier for Ukrainians. A spokesperson said: “We are standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians which is why we’ve made it easier for those with valid Ukrainian passports to come here. This is alongside changes to visas to ensure Ukrainians in the UK can stay here.”
The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has been heavily criticised for the bureaucracy Ukranians face while trying to enter the UK. A government spokesperson said:
However, the government believes it has made en easier spokesperson said: “The UK government has handed out just 1,305 visas to Ukrainians since the Russian invasion began, restricting entry to individuals with family members who already have settled status in Britain.”
Help to settle in the UK
Recruitment firm Robert Walters, Lush, Marks & Spencer and Asos have also signed up to the coalition. Ukrainians will also be helped into accommodation and be given English lessons if they need it.
Labour leader Kier Starmer told Sky’s Sophy Ridge programme on Sunday that he did not think there should be a cap on Ukrainian refugees entering the UK. Meanwhile, Ireland’s leader told the BBC that supporting the crisis in a humanitarian way was most important but they would continue to monitor the situation in case of criminals abusing the relaxed entry systems.
Meanwhile, the Secretary for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, announced a ‘Homes for Ukraine’ initiative, this weekend. This is a plan that will be in place this week that will allow individuals and community groups to give up their spare rooms to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion.
Government spokespeople said they believed the programme could be initiated with hardly any bureaucracy.
Ukrainians may be offered training and new career choices
Last year FDM Group recruited 2,500 permanent workers and says it is unsure how many Ukrainians it might be able to recruit but believes it will be significant.
Besides its graduate programme, FDM trains people who have had a career break and those and ex-service men and women with updated digital skills and qualifications. People who are trained by FDM Group must commit to the company for at least 2 years.
Rod Flavell, CEO, FDM Group comments: “We are very excited to be joining forces with the government and other businesses to offer job opportunities to Ukrainian refugees. Last year FDM recruited over 2,500 new joiners into our permanent workforce. We are looking to hire in excess of that number in 2022 so we are open minded as to numbers.”
Feyaza Khan has been a journalist for more than 20 years in print and broadcast. Her special interests include neurodiversity in the workplace, tech, diversity, trauma and wellbeing.