Professional recruiters should choose APSCo

APSCo launch attended by 170 senior recruitment executives

The newly launched Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) is the only industry trade body genuinely run ëfor recruiters, by recruitersí and now presents professional recruiters with a clear choice of who should represent them, APSCo Chief Executive Ann Swain told a packed audience of senior industry executives at the APSCo launch (15/01/08).

APSCo was created on January 1st 2009 following a decision by the Association of Technology Staffing Companiesí (ATSCo) to broaden its membership and activities to include all staffing companies that provide business professionals. The Forum of Professional Recruiters merged with APSCo on January 1st 2009.

Addressing a gathering of 170 recruiters at the headquarters of the Magic Circle in London, Ann Swain said that as the differences between professional level and high street recruiters become more pronounced it is becoming clear that no trade body can effectively represent the interests of all recruiters.

She went on to say that like ATSCo before it, APSCo will always put its members first and never compromise the interests of the professional staffing sector in order to appease the Government or because of a need to placate the high street end of the recruitment industry.

Ann Swain said: ìOur industry has a bad reputation, which undermines the value of what we do in clientsí eyes and makes us a target of regulation - but most of that stems from a minority of recruiters at the lower end of the market. The purpose of APSCo will be to drive attitudinal change, so that legislators, end users and candidates clearly understand the difference between the professional and the gangmaster end of the market.î

ìIf margins are under siege in the professional staffing sector it is because end users donít value what we do and are not prepared to pay for our services. By changing the perception of the value of what we do as professional recruiters we can fight back on margins.î

She adds: ìThe change from ATSCo to APSCo may seem a natural evolution, but I believe the creation of APSCo will spark a revolution in the staffing industry.î

The APSCo launch event, held at the headquarters of the Magic Circle in London, was also addressed by leading recruitment industry figure Graham Palfery-Smith.

Endorsing the creation of APSCo, he said: ìWith tough times ahead, both economically and politically, now is the right time for the professional staffing industry to present a united front and come together under the APSCo umbrella.î

ìHistorically there has been no clear distinction between the professional and ëvulnerableí recruitment markets but it is now vital that this distinction is made.î

The launch event was followed by a champagne reception at which magicians from the Magic Circle circulated among the guests while demonstrating the astonishing sleight of hand of transforming old ATSCo business cards into new APSCo business cards!