The Pulse

18 Sep 2025

Beyond Pay Scales: How a Strong EVP Can Transform Public Sector Recruitment

Chloe Herrmann highlights the central role of an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) in effective recruitment marketing. For job seekers, this shows what makes public sector careers different and worth considering — from meaningful work to genuine work-life balance. For employers, it’s a reminder that the sector already has a strong offer (security, pensions, flexibility, impact) but needs to communicate it more powerfully to attract and retain the right talent.

Read more

18 Sep 2025

A Call to Action: Transforming Public Services through Veteran talent

Rachael Simpson argues that veterans bring vital skills — resilience, leadership, and adaptability — to strengthen public services at a time of rising demand. For veterans, this means meaningful second careers where their experience makes a difference. For public sector employers, it’s a call to adapt recruitment, development, and culture to fully unlock this talent.

Read more

18 Sep 2025

Disrupting Leadership: How Oxfordshire’s Mentoring Pilot Sparks System-wide Change

Samantha Darby highlights how reciprocal mentoring is disrupting traditional leadership models and driving culture change. For aspiring leaders, it creates space to share lived experiences and be heard. For established leaders, it’s a challenge to reflect, listen and act differently. For organisations, it’s proof that mentoring can build inclusion, resilience and system-wide transformation.

Read more

26 Sep 2025

WMJobs Public Sector Career Expo returns – bigger and better, built around what candidates asked for

The WMJobs Public Sector Career Expo returns to Birmingham on Thursday 2nd October 2025 at the Birmingham Conference & Events Centre. With 20+ employers, free expert-led workshops, a candidate support zone, and a dedicated quiet hour, the event is designed to give jobseekers real support. Attendees can explore a wide range of career paths across councils and public services, gain practical tips on applications and interviews, and learn how to use AI safely in their job search. The expo goes beyond recruitment, helping people boost skills, build confidence, and leave with a clear plan for their next career step.

Read more

24 Jul 2025

Recruiting for complexity

Rebecca Davis calls for a fundamental shift in local government recruitment. She argues councils must look beyond traditional hiring methods and focus on finding adaptable, future-ready leaders. Through strategic workforce planning, inclusive pathways, and cross-council collaboration, WME is helping reshape recruitment to meet complex modern challenges. Davis champions honest storytelling, early engagement with young people, and prioritising learning agility over rigid experience to futureproof the public sector.

Read more

17 Apr 2025

Employment Landscape Changes – the impact on recruitment

The Employment Rights Bill signals major UK workplace reform, expanding day one rights and protections for vulnerable workers. While businesses fear recruitment challenges and rising costs, opportunities emerge for fairer hiring, workforce resilience, and inclusive growth. Local Government must adapt positively to harness talent and support long-term workforce strategy.

Read more

03 Sep 2025

PS I HEART You Unplugged: The power of small habits: Building resilience and wellbeing

In this episode of PS IHEART You Unplugged, Matthew from West Midlands Employers speaks with Kat Thorne, The Morning Game Changer, about how small daily habits can create lasting impact. Kat shares her journey from burnout to resilience, highlighting the role of accountability, mindset, and positive routines. Listeners will gain practical strategies to improve wellbeing, energy, and performance, while learning how organisations can foster sustainable change.

Read more

05 Aug 2025

PS I HEART You Unplugged: People before profit: Rethinking agency provision in Local Government

In this episode of PS I HEART You Unplugged, Rebecca Davis (Chief Executive, West Midlands Employers) is joined by Brad Sinclair (Managing Director, Opus People Solutions) to explore how councils can transform agency provision into a strategic asset. They unpack the challenges and opportunities of temporary recruitment, share insights from the WMTemps framework, and show how investing in people can deliver better value, stronger communities, and a future-fit public sector workforce.

Read more

30 Jun 2025

PS IHEART You Unplugged: Shaping talent, transformation & trust in Local Government

In this PS I Heart You Unplugged episode, Rebecca Davis speaks with Tim Johnson, Chief Executive of Wolverhampton Council. Tim reflects on 30 years in local government, sharing lessons on values-led leadership, talent development, and how collaboration shapes resilient public services.

Read more

31 Jan 2025

WMJobs Fair 2025 Attendee Interviews

Watch the WMJobs fair highlights for 2025 and the attendee interviews.

Read more

25 Nov 2024

'I Am Not A Robot' Coaching and Mentoring conference 2024

Discover how the 'I Am Not A Robot' Coaching and Mentoring Conference by West Midlands Employers explored the balance between human intuition and digital tools.

Read more

24 Sep 2024

Tri-Sector Challenge 2024

Join us as we reflect on the Tri-Sector Challenge; a unique leadership event bringing together the public, private, and third sectors to solve real-world challenges.

Read more