to Tackle Skills Shortages and Grow the Workforce

The pest control industry plays a vital role in protecting public health and maintaining safe environments. As workforce demographics shift, regulatory standards continue to develop, and demand for specialist services grows, employers are increasingly focused on strengthening recruitment and building the skills pipeline needed to support future delivery.

Across the UK, Jobcentre Plus is encouraging pest control businesses of all sizes to work more closely with local Jobcentres to build a sustainable pipeline of new entrants into the sector using government‑funded support and recruitment programmes.

 

The Youth Guarantee

The Youth Guarantee is the government’s commitment to ensure that every young person aged 16 to 24 has the support and opportunities to get into work or education.

Over the next three years, the Government will invest £2.5 billion to help young people build skills, gain experience and progress into employment or further learning. This investment will support almost one million young people and unlock up to 500,000 jobs, training and learning opportunities. 

This includes creating up to 150,000 work experience placements and up to 145,000 employer designed training opportunities, such as Sector based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs). As well as a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months; a new £2,000 apprenticeship grants for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-olds; and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

For young people, the Youth Guarantee provides multiple entry points into sectors such as pest control where hands‑on vocational skills are essential.

For employers, the Youth Guarantee offers fully funded training, financial incentives and a pipeline of young talent to help you fill skills gaps and build your future workforce. 

You can find out more at Recruit the right people with Jobcentre Plus.

 

The Jobcentre Plus Employer Core Offer

Jobcentre Plus provides a free, tailored recruitment service designed to help employers fill vacancies quickly and sustainably. By working with a dedicated Employer Adviser, pest control companies can receive support with writing job descriptions, advertising vacancies through the GOV.UK “Find a Job” service, pre‑screening candidates, and organising interviews or local recruitment events. This core offer is available to all employers, regardless of size, and is designed to reduce both recruitment time and cost.

For pest control firms, this can include help targeting candidates with the right attitude and aptitude, even where applicants have limited prior industry experience but are capable of being trained to industry standards.

You can find out more at Jobcentre Plus – working together with employers – GOV.UK

 

Sector‑Based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs)

One of the most effective routes into pest control roles is the Sector‑Based Work Academy Programme (SWAP). SWAPs are designed around real vacancies and last up to six weeks, combining three elements:

• pre‑employment training tailored to the employer’s needs,
• a short work experience placement, and
• a guaranteed job interview or supported recruitment process.

SWAPs are fully funded by government, with training delivered by colleges or training providers in partnership with employers. Participants remain on benefits, and Jobcentre Plus can cover travel and childcare costs. There is no direct cost to the employer for participation.

In the pest control sector, SWAPs can be shaped to cover core employability skills alongside introductory health and safety, customer service, and supervised on‑site experience, helping employers assess candidates before offering employment.

 

Work Experience and Work Trials

Jobcentre Plus also supports work experience placements and work trials, offering low‑risk ways for pest control businesses to engage new talent. Work experience placements help individuals build confidence and gain exposure to the world of work, while work trials allow employers to test job fit for a short unpaid period following interview, with candidates remaining on benefit.

These options are particularly useful for smaller pest control firms looking to grow gradually without over‑committing at the outset.

 

How Pest Control Employers Can Get Involved

Engaging is straightforward. Employers can contact Jobcentre Plus via the Employer Services Line or online enquiry form and will be linked to a local Employer Adviser. Together, they can design a package of support aligned to immediate and future recruitment needs, whether that is filling a single vacancy or building a longer‑term workforce pipeline.

With recruitment pressures unlikely to ease in the short term, closer collaboration with Jobcentre Plus offers pest control businesses a practical, funded route to growing talent, supporting local communities, and securing the future of the industry.

Find out more about how to contact Jobcentre Plus at Jobcentre Plus help for recruiters: Recruitment advice and support – GOV.UK