BISL signs jobs memorandum with DWP

Business in Sport and Leisure (BISL), the trade body representing private sector in the UK sports and leisure industry, has signed a memorandum of understanding on jobs with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

The MoU will look to help the government promote schemes such as the Youth Contract wage incentive among leisure employers, while making it easier for employers to find out about the benefits available to them from such schemes.

The signing follows on from a round table meeting between BISL and employment minister Mark Hoban in November 2012.

BISL has also established a Jobs Forum - a working group on employment - which will encourage employers to look at incentives such as National Insurance contribution exemptions. The Jobs Forum will also develop policy with a group of CEOs alongside HR representatives in BISL's Employment Group.

According to BISL figures, the leisure sector currently provides 2.6 million jobs in the UK, accounting for 9 per cent of all UK employment.

Approximately 30 per cent of those employed are aged 16-25 and 44 per cent of those in management positions are women.

BISL Director, Andy Sutch, said: "This is good news. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between BISL and the DWP will ensure that employers within the the sports and leisure sector will know more of the benefits available to them, such as the Wage Incentive.

"The Government is keen to support young people into jobs in the sport and leisure sector - a sector which is seen by many as offering attractive job opportunities."