The 2012 London Olympic Games have created numerous jobs in the metropolitan London area as well as additional jobs throughout the United Kingdom. In some cases, the jobs are temporary but there have been long-term employment opportunities as well. According to the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), thousands of jobs have been created just at the Olympic Park alone. Additional opportunities are available in Weymouth, where the sailing events will be held, the town of Essex, and other jobs throughout the UK.
Geographically, contractor related Olympics jobs have been created in the Olympic Park according to the following locations:
• 24% in the five host boroughs
• 2% in Barking and Dagenham
• 30% in other London boroughs
• 39% in the UK (other than those in London)
• 3% outside the UK
• 2% undefined locations
LOCOG’s Employment and Skills Update, published in July 2011, tracked the number of jobs at the Olympic Park. As of June 2011, 4,993 people have been employed by contractors. The Athlete’s Village employs 5,628 people while there have been 457 people employed as apprentices working for contractors, 1,580 employed through the Olympic Delivery Authority’s Brokerage, and 270 women have received assistance in finding work in the construction project. Over 25, 000 people have been employed at the Olympic Park for at least five days. Many additional jobs are being added as the opening date for the Olympic Games approaches.
Adecco is the exclusive employment agency for the 2012 London Olympic Games. The agency maintains a website (http://www.jobsforthegames.co.uk) which lists current available employment opportunities at the games. As of April 2012, there are many opportunities available ranging from jobs in security to catering. LOCOG estimates that 81% of those employed were paid the London Living Wage (LLW) or above.
Adecco spokesman Steve Girdler assessed the Olympic Games job market opportunities are so plentiful that “there are opportunities for just about anybody in the UK.” Adecco’s Jobs for the Games website provides a search option to find jobs in many categories including hospitality, travel, and tourism, management, transportation and logistics, telecom, restaurants and bars, marketing and advertising, construction, office and secretarial, graphics and illustration, retail, medical, industrial and manufacturing, business, and landscaping, among others.
Disabled employees account for 1.2% of the workforce. The benchmark for hiring of disabled people had been established at 3%. The benchmark, however, has been surpassed for minorities working for the Olympic Park with 24% of the workforce being reported as being of black, Asian, or of other minority heritage.