Growing competition as university owned agencies set to grow
19 March 2014
Traditional staffing companies face stiff competition from a growing number of university-owned and run temporary agencies, according to Paul Walker, head of commercial development at the Careers Group at the University of London.
Wed, 19 Mar 2014
Traditional staffing companies face stiff competition from a growing number of university-owned and run temporary agencies, according to Paul Walker, head of commercial development at the Careers Group at the University of London.
Speaking at the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) Student Recruitment Trade Show in London yesterday, Walker said that the University of London’s temporary agency, which was set up two and a half years ago was already “running profitably”. The agency, which employs five staff, charges employers 10% of the temp’s salary and has 17,000 registered candidates. Depending on the time of year, it places between 70 and 80, and 500 students into temporary jobs a month.
A number of other universities run their own on campus agencies, including the University of the Arts, University of Derby, University of Nottingham and University of Birmingham.
Walker told Recruiter there was huge potential for such agencies to grow by placing students with outside employers, as well as within the university itself. “A mid-sized campus university will spend £2m on temporary workers, with 1,000 temporary opportunities, but there will be more temporary work opportunities off campus,” he said.
Walker said the number of university-owned and run temporary agencies is set to rise, with a similar agency being launched in the North-West of England. Walker said he couldn’t name the university because the Careers Group is advising it on how to set up the new venture.
Susan Stedman, employer engagement manager at the University of Essex, told Recruiter that the university “is looking in to”.
She says that an agency run by the university is best placed able to understand the needs of students. “It allows them to work part-time around their studies… they are not going to be struck off [and not put forward for roles] if they are doing exams.”
Dan Hawes, co-founder of Graduate Recruitment Bureau, tells Recruiter that these agencies have a number of advantages over traditional high street agencies. “They are on campus and have direct access to thousands of students, and they are heavily canvassed on campus so they have access to lots of candidates that high street agencies probably don’t.”
Speaking at the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) Student Recruitment Trade Show in London yesterday, Walker said that the University of London’s temporary agency, which was set up two and a half years ago was already “running profitably”. The agency, which employs five staff, charges employers 10% of the temp’s salary and has 17,000 registered candidates. Depending on the time of year, it places between 70 and 80, and 500 students into temporary jobs a month.
A number of other universities run their own on campus agencies, including the University of the Arts, University of Derby, University of Nottingham and University of Birmingham.
Walker told Recruiter there was huge potential for such agencies to grow by placing students with outside employers, as well as within the university itself. “A mid-sized campus university will spend £2m on temporary workers, with 1,000 temporary opportunities, but there will be more temporary work opportunities off campus,” he said.
Walker said the number of university-owned and run temporary agencies is set to rise, with a similar agency being launched in the North-West of England. Walker said he couldn’t name the university because the Careers Group is advising it on how to set up the new venture.
Susan Stedman, employer engagement manager at the University of Essex, told Recruiter that the university “is looking in to”.
She says that an agency run by the university is best placed able to understand the needs of students. “It allows them to work part-time around their studies… they are not going to be struck off [and not put forward for roles] if they are doing exams.”
Dan Hawes, co-founder of Graduate Recruitment Bureau, tells Recruiter that these agencies have a number of advantages over traditional high street agencies. “They are on campus and have direct access to thousands of students, and they are heavily canvassed on campus so they have access to lots of candidates that high street agencies probably don’t.”
