Graduate internship provider Step has entered into a joint venture with long-term partner matchmaking network WEXO with a view to merging the two businesses under the Step banner over the coming months.

In a statement, released today, the firms reveal that following the merger, Step’s full service recruitment and employment offering will be supplemented by SaaS (software as a service) options enabling companies to pay monthly to distribute opportunities, create talent pools and cherry-pick candidates using WEXO’s matchmaking algorithms.

Step will also license, co-develop and integrate WEXO’s technology.

WEXO co-founder Robin Kennedy joins the Step board as commercial director and will head the firm’s new London office.

The Step programme currently delivers around 600 internship opportunities per year, with around 80% of these leading to permanent graduate jobs. Half of Step placements are in STEM-related (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines while the others are in general business areas.