The impact of the Henley Business School MBA programme for the recruitment industry that begins in September will take five to seven years to filter through, according to the deputy chair of APSCo (Association of Professional Staffing Companies).

Uzair Bawany, also group chairman at professional staffing firm Contact Group, told Recruiter the MBA was “potentially a game changer for the industry”.

“Once people have got the knowledge and practice, this can only improve the quality and the professionalism of the industry,” he said. However, he added that the effects would take five to seven years to filter through. “A lot of the larger firms are going to use this to help their rising stars,” said Bawany.

The challenge for staffing companies will be after individuals gain their MBA if they don’t get promotion, he warned. Some will leave their existing companies to set up their own staffing businesses, while others will move to a smaller business where they can get more of an equity stake, he said.

A lot of the larger firms are going to use this to help their rising stars. This is potentially a game changer for the industry

Bawany was speaking at the official launch of the MBA, developed in association with the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), and supported by Barclays Corporate.

Several recruiters at the event promised to put staff forward. Miles Hunt, chief executive of Empresaria Group, told Recruiter: “We plan to put one person forward for September.”

“I am sure we will put forward people,” said Tara Ricks, managing director of an integrated group of Randstad professional services companies.

The MBA programme is designed for executives in the recruitment industry. The first three-year programme starts in September. There are 30 places available.

Phil Clarke, managing director of technology and retail recruiter Invenio Recruitment, told Recruiter that the MBA was “the coming of age” of the recruitment industry. Although the [small] size of his firm meant he wouldn’t be putting anyone forward. “If I was recruiting for a manager then them having an MBA would be excellent,” Clarke added.