New to Market

10 February 2025

Baltimore Consulting’s Vincent releases self-improvement book

In the book, Authentically You, With No Apologies!, Vincent provides an honest and candid insight into her life experiences. She openly discusses the highs and lows, the shadow and the light, and how self-investment and self-belief can profoundly shape your future and help you achieve remarkable things.

Vincent has experienced loss and success in equal measure. She’s encountered incredible business accomplishments and national award wins, but she has also confronted loss, shame, divorce, gender inequality and vulnerability in abundance. 

Through the book, her mission is to empower others to become the best version of themselves by showing up authentically, with no apologies. 

“Life is inevitably filled with challenges, both at home and at work. Unfortunately, it's often our own personal shame or fear of being judged by others that can take control and hinder how we present ourselves to the world,” according to a promotional release.

Authentically You, With No Apologies! sets out a five-step framework to give readers the confidence and courage to remove the mask and be authentic, unapologetically.

Baltimore Consulting is a recruitment specialist in the public sector, particularly within mental health, SEN & safeguarding adults and children across local government and education.

Authentically You, With No Apologies! is published by Austin Macauley Publishers and is available on Austinmacauley.com and www.amazon.co.uk and all major booksellers.

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7 February 2025

The Gym Group kick-starts fitness careers with new PT programme

The programme, which aims to reach 500 qualified people by 2027, is available in over 240 gyms around the country, with potential candidates able to apply via in-gym QR codes or through its website.

The Gym Group Academy is a programme working with sports and physical activity institute CIMSPA-enhanced training providers to deliver Level 2 and Level 3 PT qualifications. Participants will get face-to-face support via its highly trained in-house PT mentors throughout the course at their local Gym Group, making it the only PT course in the UK offering this service, according to the company.

After completing the programme, the fully qualified PTs will have the opportunity for permanent employment with The Gym Group.

The Gym Group aims to support 500 people to become PT L3 qualified by 2027, bolstering the industry’s talent pool. The programme is designed to fit around a busy lifestyle and appeal to many people – whether a candidate is embarking on their first job after education, switching careers to fulfil a passion for exercise or looking to upskill in a thriving fitness sector.

Ruth Jackson, chief people officer at The Gym Group, said: “It’s our founding mission to break down barriers to fitness for all and The Gym Group Academy is another way we can support breaking down barriers – this time to careers in fitness. We are incredibly excited to offer this opportunity to both members and non-members, to turn their fitness passion into a career, with a level of personalised in-gym training and support that isn’t available elsewhere.”

“It is great to see that some of our members have already taken advantage of our new initiative and are now fully qualified personal trainers in our gyms with a growing base of clients. I am encouraging anyone who is interested in a career in fitness to apply to The Gym Group Academy, be trained by our qualified PT mentors, and make your passion a career.”

Although there are no specific application requirements for The Gym Group Academy, the gym operator said candidates must finance their qualification independently, costing between £1.2k-£2.2k depending on what support package is chosen.

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4 February 2025

NEW TO THE MARKET: 3-7 FEBRUARY 2025

Arthur, a specialist in insurance search and recruitment, has launched a brand refresh to reflect its continued commitment to service excellence. This includes a new vision, mission and core values, alongside a refreshed visual identity. The firm says its new strapline, ‘Insuring Talent’, reinforces its expertise in sourcing top talent for insurance businesses. A website revamp is also planned to enhance user experience.

Ciphr has launched its new cloud-based payroll software, designed to streamline payroll processing for UK businesses. Built with a true real-time payroll engine, Ciphr Payroll ensures instant updates to pay calculations, eliminating manual tasks and reducing errors. Key features include real-time calculations, backpay adjustments, retrospective parallel runs, and rolled-up holiday pay calculations. The software integrates with HR, finance, and workforce management systems via APIs, ensuring data consistency across platforms. With single-sign-on (SSO) and centralised data security, it offers secure, efficient payroll management with no downtime for upgrades.

Club Connective, a new Midlands-based recruitment agency, has launched at Birmingham Business Park. The firm, led by Dylan Parchment, specialises in connecting workers with employers in sectors like facilities management, industrial, commercial, finance and care. Club Connective has secured four clients in its first month, including a partnership with Coat Facilities Group to develop talent for its UK businesses. Other clients include Purcho, Philip Barnes & Co and My Iglu.

Head of operations Parchment said: “Jobseekers and employers that come on board with us are not signing with an agency – they are joining our Club, as we are invested in individuals and businesses’ long-term ambitions to create opportunities for individuals and businesses to grow.”

• US firm Creative Talent Endeavors (CTE), an executive search and HR agency based in Charlotte, North Carolina, has updated its ‘Fairantee’ pricing tool. The AI-powered algorithm allows companies to understand how much they should be paying for an executive search before they ever sign a contract. Fairantee provides companies with an upfront, fixed executive search quote valid for five business days. The tool helps CEOs, HR teams and CTEs gauge fair pricing by factoring in role difficulty, compensation, location and seniority. The latest version (launched in October 2023) also assesses location attractiveness, work arrangements, and compensation competitiveness to ensure data-driven, stable pricing.

27 January 2025

NEW TO THE MARKET: 27-31 JANUARY 2025

Karlheinz Zuerl, CEO of the German Technology & Engineering Corporation (GTEC) based in Shanghai, China, has launched the BRICS Project Network, an international platform aimed at enhancing business relations between Western industrialised nations and BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). The network focuses on facilitating business expansion, partnerships and investments across these regions, which collectively account for nearly half the world’s population and over a third of global economic output.

The network offers a wide range of services, including market analyses, international sales development, organisational support, interim management and restructuring. It operates globally, with coverage across China, Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa, and other regions in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Key industries served include manufacturing, automotive, IT, and engineering, among others.

By bridging operational and cultural gaps, the BRICS Project Network provides businesses with the tools to navigate challenges such as trade disputes and sanctions while unlocking growth opportunities in emerging markets. The network’s experienced professionals are equipped to support tasks ranging from setting up branches and production facilities to managing projects and optimising financial performance. 

Searchability, a UK-based tech recruitment company founded in 2012, opened its MENA office in Dubai in January 2025. The firm operates offices in multiple global tech hubs including Austin, Sydney and Dubai.

Zodeq, an invoice finance specialist and part of the Praetura Group, has launched its ‘Do It Your Way’ campaign. This initiative is designed to attract and support recruitment start-ups, as well as established businesses throughout the UK. With a focus on delivering tailored services, Zodeq aims to empower recruitment entrepreneurs to grow their businesses on their own terms, leveraging its flexible funding solutions and industry expertise.

The firm’s ‘Do It Your Way’ campaign highlights its focus on supporting recruitment entrepreneurs with tailored services designed to meet their individual needs. Zodeq aims to help recruiters achieve their business goals, whether they prioritise flexibility, autonomy or financial growth.

Zodeq provides invoice finance solutions with bad debt protection, flexible contracts and back-office support such as payroll and credit control. These services are designed to support recruitment businesses across sectors like healthcare, education and tech.

24 January 2025
HR

Ex-JLP chair leads government ‘Keep Britain Working’ review to reverse inactivity

The review will look at how government and businesses can work together to turn the inactivity around in order to get Britain working again, the government revealed today.

The analysis will be one part of the government’s Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth in partnership with businesses, drive up prosperity and raise living standards across the UK.

Over a third of working age people report a long-term health condition and around a quarter are classed as disabled. The latter group is three times more likely to be not in work or looking for work.

“Beginning today, the review will move at pace concluding in the autumn, with Sir Charlie Mayfield meeting businesses and health and disability organisations across the country to identify the scale, trends, obstacles and opportunities for companies when recruiting and retaining ill and disabled people,” the government said in a statement.

“This phase will conclude in spring, with a report based on the findings from his conversations with company bosses, employees who have been supported to stay in work and organisations who help those out of work to inform wider engagement. Recommendations to the government are expected later this year.”

This will be part of the government’s plan to boost employment by breaking down barriers to opportunity and improving people’s living standards through work and life-changing support, building on the latest data from the ONS (Office for National Statistics) this week showing real earnings have increased by 2.5% on the year.

Sir Charlie Mayfield, who was also chair of the British Retail Consortium and chair of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, said: “Losing people from the workforce because of ill-health or disability is bad for many of the individuals, for the businesses employing them and for the wider economy.

“It’s a growing problem for us all and it’s one that’s more likely to be resolved by business and government working together.

“I’m looking forward to engaging closely with businesses, government departments and the many organisations committed to improving our performance here,” he said.

The review, which will identify measures to help ill and disabled people get into work and stay in work, comes ahead of significant reforms to health and disability benefits expected in the spring.

Rain Newton-Smith, CEO of the CBI, said: “Lower rates of employment for people with long-term health conditions or disabilities is a tragic waste of potential that holds back economic growth and impacts on well-being.

“It denies people the opportunity to improve their personal financial security through work and prevents businesses from using their valuable skills and experience to grow the economy.

“Sir Charlie’s review is a welcome opportunity for business and government to co-design solutions that have a real impact.”

This business engagement is part of the government’s Get Britain Working White Paper progressing reforms with the aim of the UK’s reaching an ambitious 80% employment rate.

As part of the plan, Jobcentres are to change their focus from monitoring and managing benefit claims to skills and careers; mental health support will be expanded to reduce waiting lists in areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity. Mayors will be empowered to join up local work, health and skills support to tackle the root causes of inactivity in their areas, the government said.

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23 January 2025

Government launches training support to introduce workers into clean energy jobs

Workers across the UK will be supported with government-backed training programmes so they can benefit from thousands of new job opportunities in the clean energy sector, the government announced this week.

The training programmes are part of the government’s Plan for Change and clean energy superpower mission.

Aberdeen, Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire have all been identified as key growth regions for clean energy, such as offshore wind, nuclear and solar industries. Local partners will receive funding to identify the skills support that is needed in their area to deliver clean power by 2030.  

“Funding could go towards new training centres, courses or career advisers – supporting local people into opportunities in industries such as welding, electrical engineering and construction,” the government said.

As part of this drive, the government has launched a ‘skills passport’, in collaboration with industry and Scottish Government, the statement said. Oil & gas workers will be able to access the skills passport online, which will initially help them identify routes into several roles in offshore wind including construction and maintenance.

“These initiatives will help build the pipeline of skilled workers needed to deliver clean power by 2030, which will unlock £40bn of investment a year and reindustrialise Britain with thousands of good jobs across the country,” the statement said. It went on to say: “This underscores the government’s commitment to deliver a jobs-rich clean energy transition, putting communities and trade unions at the heart of the UK’s clean energy future.”

Energy secretary Ed Miliband said the Plan for Change is intended to protect the country from “the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets” but also to “reindustrialise Britain with thousands of well-paid, good union jobs in industrial communities”.

MSP and acting cabinet secretary for net zero and energy Gillian Martin said: “It is absolutely vital that we recognise and retain the considerable skills of oil & gas workers and ensure they are supported, as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensuring a fair and just transition for Scotland.

“That’s why the Scottish Government has provided £3.7m of funding to support oil & gas and renewables industries to jointly develop the Energy Skills Passport – helping to ensure that the skills, experience and expertise of oil & gas workers are harnessed and that they are ready to apply for the long-term sustainable jobs that are created as part of our fair and managed transition to net zero.

“I welcome the pilot phase of the passport, which has been three years in the making and I look forward to seeing further developments in the coming months.”

Many of the skills required for the transition already exist, with research from Offshore Energies UK showing that 90% of oil & gas workers have skills that are relevant to the clean energy transition.

From this week, workers will be able to create an account to access the four career pathways currently available, helping them identify where their existing qualifications are recognised. Led by Renewable UK and Offshore Energies UK, and supported by the UK and funding from Scottish Government, the tool will be expanded over the coming year to recognise other pathways from oil & gas into the renewable sector.

Funding will initially be given to Cheshire West and Chester, North and North-East Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire, as significant work identifying skills has already been done for Aberdeen. All four areas will be considered for further funding for targeted measures such as new training centres and courses to upskill workers. This could support the offshore wind sector in South Wales, or nuclear fuel cluster in Cheshire. Around £1m will be available for each area, with local and devolved partners empowered to develop their own plans for how best to target the funding.

Employers will also get a handbook which highlights where businesses can access support to grow and upskill their workforce. This will include, for example, sector-based work academy programmes, which help jobseekers into the sector, ensuring they have the necessary skills to deliver clean power by 2030.

It comes as the government recently confirmed that contracts have been signed for the UK’s first carbon capture project in Teesside.

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21 January 2025

NEW TO THE MARKET: 20-24 JANUARY 2025

Appcast, a recruitment marketing platform headquartered in New Hampshire, US, and part of Stepstone Group, has launched AppcastOne. AppcastOne, a solution that transforms candidate engagement and acquisition, fuses recruitment marketing strategy and channels into a single, holistic platform that is powered and optimised by technology and data.

AppcastOne significantly expands the recruitment marketing capabilities, data and tools available to UK employers, according to a company statement, bringing simplicity to the complexity of recruitment marketing, amid a rapidly changing labour market. AppcastOne features world-class partnership from a team of recruitment marketing experts and integrated reporting and insights that provide a complete view of performance. “We’re delighted to bring this solution to UK employers to help tackle what has, and will continue to be, a challenging talent attraction landscape,” said Roy Jacques, managing director for UK and EMEA at Appcast.

16 January 2025

REC reveals new AI knowledge hub for members

The hub will showcase usage case studies, guidelines for data management, using AI to improve candidate and team experience, and understanding regulatory issues affecting AI, among other resources.

The AI Hub is available to REC members only.

A stand-out piece with relevance to all recruiters is the following list:
10 top tips from REC members on implementing AI

  1. Start with your wish list. Identify the specific problems you want to solve, focusing on areas that can deliver quick wins and generate the most value.
  2. AI can’t fix all your problems. Take a step back and consider if AI is the right solution for you.
  3. AI doesn't replace your staff. But it might be able to help your staff to do their jobs even better.
  4. Don’t be afraid to play around. You can always decide to stop.
  5. Set up your guardrails. This will also help build comfort and trust in your organisation as well as minimise your risk.
  6. People can tell what’s AI. While it can be really helpful for content generation, proceed with caution.
  7. You don’t know what you don’t know. External expertise can enhance your understanding and perspective.
  8. You can’t ban AI. Your staff may even already be using it. Providing a roadmap for proper AI use can help mitigate risks, especially regarding privacy and GDPR.
  9. Prioritise your data quality. AI is only as good as the data you provide.
  10. AI is changing fast. When making decisions keep the long term in mind to avoid decisions that could potentially limit your business’ scalability in the future.

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