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New to Market

6 May 2025
Public sector, Creative/Digital/Media

NEW TO THE MARKET: 5-9 MAY 2025

• Heidrick & Struggles has launched a new Government & Defense Tech Practice, aimed at serving the growing demand for technology leadership within public sector organisations. With governments estimated to account for 10% of global technology and IT services spending, the firm sees this as a significant market opportunity. The practice consolidates the company’s experience from over 200 engagements to provide leadership solutions for organisations delivering technology to national, state and local governments worldwide.

The new practice will support clients by offering leadership search, development and organisational effectiveness services. It brings together more than 30 experienced partners across sectors such as IT services, aerospace and defence, energy and private equity, operating globally across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The initiative addresses the increasing reliance of governments on advanced technologies like AI, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity and robotics.

• Workforce management solutions firm Matrix has supported more than 10,000 individuals across the UK into employment between March 2024 and April 2025 through its Social Value team. The efforts focused on a wide range of community initiatives, including employability workshops, career guidance and volunteering opportunities. These programmes were designed to help students, jobseekers and public sector employees gain essential skills and access new career pathways.

• UK start-up Project Brains has launched ProdigyPB, an AI-powered platform designed to revolutionise job description creation and recruitment. Tailored for SMEs, growing businesses, and HR teams, ProdigyPB helps define precise hiring needs by aligning job roles with specific business challenges. The tool generates clear, bias-free job descriptions in seconds and enables users to engage with vetted fractional specialists from Project Brains’ talent pool, according to a company statement. ProdigyPB is currently available in Beta across the UK.

28 April 2025
Life sciences, Engineering

NEW TO THE MARKET: 28 APRIL-2 MAY 2025

• Jobmatch Sweden, a leader in occupational psychological testing, is expanding in Norway through a new partnership with consulting firm Sund Raad. Sund Raad, which focuses on enhancing employee engagement for small and medium-sized businesses, will integrate Jobmatch’s DNV-certified Talent test into its services. This marks Jobmatch’s second partnership in Norway, following its 2022 collaboration with Hapro Jobb og Karriere. Jobmatch Talent is a scientifically validated tool used for recruitment and employee development, according to the company press release.

• STEM recruitment specialist Matchtech has launched STEM Futures, a free, on-demand employability platform aimed at helping young people break into engineering and technology careers. The programme includes expert-led sessions on job search strategies, CV writing, interviews and personal development, and is part of Matchtech’s broader initiative to address the STEM skills gap and support emerging talent.

In addition, Matchtech has awarded the first two grants from its Materna Fund, a £2.5k bursary created to support engineering students facing financial hardship. The inaugural recipients, Sergio Carreno Vargas and David Sarembock from the University of Portsmouth, are using the funds to focus on their studies and development without the added pressure of financial strain.

• Meet Life Sciences has launched Synergy, a new standalone service designed to tackle people capability challenges in the life sciences sector that go beyond recruitment. As part of Meet’s evolution into a full-service talent solutions partner, Synergy offers tailored support in areas like workforce planning, leadership development, skills mapping, culture embedding and organisational design. Led by vice-president Kirsty Wilson, the service is built specifically for the life sciences industry and is focused on delivering measurable, outcome-driven solutions. Unlike traditional consulting, Synergy provides hands-on support from design through to implementation, helping clients build the capability needed to grow, adapt and lead in a competitive global market.

• Right Management, part of ManpowerGroup, has launched a refreshed brand strategy called ‘The Right Way’. It’s a human-centred, data-backed framework that aligns workforce development with business strategy. The new identity centres on ‘The Right Way loop’, a distinctive visual element with modern colours and typography that will be used across all brand touchpoints.

25 April 2025
Construction & property, Graduates/Apprentices/School leavers

National student lettings agency launches apprenticeship scheme

In a bid to support young people and grow skilled and knowledgeable individuals for the student lettings sector, loc8me recently launched its 18-month programme, which is open to anyone aged 16-18. The scheme will offer hands-on experience, mentorship and the opportunity to engage in paid work.

Raffaele Russo, founder of loc8me, said: “We’re thrilled to launch this apprenticeship programme, giving young professionals a real chance to learn, grow and begin building a career in an exciting industry.

“Now more than ever, young people are seeking opportunities, guidance and goals to pursue. With this programme, we’re investing in their future – and in the future of the lettings sector.”

Apprentices will have the chance to study the theoretical and practical elements of the lettings industry, and on starting, they will be given a mentor from the loc8me team to support their development via regular meetings throughout the course.

loc8me now operates in 13 major university cities across the UK, including Loughborough, Durham, Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds, Cardiff, Newcastle, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leicester, Hull, Bath and Bristol.

Freya Watson-Russo, academy co-ordinator, said: "At loc8me, we’re committed to nurturing the next generation of letting agents. … We’re giving young people the chance to build a future, gain confidence and carve their own path.”

Founded in 2008 by Russo, loc8me manages more than 2,500 properties and employs more than 75 staff members.

(L-r) Apprentice Ollie Coe, loc8me's marketing assistant and academy co-ordinator Freya Watson-Russo and apprentice Isabel Tebbutt ©loc8me

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14 April 2025
Creative/Digital/Media, Engineering

NEW TO THE MARKET: 14-18 APRIL 2025

• Manufacturing and engineering specialist Busy Bee Recruitment has relaunched its website. The refreshed online platform has a modern design and enhanced user functionality, offering an intuitive browsing experience that makes it easier than ever to explore current vacancies, submit CVs quickly and securely, access expert recruitment advice via a blog and submit vacancies directly online.

• Deel, a global payroll and HR provider, has launched a suite of AI-driven products to help companies hire, manage, and pay international teams. Deel will offer an all-in-one global workforce platform integrating payroll, HR, and IT, designed to support compliant operations across borders. Key updates include: Real-Time Payroll in over 53 markets (expanding to 130+ by 2027), offering instant calculations and faster processing; Deel PEO for offering top-tier benefits without enterprise-level costs; Benefits Admin for simplified, compliant benefits management across countries; Deel Talent for streamlined recruitment via trusted agency networks; Workforce Planning, Compensation, and Engage tools – powered by AI – for smarter headcount strategy, global pay management, and employee development; IT Lifecycle Management features like MDM, IAM, and EPP, supporting global device and security control.

16 September 2024
Retail, Creative/Digital/Media, Engineering, Construction & property, IT/Telecoms, HR

NEW TO THE MARKET: 16-20 SEPTEMBER 2024

• The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has introduced a new service, APSCo Advanced Media, in collaboration with TRS Media. This service aims to help recruitment firms optimise their media and advertising spend. By providing data-driven insights and expert guidance, the service ensures that staffing firms can make strategic, cost-effective advertising decisions across various job boards. It also aims to free up time for consultants and marketing teams. APSCo members will benefit from a range of features, including a dedicated helpdesk, advert audits, media ‘sense-check’ services, job board health checks, media buying and account management, Indeed management, ad insights reports, and advertising best practices for recruiters.

• Gaia, the AI-powered recruitment platform formerly known as Socially Recruited, has introduced self-serve access to over 50 applicant tracking system (ATS) integrations, including tools like Workday, Salesforce and Gusto. This update allows customers to manage workflows and improve campaign performance directly from their Gaia accounts. Gaia has also added full integration with Bullhorn, a cloud-based ATS provider, further expanding its integration options.

• Manpower, a global staffing and permanent resourcing provider, part of the ManpowerGroup, will open job hubs in seven Walmart locations across the US, with the first two opening last Friday, 13 September. Manpower will offer one-stop convenience to local jobseekers. The new Manpower job hubs are designed with accessibility in mind and are welcoming to active jobseekers or casual shoppers who may want to explore employment options in their area.

• Mechanical Partners has launched a new specialist business focused exclusively on mechanical recruitment. Mechanical Partners is the sister company of EC&I Partners and provides recruitment solutions in pre-construction and design, project management and skilled trades for mechanical professionals across the UK.

• Personio, Europe’s HR software company for small and mid-sized businesses, has announced a series of advancements designed to alleviate the burden of manual and time-intensive administrative tasks for HR teams, and free them up to focus on delivering impact for their organisations. The new innovations will help HR teams address these challenges with more functionality in people analytics and performance review cycles that adapt on the fly, alongside quicker ways to build and automate custom workflows.

• Talmix, a global digital talent marketplace, has announced a strategic partnership with TAPFIN, a managed service provider (MSP) under ManpowerGroup. This collaboration integrates Talmix’s business talent marketplace into TAPFIN’s workforce management programmes, allowing TAPFIN clients to access a wider range of talent and regions. The partnership aims to enhance flexibility, reduce unmanaged spending, and improve access to high-quality, on-demand talent. Both companies see this as a significant shift in the staffing industry, combining innovation and established expertise for global workforce solutions.

11 September 2024
Transport & logistics, Creative/Digital/Media, Engineering, IT/Telecoms

Driver61 launches recruitment platform Fluidjobs for motorsport industry

In its first month, says the company statement, FluidJobs.com has attracted 5,000 weekly active users and features over 400 job listings, ranging from graduate to senior positions in Formula 1, IndyCar, WRC, Formula E and other top-tier motorsport series.

Known for its popular motorsport YouTube channel, Driver61 provides educational content, driver guides, AI coaching through Trophi.ai, and now, motorsport industry recruitment services.

Former racing driver and YouTube personality Scott Mansell (pictured) started the Driver61 YouTube channel in June 2015, presenting videos primarily about Formula 1 and autosport in general.

The launch of FluidJobs.com marks another step in Driver61’s diversification strategy, following the successful launch of Trophi.ai, an AI-powered coaching platform for racing simulation and eSports. 

“We saw recruitment as a natural fit for our mission,” explained Mansell, who told Recruiter that he is no relation to the former British F1 champion Nigel Mansell – a question he gets asked all the time! “All aspects of motorsport are competitive, even starting a career in the field has its challenges. We’re using Driver61’s unique position as one of the world’s most popular motorsport-orientated YouTube channels to address this. With 1.26m subscribers and 47.5m views per month, we’re well-placed to make a significant impact.”

FluidJobs.com aims to bridge the gap between talented individuals and motorsport organisations, with a broad focus on the career journey; from helping graduates enter motorsport engineering roles to helping F1 teams find senior engineering and aerodynamics hires.

According to a company statement, in its first month, the site has attracted 5,000 weekly active users and features over 400 job listings, ranging from graduate to senior positions in Formula 1, IndyCar, WRC, Formula E and other top-tier motorsport series.

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9 September 2024
Retail, Apprentices/Grads/School leavers

Asda offers work experience to students with special educational needs

The programme will see Asda continue to collaborate closely with charity DFN Project SEARCH, expanding the initiative to a total of 11 stores including the existing Queensferry, Wales store.

The programme aims to give young people with special educational needs a taste of a real-life working environment, Asda said in a statement. Only 4.8% of people in England (4.1% in Scotland) with a learning disability go on to secure paid employment once their education finishes, compared to 80% of their peers. Asda’s initiative will provide students the opportunity to learn new skills and grow in confidence so that they can gain employment once they finish their studies.

As part of the expanded programme, Asda will introduce bespoke uniform items for interns, including t-shirts and fleeces will carry the message: ‘Happy to Help, please bear with me I’m learning.’ The uniform will help customers recognise that the young people are learning so that they can build their confidence to support and interact with future customers.

Asda will also work closely with local colleges to provide students with a full-time course of study based at the store, as well as access to work-based experiential learning every day and a specific employability curriculum, the company said.

Asda became the first supermarket to collaborate with DFN Project SEARCH in the summer of 2023, which saw the retailer work closely with a local college – Coleg Cambria – to provide paid work experience at its Queensferry store.

After the 2023-24 programme concluded earlier this year, Asda subsequently offered permanent positions to all of the five students within its Queensferry store, cementing its position as a diverse and inclusive employer.

The stores participating in the expanded programme are Farnworth Superstore, Sheffield Supercentre, Llandudno Superstore, Tunstall Superstore, Colne Superstore, Blackburn Superstore, Workington Superstore, Nuneaton Superstore, Hull Mount Pleasant Superstore, Derby Supercentre, and Queensferry Supercentre.

DFN Project SEARCH aims to support 10,000 young adults with a learning disability, or autism spectrum condition (or both) into paid employment by 2030 and has already helped more than 2,600 people to date.

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9 September 2024
Executive search, HR, Graduates/Apprentices/School leavers, Apprentices/Grads/School leavers, Accounting/Finance

Stafforce announces major investment in UK expansion

The new hubs will be located in Newport, Blackburn, Daventry, Bristol, Barnstaple, Loughborough and Tilbury. 

This significant growth initiative is a key element of the strategic plan being implemented by Kelly Kendall COO, who recently joined NAG and is in charge of driving growth, investing in people, talent and new locations.

According to a company statement, the expansion is backed by executive chairman Nick Cragg and CEO Paul Smith.

NAG offers talent management solutions from apprentice to boardroom appointments. The combined group has a turnover in excess of £100m and brands include The Apprentice Employment Agency, Graduate Career Solutions, Stafforce, Cra-Cro Site Services, Nicholas Associates, Ashley Kate HR & Finance, Main-Board and Olano.

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