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New to Market

27 May 2025
Creative/Digital/Media, Industrial/Manufacturing

NEW TO THE MARKET: 27-30 MAY 2025

• Aston University has announced a new initiative, guaranteeing all full-time master’s students a professional internship as part of their studies. Launching in September 2025, the Postgraduate Guaranteed Internship Scheme will be available to students enrolled in MSc, MA and MBA programmes at both the Birmingham and London campuses.

This scheme is designed to enhance employability by providing high-quality industry placements lasting between one and six months. These internships may be conducted in-person, remotely, or in a hybrid format, and will be facilitated through Aston’s global network of employers. The initiative is available to both UK and international students.

• Worcestershire-based Four Squared Recruitment has launched its new Recruitment Academy, a strategic initiative aimed at developing early careers and entry-level talent. The Academy supports new entrants with structured training, mentorship, and hands-on experience to prepare them for the demands of a competitive job market. Three new team members have also joined Four Squared as a result of the programme. The initiative helps close the gap between emerging candidates and evolving industry needs.

• Gi Group UK, part of global company Gi Group Holding, is strengthening its position in the recruitment and HR sector by delivering forklift and material handling equipment (MHE) training. With warehouse operative roles in high demand across the UK, the company provides essential upskilling opportunities to meet the growing needs of the logistics sector. The MHE training programme supports up to three candidates daily and is RTITB-approved, ensuring high standards of safety, compliance and operational efficiency.

• Technology recruitment provider itris has launched itris X, a cloud-based CRM and applicant tracking system (ATS) built specifically for recruitment agencies and staffing professionals. The new platform is designed to streamline the entire talent acquisition process with a focus on automation, scalability, and ease of use. itris X addresses core operational challenges in recruitment by offering AI-powered automation to reduce repetitive tasks, advanced reporting tools for performance insights, and personalised candidate communication features. The system is accessible across devices and integrates with a wide range of recruitment tools and platforms. Key features include lead and marketing management, user-friendly design and comprehensive customer support. itris X is scalable for use by both small agencies and large global firms, maintaining performance and usability regardless of company size.

• ManpowerGroup has launched the Work Intelligence Lab, a new global initiative designed to help employers and workers understand and adapt to the impact of AI on jobs and skills. With over half of employers (53%) already using AI in hiring and onboarding, the Lab provides real-time insights into how automation is transforming the labour market. The Lab leverages Manpower Group’s workforce data, drawn from millions of placements over 70 countries, and integrates real-time hiring trends, employer demand and worker sentiment. It aims to give organisations clearer visibility into emerging skill requirements, role changes and workforce dynamics.

27 May 2025
Oil & gas/Energy, Engineering

Energy recruitment firm launches in Aberdeen

Founded by Alan Golightly (pictured), an experienced recruitment professional with more than 27 years in the industry, the company targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) requiring tailored support for complex hiring needs. 

The firm provides permanent recruitment solutions for technical and engineering roles, as well as short-term internal recruitment assistance to help businesses manage hiring fluctuations without increasing fixed costs. Agilient also offers custom recruitment strategies that align with clients’ specific values and growth plans.

Golightly previously worked for, among other oil & gas recruiters, NES Fircroft, and launches Agilient from global energy recruiter Simpson Booth.

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20 May 2025
Oil & gas/Energy, Transport & logistics

International manufacturer invests £170m in North Wales facility

The UK and Welsh governments have welcomed the investment into a new facility from the international manufacturer.

The announcement comes as the UK and EU hold a summit to discuss future opportunities to boost economic growth.

The landmark development will produce more than 100,000 tonnes of non-combustible rock mineral wool insulation per year and create around 140 direct jobs, with more in local supply chains.

The announcement coincides with the UK-EU Summit that took place on Monday [19 May 2025].

Secretary of state for Wales Jo Stevens said: “This £170m investment by Knauf Insulation is fantastic news for North Wales and our UK government mission to drive economic growth.”

Using UK-First Submerged Arc Furnace technology, the new factory will produce non-combustible, low embodied carbon, recyclable rock mineral wool insulation to support the need for safer, more energy efficient and sustainable buildings.

The UK and Welsh government-backed North Wales Growth Deal and the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone collectively support the decision by Knauf Insulation to lo-cate a second plant in the area.

As leaders in the production of sustainable building materials, Knauf Insulation’s expansion further supports the growing advanced manufacturing cluster in North Wales.

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20 May 2025
Creative/Digital/Media, IT/Telecoms

Human skills as important as ‘oven-ready’ tech skills

So says the CEO of the CIPD, the UK’s professional body for HR, learning & development, Peter Cheese.

Speaking last Friday [16 May 2025] at the Houses of Parliament launch of the UK Hiring Taskforce, Cheese told the 200 attendees that at the same time, however, instead of filling skills gaps, employers are also looking for potential in applicants through characteristics such as “attitude, aptitude to learn human skills like collaboration and communication, and critical thinking. The more we debate the future of work, the more we debate about AI impacting jobs and skills in the future, the more we are coming back to these core skills”.

Humanities knowledge is part of building such capabilities into organisations, Cheese said: “People talk now about the half-life of job skills is somewhere between three and four years. In other words, every three or four years, we’re going to have to retrain half of our workforce.”

Access to and retention of talent are a top issue for business leaders around the world, with “almost every organisation saying they can’t find all the skills. But then you question them on that, they say yes, we’ve been getting too focused on hiring what I’ve often described as ‘oven-ready employees’ and they don’t exist – partly because we are changing the nature of jobs at an ever-increasing rate”, Cheese said. “So, the reality of how we approach recruiting has got to be expanded from the point of view of the employers as well.”

He asked the audience: “So why do we seem to be reverting back to saying ‘I just want tech skills’? We know the world is not, unfortunately, going to be a better place if all we have are a lot of tech people. Frankly, we need humanity to work alongside that as well.”

Cheese has been appointed to the UK Hiring Taskforce steering committee.

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30 September 2024
Public sector, Charity & not-for-profit

Homeless Hostel Jobs launches to connect candidates with careers

Homeless Hostel Jobs caters to a wide range of positions, from senior leadership roles such as CEOs and directors, to vital frontline positions like support workers and everything in between.

The platform aims to be a one-stop-shop for both jobseekers and employers dedicated to making a difference in the lives of people experiencing homelessness. Homeless Hostel Jobs is committed to playing a vital role in supporting the homelessness sector by connecting the right people with the right opportunities, according to a company statement.

“We understand the critical role the homelessness sector plays in our communities,” says Marlon Smith of the HHS Group, founder of Homeless Hostel Jobs. “By providing a centralised platform specifically focused on the homelessness sector, we hope to streamline the hiring process and empower employers to find the best possible candidates while making it easier for talented individuals to find their ideal role.”

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25 September 2024
Interim recruitment

NEW TO THE MARKET: 23-27 SEPTEMBER 2024

• Membership Bespoke has launched the Interim Talent Hub, an online platform designed to address critical recruitment needs in the membership sector. The Interim Talent Hub offers a streamlined solution by connecting membership organisations with skilled interim professionals, reducing time-to-hire and helping organisations maintain continuity during periods of change. The platform is aimed at helping membership organisations, such as trade associations and professional bodies, efficiently meet short-term recruitment needs.

24 September 2024
Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Public sector, Education, Engineering, Construction & property, IT/Telecoms, Healthcare/Medical

MCG Group rebrands as Auxo Group

The move aims to eliminate operational silos and create a more integrated, efficient and powerful talent solutions provider, the company said.

This strategic unification is intended to offer clients a more comprehensive suite of services, from specialist recruitment to talent solutions like Auxo XPO, which offers contingent workforce solutions, recruitment process outsourcing and business process outsourcing to serve clients’ end-to-end needs. 

Auxo Group, whose name derives from the Greek Goddess of growth and prosperity Auxo, operates within the healthcare, technology, engineering, education and construction sectors.

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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.

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