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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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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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9 September 2024
Banking/Financial services, Legal

Search firm Major, Lindsey & Africa grows Partner Practice Group in London

Five consultants, specialising in partner level searches for law firms globally, are joining from legal search boutique LTN & Partners.

The expanded Partner Practice Group brings together significant experience across the UK and key European markets, complementing the launch of MLA’s Dublin office earlier this year. Beyond Europe, the new team has a track record of working in the US legal sector, and the expanded team will collaborate closely with MLA’s global network of offices, especially in the US.

This addition will also further bolster MLA’s expertise in priority practice areas including financial services, private equity, disputes, restructuring and capital markets.

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