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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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3 September 2024

REC launches campaign to champion flexible working in the UK

The new Labour government will unveil a long-awaited Employment Rights Bill later this autumn that is aimed to bolster protections for vulnerable and exploited workers. However, there are concerns that the Bill could go too far in stemming flexible contracts that benefit workers in work-life balance, accommodating personal life issues and enabling them to pursue long-term goals.

“Highly regulated agency work already offers employment rights and in-work progression,” the REC said in a statement released today. “And when the government reforms the Apprenticeship Levy as promised, it should also create more opportunities for them to upskill.”

For the ‘Voice of the Worker’ campaign, REC commissioned Whitestone Insight to interview 520 temp agency workers in Britain online in June 2024 to hear what they thought about agency work and why it mattered to them. Polling found:

  • Almost eight in 10 temp agency workers (79%) say their work provides an important need for flexibility.
  • More than two-thirds of temp agency workers (68%) say that their work provides a greater work-life balance.
  • More than half of temp agency workers (53%) believe that this is the right kind of role for their current stage in life – an active choice.

“Britain’s temporary labour market is working well for people, firms and the modern economy – with about a million temps working every day. And its success at bringing and retaining people in the labour force is vital to the new government’s central mission of driving growth,” the REC said.

Key points of the Voice of the Worker campaign are:

  • Flexibility serves a social purpose – more than two-thirds of temps say that their work provides them with a greater work-life balance.
  • Britain’s labour market is a source of competitive strength, with workers having a wide range of permanent, temporary and contract-based options.

The REC will highlight video and written case studies of temporary workers, in a variety of sectors in the UK economy, in which they explain the reasons for wanting flexibility and the benefits of temp working.

REC CEO Neil Carberry said: “Flexibility at work is something to feel optimistic about. It is working for millions of people. Individual choice and employers’ need for a versatile workforce can be brought together to deliver better careers and higher productivity. As our new survey and video case studies show, flexibility is a vital bridge to work for people who need to balance caring responsibilities, work despite health issues, combine work and study, and upskill.

“Government needs to make sure new rules support temps and that means having a real understanding of their lives. Firms too should always ensure that they think of temporary workers as people to support and develop. Getting this right is crucial because our acute labour and skills shortages mean we need to fill record numbers of vacancies, with a mix of temporary and permanent jobs. And we can close productivity gaps by giving people more varied and developmental career paths.

He went on to say: “Good and lasting workforce changes that are effective for workers and businesses happen when employers and government work together to determine what works for everyone. We passionately hope our new campaign will help even more policymakers appreciate the opportunity temporary work brings, the benefits it offers and why it is life-changing in many ways.

“The new government has won a huge mandate to go for growth - and we are excited to be working with them to support that,” Carberry said, “but as our Voice of the Worker campaign shows, success in that mission rests primarily on getting the people stuff right in workplaces around the country.”

• For more on this story, see the Sep-Oct 2024 issue of Recruiter, out next week

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3 September 2024
Creative/Digital/Media, IT/Telecoms

NEW TO THE MARKET: 2-6 SEPTEMBER 2024

• Gi Group Ireland has opened a new office in Cork, Ireland, and plans to grow its workforce by 25-30% in the next 6-12 months, according to a company announcement. Gi Group recently acquired longstanding temporary and permanent staffing supplier Kelly Services Ireland, and so is marking its first phase of expansion with a new office facility for its Cork-based team. The new office will offer candidate testing rooms and private meeting rooms, with its location enabling easy access for local candidates.

• Holistica Consulting, led by expert Ayub Shaikh, has passed the 100-hour mark of video training content in the IT recruitment training sector. Holistica has successfully trained tens of thousands of clients globally, transforming how recruitment professionals engage with the ever-changing world of technology. The global business has trained consultants from the largest recruitment and consulting firms around the world, including Hays, Capita, PageGroup, Manpower and LA International.

• Jobilla, a European digital recruitment firm, has launched a new set of AI-powered recruitment tools designed to streamline the hiring process. These tools automate time-consuming tasks such as creating ads, landing page content, and email drafts, cutting campaign setup and running time by at least half. They also enhance candidate screening to identify the best profiles for open positions. A key feature of the platform is its localisation function, which produces native-level content in multiple languages, helping companies attract talent in new markets. Jobilla has also secured €6m (£5.05m) in funding to support further development of its AI-driven platform and expand its market presence in Europe.

27 August 2024
Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Commercial & office support, Industrial/Manufacturing

Two branches merge to create Kingdom People Manchester

The company says this strategic move “aims to enhance the provision of industrial and commercial recruitment and staffing solutions across the North-West”.

Experienced recruiter Scott Owen (above, right), who also oversees sales for Kingdom People Bolton, Rotherham and Lincolnshire, has been appointed sales director for the new Manchester branch to lead the firm’s ambitious growth plans.

Alex Thompson, operations director at Kingdom People, who oversees all operations, said that merging the two Manchester recruitment businesses was a logical step, following several key strategic acquisitions across the UK, and the consolidation “allows us to leverage our brand more effectively across the North West”.

Mike Rogers (above, left), chief operating officer of Kingdom People, welcomes the merger and Owen’s appointment: “Kingdom People Manchester is a key player in our branch network, which Alex and Scott will steer. The network now sits at five locations, with plans to increase to six or seven by the end of the year.”

According to Rogers, the network, supplemented by its managed services division, will deliver £70m of labour solutions across the UK, and “will exceed £100m soon”. 

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20 August 2024
Engineering, Construction & property, Graduates/Apprentices/School leavers

NEW TO THE MARKET: 19-23 AUGUST 2024

• Home builder Hayfield has launched its 2024 Graduate Development Programme. Established in 2022, the scheme provides graduates a career path in the housebuilding sector. The programme offers financial investment, on-the-job training, and supports professional qualifications and NVQs. The programme is customised to each graduate, equipping them with the necessary knowledge, skills and experience. Interested graduates should contact Hayfield’s HR director Sara Hope at [email protected]

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