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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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8 August 2024
Life sciences, Construction & property, Banking/Financial services, Executive search, Interim recruitment, Healthcare/Medical, Accounting/Finance

NEW TO THE MARKET: 5-9 AUGUST 2024

• Bluestones Investment Group has announced a joint venture and launched a new life sciences agency – SEDA Talent. Based in Central Belfast, the new business will be recruiting for biotech, foodtech, medtech and pharmaceutical professionals throughout the UK and Ireland. Initially permanent-focused, according to a statement, the business will evolve to also provide contract and temporary recruitment services, as founders Darrach Teague and Seamus Moore grow the business. SEDA Talent is a new business within the Bluestones Equity Partners division (formerly known as Bluestones’ investment division), and joins Clayton, ENS, Green Carbon Talent and EC&I Partners.

• Môrwell Talent Solutions, a specialist accounting and finance sector recruitment agency, has launched in Cardiff. The start-up has been created by joint directors Sarah Jones and Ceri Leath, who bring a combined experience of 35 years in recruitment, to provide permanent and interim talent for businesses looking for accounting and financial talent in Cardiff and South Wales.

• Scotland’s construction trade association SELECT has launched a new online employment resource to help companies source key personnel. The body is introducing a free jobs board to allow its 1,240 member firms to advertise vacancies directly on the front page of the SELECT website. Adverts include the full job description and details of how to contact the company to find out more.

• The Barton Partnership has opened its first office in Sydney, Australia. James Roberts leads the APAC business and the firm’s private equity and financial services practice across the region. The executive recruitment firm also has offices in London, New York, Paris, Singapore and Hong Kong.

30 July 2024
Rec-to-rec, Transport & logistics, Industrial/Manufacturing, IT/Telecoms, HR, Apprentices/Grads/School leavers

NEW TO THE MARKET: 29 JULY-2 AUGUST 2024

• Freelance platform Fiverr has announced it has shifted from a services marketplace to a hiring platform. It is aimed at addressing the major changes in the workplace including a heightened focus on skills and upskilling, diverse new roles and the integration of new technologies. Fiverr provides businesses of all sizes with expanded options to recruit skilled talent. The platform now allows hiring managers to better recruit talent by showcasing freelancers’ complete skill sets and offering flexible hourly work options. Its new professions catalogue enables customers to search for freelancers based on their professions and skills, offering rich information about a freelancer’s background and experience.

• FTW Recruitment has launched a no-fee hiring service for the warehousing sector. FTW Recruitment, based in Liverpool, is a newly formed part of training provider FTW Training, which specialises in giving unemployed individuals with the skills, expertise and certifications needed to excel in the warehousing industry. The recruitment service also has wider benefits for employers, as partnering with the initiative enhances a company’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials.

• Hunted, an online platform connecting rec-to-rec firms, recruiters and suppliers to the recruitment industry, is relaunching tomorrow (1 August 2024). Acquired in November 2023 by Elliott Manning, CEO of Kayman Recruitment, Hunted has undergone significant redevelopment, according to the company. The platform allows recruitment companies to showcase themselves and advertise roles, while recruiters can discover and apply to companies globally. Additionally, Hunted features a supplier directory for industry-related services such as CRMs, PEOs, lawyers and accountants. Future updates will include training tools and a recruitment podcast page.

• Mercury, a software company specialising in recruitment and staffing, has announced a strategic, multi-year alliance with Microsoft. This partnership grants Mercury and its agency clients access to Microsoft’s Cloud and AI technologies, significantly enhancing their ability to search, match and hire top talent. According to a company statement, the partnership will leverage AI-powered tools to substantially increase consultant capacity, enhance business development and improve fill rates with fewer candidate submissions. Mercury’s platform, built on Microsoft’s Power Platform, already integrates with vital recruitment tools like LinkedIn and Microsoft Teams.

• European HR software company Personio has announced its integration with online accounting software provider Xero to offer new payroll processes for its UK customers. Personio’s integration with Xero will enable customers to tap into accurate and up-to-date data stored in Personio, while the interface ensures streamlined and secure transition of data to the Xero platform for the payroll run itself. Payroll managers can now sync employee data, fixed salaries, one-time and recurring payments and custom pay periods across Personio and Xero, with absences coming soon.

• India-based executive search firm The Taplow Group has announced strategic investments to expand its philanthropy and not-for-profit practice across Asia and Africa regions. Over the past 10 years, the firm has delivered C-Suite searches and non-executive board positions for organisations in the social impact sector including philanthropic foundations, international non-profit organisations, impact funds, social enterprises and CSR both in India and the larger Asia and Africa regions.

Taplow India recently expanded its reach into the manufacturing, consumer and retail and education sectors. It operates in sectors including industrial, life sciences, professional services, energy and aviation.

23 July 2024
Public sector, Oil & gas/Energy, Education, Engineering, Executive search, IT/Telecoms, Healthcare/Medical, Accounting/Finance

Tech-focused Levin exits Europe to concentrate on US market

The plan follows a comprehensive review by the recruitment organisation’s board, a Levin statement said. Levin described its decision as streamlining operations to focus on high-potential markets. This “aligns with the company’s vision to build the leading technology recruitment company in the world”, the company said.

With offices across London and New York, Levin is the parent company to Storm2, Storm3, Storm4 and Storm6, servicing FinTech, HealthTech, GreenTech and EdTech sectors in the US, specialising in senior and specialist talent.

James Brown, CEO of Levin, commented: “We have evaluated how best to align our physical presence to where most technology investment occurs globally, which happens predominantly in the US. We have chosen to exit the European market and increase investment into accelerating our US footprint. Despite having an exceptional team in mainland Europe, the region has received significantly lower tech investment than expected in recent years. We are deeply thankful to the European teams who contributed significantly to our journey.”

Brown continued: “This decision was not made lightly. We are immensely proud of Europe’s contribution to the company’s DNA and brand presence. Our focus now is on leveraging the outstanding performance of our UK and US offices, which have shown remarkable growth in productivity and performance over the past 12 months.”

Levin’s London and New York teams will concentrate exclusively on the US market, where recent performances have been strong. This strategic shift allows the company to capitalise on its opportunity in “the most dynamic and high-growth tech sector”, the Levin statement said. 

As part of the strategic change in focus, Levin’s UK and US businesses have undergone a corporate restructuring supported by its lead investor Puffin Point.

Jamie Willoughby of Puffin Point commented: “While market conditions have necessitated a re-evaluation of our plans, we are excited about the future. The recent decisions will ensure sustainable growth. We have full confidence in Levin’s leadership and continue to support the company’s forward momentum.”

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22 July 2024
Public sector, Education, Construction & property, Industrial/Manufacturing, IT/Telecoms, Healthcare/Medical, Apprentices/Grads/School leavers

Skills England launches to boost nation’s skills

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has also today appointed Richard Pennycook CBE, former CEO of the Co-operative Group and lead non-executive director at the Department for Education (DfE), as the interim chair.

“Skills are crucial to economic growth, with a third of productivity improvement over the last two decades explained by improvements to skills levels,” the announcement said.

But between 2017 and 2022 skills shortages in this country doubled to more than half a million, and now account for 36% of job vacancies.

Skills England will bring together central and local government, businesses, training providers and unions to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions, providing strategic oversight of the post-16 skills system aligned to the government’s Industrial Strategy, the statement explained.

Supporting local areas to develop the skilled workforces they need – in particular across construction and healthcare – is fundamental to the new government’s mission to raise growth sustainably. By working with the Migration Advisory Committee, Skills England will also help reduce reliance on overseas workers.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Our skills system is in a mess, which is why we are transforming our approach to meet skills needs over the coming decades. They will help to deliver our number one mission as a government, to kickstart economic growth, by opening up new opportunities for young people and enabling British businesses to recruit more home-grown talent.

“From construction to IT, healthcare to engineering, our success as a country depends on delivering highly skilled workforces for the long term. Skills England will put in place the framework needed to achieve that goal while reducing our reliance on workers from overseas.”

Education secretary Phillipson said: “Our first mission in government is to grow the economy, and for that we need to harness the talents of all our people to unlock growth and break down the barriers to opportunity.

“The skills system we inherited is fragmented and broken. Employers want to invest in their workers but for too long have been held back from accessing the training they need.  

“Skills England will jumpstart young people’s careers and galvanise local economies. It will bring businesses together with trade unions, mayors, universities, colleges and training providers to give us a complete picture of skills gaps nationwide, boost growth in all corners of the country and give people the opportunity to get on in life.

“The organisation will identify the training for which the growth and skills levy will be accessible – an important reform, giving businesses more flexibility to spend levy funds on training for the skills they need, which employers have long been calling for,” Phillipson said.

Skills England will be established in phases over the next nine to 12 months to create a responsive and collaborative skills system.

The Skills England Bill announced this week will transfer functions from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) to Skills England.

This sits alongside work to simplify and devolve adult education budgets to Mayoral Combined Authorities to ensure that they can address their adult skills needs directly and support growth in their areas.

The announcement revealed the next steps for establishing Skills England as:

  • The first phase of Skills England’s launch involves setting up the organisation in shadow form within the DfE, and starting work on an assessment of future skills needs while building strong relationships with employers. A permanent board, chair and CEO will be appointed in due course.
  • The route for employers to shape skills training is currently offered by the IfATE. IfATE’s functions will transfer to Skills England, as part of the new organisation’s broader remit. IfATE will continue its important work in the interim as the transition of functions to Skills England is finalised.
  • Skills England will hold responsibility for maintaining a list of levy-eligible training to ensure value for money, and that the mix of government-funded training available to learners and employers aligns with the identified skills needs.
  • The government will also bring forward a comprehensive strategy for post-16 education to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce, and drive economic growth through our industrial strategy.

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