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New to Market

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.

11 April 2025
Creative/Digital/Media, IT/Telecoms

Spotted Zebra merges Interview Intelligence and Assessment in one platform

This is technology that transcribes, analyses and evaluates conversations through an AI-powered lens. The merger connects assessment results with interview data, addressing the growing challenge enterprise talent leaders face: making confident, objective hiring decisions when candidate information can be fragmented across multiple tools.

In a statement, Spotted Zebra says that enterprise talent acquisition teams are facing twin pressures from AI-generated candidate applications and deepening skills shortages. 

The launch responds to a critical market challenge, the statement continues; while more than three in four businesses report widening skills gaps, employers are inundated with applications with around half of all jobseekers using AI tools to apply for roles. Current solutions force companies to choose between expensive, disconnected systems or compromise on either assessment breadth and depth, or a scalable interview process and structure.

“We’ve integrated Interview Intelligence with Assessment because our enterprise customers are facing unprecedented challenges in talent acquisition,” said Ian Monk, co-founder and CEO of Spotted Zebra. “By unifying these previously siloed technologies, we’re enabling talent teams to make data-informed decisions based on a complete picture of each candidate’s capabilities.”

Unlike standard Interview Intelligence tools that primarily transcribe conversations, Spotted Zebra’s implementation establishes a data framework that truly connects skill measurements across different evaluation methods:

  • Real-time skill evidence mapping: Comprehensive role skills profiles are automatically created thanks to AI-powered intake meetings between recruiters and hiring managers. 
  • AI-assisted interview questioning technology: The AI-powered Interview Guides automatically generate targeted question paths for specific role skills profiles and each candidate.
  • Consolidated hiring evidence dashboard: The Decision Kit combines summarised skill data from both assessment scores and interview evidence, weighting each source appropriately based on predictive validity for specific skill types. 

According to the company statement, AI in Spotted Zebra enhances human decision-making, ensuring the final call on a candidate’s suitability for a role is objective, data-backed and always in the hands of the hiring team.

Headquartered in the UK, Spotted Zebra was launched in 2020 by Monk and co-founder and chief commercial officer Nick Shaw.

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27 February 2025
Oil & gas/Energy, Engineering, Construction & property, Industrial/Manufacturing

Airswift workforce report highlights rebound in traditional energy

The ninth annual Global Energy Talent Index (GETI), produced by Airswift (a global workforce solutions provider within the energy, process and infrastructure industries), highlights that salaries in traditional energy are experiencing a strong rebound with 50% of professionals seeing a pay rise in 2025 and 71% expecting further rises next year.

However, the comprehensive report, which includes a five-year trends analysis, highlights that there is reluctance to relocate increasing by 9% since 2021, alongside interest in renewables intensifying.

The GETI 2025 report reveals a positive trend in salary increases after the challenging period of 2021 and 2022, with half of traditional energy professionals receiving a pay rise in 2025 and 26% seeing increases of over 5%.

“This year is the first year where increases show signs of flattening out,” the report said, “with the percentage reporting a large increase (5% or more) falling for the first time since 2021. However, optimism is also on the rise, with 71% of professionals expecting pay increases in the next year, up from just 49% in 2021.”

While 80% of traditional energy professionals would consider relocating for work, this figure has declined from 89% in 2021, reflecting a shift in career priorities. Europe remains the most preferred destination, the report said, though its appeal has declined from a peak of 30% in 2022 to 26% in 2025. The Middle East remains a strong second choice, while interest in North America has remained stable.

Career progression remains the top driver for relocation, rising to 50% in 2025, while remuneration has gained importance, replacing culture as a key motivator. Meanwhile, professionals cite proximity to family as the primary reason for reluctance to relocate, though this concern has declined year-on-year.

As demand for expertise in traditional energy grows, 86% of professionals would consider moving to another role, with 62% open to opportunities within traditional energy, the report said. Interest in switching to renewables has also surged, rising from 56% in 2023 to 71% in 2025. Technology remains the most attractive non-energy sector, with 28% of professionals considering a move.

The energy transition is reshaping the sector, with professionals identifying advances in engineering techniques and technology (37%) and the transition to clean energy (37%) as the biggest industry opportunities. Meanwhile, optimism in employer resilience has grown, with 71% of professionals confident in their company’s ability to navigate future challenges.

Download the full report here.

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27 February 2025
Legal, Executive search, Interim recruitment

LSS Strategic Partners introduces ECB STAR Group as part of trio of solutions

ECB’s transition completes a trio of operational solutions at LSS Strategic Partners, alongside NomosFIT, a flexible interim talent platform, and SHP Legal Services, which provides integrated solutions to optimise law firm operations.

According to a company statement, these businesses together “create a comprehensive, technology-enabled ecosystem reshaping talent and legal services”.

ECB STAR Group originally launched as A&M Search in July 2024 under CEO Tom Wilkinson’s leadership, as reported by Recruiter, following A&M’s acquisition of Wilkinson Partners. ECB is a premier retained executive search firm specialising in executive, C-suite and board appointments – hence ECB.

“ECB Star Group is designed to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive talent market,” said Peter Sacripanti, CEO of LSS Strategic Partners. “With its data-driven methodology and unwavering commitment to client success, ECB is setting a new benchmark in executive search.”

Drawing on decades of experience identifying and securing high-impact leaders, ECB’s approach is built on its proprietary Search, Talent Advisory and Research (STAR) capabilities. 

The LSS Strategic Partners statement says ECB goes beyond traditional search practices, “leveraging data-driven insights and a vast executive network to curate leadership teams that drive value creation and shape the future of their organisations”. It goes on to say: “Its advanced technology platform enables hyper-tailored matching, dramatically reducing time-to-placement while ensuring alignment with strategic business objectives.”

With a presence in the US and UK, ECB operates across global markets, specialising in high-impact placements within public and private companies, sponsor-backed companies and law firms.

“The launch of ECB Star Group is a defining moment for LSS Strategic Partners as we continue to expand our leadership in talent management,” said Sacripanti. “Our founders’ leadership philosophy is embedded in our approach. ECB Star Group, like SHPLS and NomosFIT, brings a more sophisticated, technology-driven approach to their industry, ensuring our clients gain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving business environment.”

LSS Strategic Partners, an Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) Inc firm, is a holding company in legal services and talent management. 

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25 February 2025
Transport & logistics, Industrial/Manufacturing, HR

NEW TO THE MARKET: 24-28 FEBRUARY 2025

• Recruitment company Acorn by Synergie and commercial law firm Darwin Gray have relaunched the Wales HR Network, with two events and a new look planned for 2025. The network provides learning and networking opportunities for senior leaders and HR professionals in Wales, as well as enabling the sharing of ideas to help shape the future of HR practices across the country.

The network has announced a second ‘Future of Work’ conference as part of its relaunch. The event will take place at ICC Wales in Newport on 14 May 2025 and is expected to host around 150 attendees. There will also be a third Future of Work conference in North Wales in the autumn. Tickets can be purchased using this link. 

• Carrington West has joined the newly launched Infrastructure Diversity Charter, supporting greater equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) in the UK’s infrastructure sector. The recruitment firm shared best practices and was featured as a case study for its inclusive hiring initiatives, such as diversity-driven strategies and job descriptions. Developed with industry leaders, the charter provides a framework to attract, retain and advance a diverse workforce, addressing skills shortages and ensuring representation. It is based on five key principles: attraction, retention, progression, leadership and data & feedback, guiding organisations toward a more inclusive sector.

25 February 2025
Public sector, Transport & logistics, Creative/Digital/Media, Engineering, Industrial/Manufacturing, IT/Telecoms, HR

Op ASCEND expands career help for armed forces veterans

Announced today [25 February 2025], the careers advice service Op ASCEND offer will include a broader range of job support for veterans, helping more into employment and boosting growth under the government’s Plan for Change.

Op ASCEND, a free service run by the Forces Employment Charity (FEC), with funding from the UK government, will work with industry bodies to ensure businesses are set up to make the most of the talents veterans have to offer, showing how the government is renewing the contract with those who serve and have served.

Veterans’ family members will also have access to the enhanced career support. The free service has so far equipped 3,000 veterans and family members with the tools to make their next career move.

When jobseekers sign up to Op ASCEND for employment advice, specialist-trained advisers can support with:

  • CV writing and interview preparation
  • advice on entering new sectors such as energy, data and digital, telecommunications and construction
  • tips on how to navigate recruitment schemes run by veteran-friendly employers
  • access to employment fairs
  • advice on retraining or setting up a business.

Speaking today at an audience of industry leaders and veterans at Mission Community’s annual National Transition Event in Silverstone, veterans minister Alistair Carns announced plans to expand the support available under FEC-run Op ASCEND. The service will align more closely with the Ministry of Defence’s official resettlement programme, the Career Transition Partnership (CTP).

Carns said: “This is about delivering a clear, easily accessible offering for veterans… For those just leaving the forces, there is a range of transition and resettlement support available through the CTP. For those who left service more than two years ago and are looking for a new job or to progress within their career, Op ASCEND is available to them. This could include provision for those veterans looking to set up their own business or hone their enterprise and entrepreneurial skills.”

As well as offering career advice to the armed forces community, Op ASCEND has worked with over 300 businesses to date, the government said, to help them understand the commercial benefits of hiring veterans. The service encourages employers to:

  • review their work in recruiting, progressing and retaining talent from the armed forces and their families
  • run employment events to connect jobseeking members of the military community with job opportunities
  • expand or create new military pathways to help veterans with their transition and keep them connected to those with similar backgrounds.

Op ASCEND is being run alongside a veteran industry engagement programme, both backed by £2.1m of government funding. Run by service charity Mission Community, the programme works with industry bodies – such as the Society of Motor Manufacturing and Traders – to drive practical, cultural and behavioural change within their sectors. 

“Through this partnership with business, [we] will help ensure that the value veterans bring to UK businesses is fully recognised, and that industries make the most of the talents they have to offer,” the government said.

Op ASCEND succeeds and enhances the Op PROSPER service.

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