New to Market

15 May 2024

NEW TO THE MARKET: 13-17 MAY 2024

• The Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA Group) is partnering with recruitment and staffing solutions specialist Hays to launch a new recruitment platform for the education sector. jobsforschools.org.uk is an innovative 360° jobs platform, which provides a cost-effective, one-stop recruitment solution for both employers and jobseekers. With access to a diverse pool of candidates, schools can seek to attract and recruit skilled and talented applicants for all roles across their organisation and departments. Jobseekers can benefit from a dedicated portal to search and filter a broad range of job opportunities within the education sector, with positions advertised for all levels and skills.

Engineering @ 365 has launched in Leicester to deliver recruitment services for the engineering sector, covering shop floor staffing to director level appointments. It will be led by directors Mikey Phillips and Sam Taylor, who between them have 13 years of experience delivering engineering recruitment services for clients. The new company is part of the 365 People Group, which also includes 365 People, an expanding Leicester-based recruitment company.

• Recruitment firm Talentheads has opened a second office amid rapid growth in County Durham, creating new jobs. The new office will be headed up by Gareth Jones, who joins as lead talent partner, and Gemma Holmes as business development manager, with future plans to take on more staff, according to a company press release. Talentheads launched on founder Sam Spoors’ kitchen table in 2019, acting as a one-stop shop for both recruitment and learning and development to support growing companies.

30 April 2024

APSCo launches manifesto to beat the skills crisis

The launch of the document took place at an invitation-only event at the House of Commons last week, with government ministers and a cross-party group of members of parliament and peers in attendance.

The trade body for professional recruitment has urged policy makers across the major parties to ensure they adopt its recommendations which are designed to tackle the country’s professional skills crisis, raise collective productivity and drive economic growth.

According to APSCo, the four key opportunities that need to be capitalised on include:

  • Creating the right workforce regulatory environment: through regulatory reforms which protect individual workers, drive economic growth and maximise productivity. This includes excluding highly paid contractors from the Agency Worker Regulations 2010 and reviews of Off Payroll IR35 and the employment status of the professional self-employed.
  • Supporting workforce skills growth, training and talent development: through access to more flexible modular training under the Apprenticeship Levy and a greater focus on financial support for regional hubs. Access to international skills also needs to be extended through flexible short-term ‘project’ visas for highly skilled workers and a greater focus on skilled immigration in trade deals.
  • Introducing policies that drive fairness and inclusion in the new world of work: to ensure legislation matches the pace of change in hiring and working practices. That includes legislating to boost ‘skills-first hiring’ practices and encourage people to rejoin the workforce through tax incentives on occupational health, mental health and health screening budgets.
  • Harnessing technology for the skills revolution: to drive economic growth, which includes building on the existing ‘AI in recruitment’ guidance to deliver recognised and auditable standards. Any such regulation should be in alignment with global directives and needs to hold AI developers and technology providers accountable for transparency and fairness in their products.

Tania Bowers, global public policy director at APSCo, said: “Research from our members, trusted partners and global strategic partners such as LinkedIn are all pointing to the same issue in the UK: a severe shortage of professional skills that is only growing. Businesses are facing a critical lack of workers, with IT, digital, engineering and healthcare some of the hardest hit remits. 

“For the country to remain competitive, our labour market needs to be world-leading, fair and flexible. Our manifesto outlines exactly how that can be achieved. In what is already proving to be a highly contentious general election year, it is crucial that the major parties have a plan in place to beat the skills crisis that’s prevailed for far too long in the UK.

“We’ve already started engaging with key policy makers across the core political parties – many of whom were in attendance at the launch event itself – and it’s encouraging to note that these recommendations are aligned to the thinking of many MPs and policy influencers. Politicians of all parties recognised that the recruitment and outsourcing sectors play a crucial role in the strength of the labour market and the UK economy. We are pleased to hear that APSCo’s manifesto aligns with the core ideas of the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democratic and all parties that are looking to retain seats in Westminster,

Ann Swain, global CEO at APSCo, added: “I’m delighted at the responses to our manifesto launch. Thanks to our hosts Mark Pawsey MP and Peter Dowd MP, and Kevin Hollinrake MP, the minister for enterprise, markets and small business at the Department for Business and Trade who gave some valuable insights. I’m delighted that they all found our manifesto to be appropriately early and there was a huge amount of interest in our recommendations, particularly around Apprenticeship Levy reform and skills.”

Liberal Democrat peer Lord Newby, who is responsible for putting together the Party’s Manifesto, said “he was keen to hear more about our thoughts on talent, whilst Baroness Verma, a Conservative Peer with a keen interest in diversity, inclusion and women in business spoke with myself, keen to know more about our members’ activities in this area. 

“As (Kevin) Hollinrake, the minister said, private enterprise is the strong horse that pulls the cart of the economy and SMEs are critical to its success.

“Recruitment and staffing outsourcing are UK success stories – delivering innovation, expertise, opportunity and growth to the UK’s workforce. Working closely with companies and workers alike, APSCo UK and OutSource members are central to the growth and productivity of the UK’s key economic sectors. 

“But the UK economy and its staffing sector face significant challenges. Technology is changing the nature of the skills we need across the economy; AI and innovation is disrupting resourcing, with new jobs emerging requiring new skills from the labour market. 

“Equally, there are some long-standing challenges that make staffing the UK’s professional economy more difficult, from a limited supply of highly qualified talent to the complex and outdated workplace regulatory environment. Our Tackling the Professional Skills Crisis manifesto outlines how these challenges can be faced head on.”

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L-r: Ann Swain, CEO, APSCo and Kevin Hollinrake, minister for enterprise, markets and small business at the Department for Business and Trade ©APSCo

25 April 2024

NEW TO THE MARKET: 22-26 APRIL 2024

• Manchester-based tech start-up Flowlio has launched its project management SaaS solution and project management fundamentals training course. It is designed to empower organisations to deliver project outcomes. The cloud solution introduces a new approach that provides business assurance while its fundamentals training provides essential skills and tools which support people to collaboratively deliver effective change projects.

Hays, a leading provider of workforce solutions and recruitment services, is rolling out the Sonder early intervention platform to enhance support for its employees in the UK and Ireland. This initiative aims to streamline access to 24/7 integrated medical, mental health and personal safety assistance. Just eight weeks after its implementation, 34% of Hays employees across the UK and Ireland have activated the service, marking a six-fold increase compared to Hays’ previous wellbeing offerings.

The Sonder app offers immediate access to a dedicated team of safety, medical and mental health professionals through chat messaging or phone calls, ensuring timely assistance for individual employees and their immediate family members at the touch of a button.

• Global talent solutions provider The IN Group has opened new offices in Miami, Florida and Denver, Colorado as part of a major US expansion drive for talent brands Investigo and BioTalent. The new offices will be led by medical communications expert Elizabeth Bevan in Miami, and Jessica Petersen and Trey Hanley in Denver, increasing the company’s US headcount to 53. These offices will help The IN Group better serve customers in these regions alongside other locations in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and San Diego.
 

19 April 2024

Two US locations offer a new Scene for tech recruiter

According to a company statement, the new office locations will support Scene’s strategic expansion into the US and enable the company to better serve its US-based clients, as well as other clients hoping to enter the US market.

Three experienced employees have relocated to the US, including Pete Miller, Scene’s founder. The team brings with them a combined 30 years’ experience in talent, and a track record in advising early-stage companies on how to build high-performing teams.

Spearheading the US launch from New York, Miller says: “I’m excited to be driving our US expansion at this important time… I’m looking forward to growing the team to build on this success and establish Scene as a leading talent and growth partner to fast-growing technology companies in North America.”

In tandem with the New York office launch, Sandra Arezina will lead Scene’s go-to-market team in the US in Los Angeles. And joining her in the Los Angeles office is Ellie Shaxon, head of product, US.

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7 December 2023

NEW TO THE MARKET: 4-8 DECEMBER 2023

• Distribution company CitySprint is recruiting couriers across London and the UK. New recruits will support the increased logistics demand during the 2023 festive season and driving continued business growth. The new recruits will join CitySprint’s team of more than 3,000 couriers across the UK and will work across a wide range of vehicles, with a particular hiring focus on long wheel-based drivers. Demand for drivers also extends to CitySprint’s electric vehicles, with the company’s fleet continuing to expand.

• Human capital advisory firm the Josh Bersin Company has launched a generative AI expert assistant and problem-solving tool for HR leaders and their teams. Galileo can help business and HR users to get answers to any HR or management question by interrogating the collective Josh Bersin Company accumulated intellectual property, covering research, in-depth maturity models, frameworks, benchmarks, videos, podcasts, case studies and more.

That assistance ranges from asking questions, but also allowing users to compare vendors, research solutions, and generate implementation plans, RFP templates, communications plans, and more. The expert assistant allows practitioners to interrogate all the Josh Bersin Company intelligence online at their own pace as if all the advisory firm’s analysts were there in the room with them.

Randstad Digital, a digital enablement organisation, has joined the global ‘RiseUp with ServiceNow’ programme to help skill and train individuals in the ServiceNow ecosystem and prepare them for in-demand jobs in technology. The partnership will provide organisations of all sizes with the talent needed to navigate the era of digital business, while expanding career opportunities for individuals. This collaboration designates Randstad Digital as ServiceNow's workforce placement partner, contributing to RiseUp's mission of upskilling one million people by 2024.

Search Capital, an investment and talent incubation company dedicated to fostering growth and innovation in the recruitment sector, has launched. The firm will provide environment, infrastructure and network for strategic business development. Currently, the company’s portfolio consists of five thriving businesses, including JCW Group, Guideline, Xander Talent, OutScout and the recently launched Core Consultants. These companies, with collective revenues of around $75m (£59.6m), represent a diverse mix of traditional and non-traditional human capital businesses across multiple specialisms and regions.

Search Capital says it brings a “transformative” approach to the traditional model of business growth by strategically investing in and supporting the development of human capital firms, helping to scale businesses and accelerate their success.

Sterling Check, an identity and background services provider, has announced Sterling RISQ is being rebranded as ‘Sterling’ in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. It is being aligned with technology enhancements to deliver global background screening and identity programs and local expertise. Sterling has employees based in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines and mainland China.

30 November 2023

Payroll Compliance Authority launches for umbrella companies

The independent, not-for profit organisation said it offers “law-abiding payroll companies an avenue to honest and trusted business through a rigorous audit process, carried out independently by global accounting firm PwC”.  

It is not linked with any government bodies.

CEO Paul Newsham is a Lancashire-based chartered accountant and, among other appointments, is a director for registered company RfM Funding Solutions and several accounting businesses operating under the RfM brand name.

He said the PCA’s services would be “an ongoing rigorous process where non-compliance has consequences” for umbrella companies.

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28 November 2023

NEW TO THE MARKET: 27 NOVEMBER-1 DECEMBER 2023

Aston University is one of a number of institutions to receive funding for 340 new PhD places across the Midlands to train the next generation of social scientists. The Midlands Graduate School (MGS), a consortium of Midlands universities including Aston University, has received significant funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for a Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) that will advance research training provision for the next generation of social scientists and ensure that the Midlands remains at the forefront of methodological advancements in social science. The MGS partnership will recruit up to 68 PhD students per year for the next five years, including a possibility of 10 scholarships for PhD candidates at Aston University.

Engtal, a US-based staffing solutions provider for the STEM industries, has raised thousands of dollars to support underrepresented talent in Chicagoland (Chicago metropolitan area) to access college scholarship funding, through its work in the STEM industries. The primary sponsor of Diversify the Future Foundation, a non-profit initiative, which aims to remove the barriers faced by underrepresented students, Engtal will help support young people by helping them excel in a future career in the STEM space, enabling and empowering the next generation of industry talent.

• Technology recruitment agency Venturi has completed the move of its global headquarters to the Globe & Simpson Building, Enterprise City, within the St John’s creative district in Manchester. The international recruitment firm, with locations in New York and Dusseldorf, has made Manchester city centre its home. It specialises in placing technology talent into key areas of the IT and tech sectors, including business intelligence, data analysis, and security and software development.

• Recruitment services supplier Wave has launched a new version of its candidate sourcing and analytics tool WaveTrackR. The changes and updates focus on ensuring candidates are not missed in the search for talent.

20 November 2023

NEW TO THE MARKET: 20-24 NOVEMBER 2023

Berry Recruitment has opened a new branch in Watford, Hertfordshire. The branch will cover commercial office-based roles, light industrial and catering roles both for temporary and permanent positions. Carol Grainger is the new manager, who has worked in the industry and in the area for more than 17 years. Three experienced consultants have also been recruited, with more hires planned for the New Year.

• Facilities management company Mitie has recruited 60 new apprentices as part of its #SignupSkillup programme. The new colleagues are all in the early stages of their working lives, kicking off a career in facilities management with an apprenticeship, and are based throughout the UK, from Plymouth to Glasgow.

TalentPredix is launching in Scandinavia through a partnership with Gudman Leadership. TalentPredix is a strengths assessment system, which provides a measure of people’s talents, career motivations and values. It transforms the way clients hire, develop and engage talent, enabling businesses to improve talent outcomes and unleash the full strengths and potential of their people.

• Talent and reskill training provider Wiley Edge has partnered with Cisco Networking Academy to train graduates in the latest tech skills. The new partnership will ensure Wiley Edge Alumni are upskilled and ready to kickstart their careers.

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