1. News
  2. New to Market

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.

• Comment below on this story. Or let us know what you think by emailing us at [email protected] or tweet us to tell us your thoughts or share this story with a friend.

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.

• Comment below on this story. Or let us know what you think by emailing us at [email protected] or tweet us to tell us your thoughts or share this story with a friend.

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.

• Comment below on this story. Or let us know what you think by emailing us at [email protected] or tweet us to tell us your thoughts or share this story with a friend.

20 September 2021
Retail, IT/Telecoms, Graduates/Apprentices/School leavers

NEW TO THE MARKET: 20-24 SEPTEMBER 2021

• Distance learning provider Open Study College has launched OSC Recruitment, a subdivision “dedicated to enhancing its offering for jobseekers and employers alike”. Recruitment consultant Jak Whitehouse, with more than 15 years’ industry experience, will lead the division. OSC Recruitment will focus on sourcing and placing individuals from its existing pool of students, and will also provide CV writing and workshops, interview tips, employability guidance and career advice.

• Skillzminer, a new job-matching platform, has launched claiming to “change people’s fortunes in just four minutes”. Skillzminer says users answer a few quick questions and find jobs they are suited to based on their skills, interests and styles. It removes any background or gender bias, meaning employers improve their social responsibility by recruiting people based on their true skills, abilities and potential.

• Wren Kitchens is recruiting more than 60 new tech/IT positions, following the launch of its new IT facility in Barton-Upon-Humber. Wren will offer remote working for its developers and welcomes people from across the UK to apply. A Tech Recruitment Event will take place on Saturday 2 October at The Nest in Barton-upon-Humber, North Lincolnshire, where technologies will be showcased.

6 September 2021
Transport & logistics, Charity & not-for-profit, Graduates/Apprentices/School leavers

NEW TO THE MARKET: 6-10 SEPTEMBER 2021

• HGV recruitment agency Driver Require has opened a new office in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. The company now has seven branches providing drivers to clients across the Northern Home Counties, the South Coast and the Midlands.

• Huzzle, a new university recruitment tool, has launched to help recruiters find more “appropriate and engaged” students for the job. Huzzle shows students the precise opportunities that suit them guiding them from their interests to specific roles while taking account of their year and degree. Students receive a few opportunities a week and can apply in the app.

• Recruitment agency Oyster Partnership has launched a new podcast titled Rule No.1. Oyster says the podcast aims to “lift the lid on the topics people care about”. The podcast launches today on all major streaming platforms.

• Global employment platform Remote has launched Remote for Refugees, a programme to help businesses invest in refugee talent in a cost-effective way. Remote will offer free global employment services for businesses to employ refugees in 60 countries around the world legally without any processing fees. Refugees with documentation of their refugee status and right to work or a work permit in their host country can apply for this offer.

• The Prince’s Trust is running an ‘Opportunity Hour’ online live show this Thursday (9 September) at 19:00 to help young people land a Kickstart job. It is aimed at young people aged between 16-24 based in England, Scotland or Wales who are looking for work. The talk will provide young people with valuable insights into Kickstart and they will find out about The Prince’s Trust’s free follow-up courses, enterprise initiatives and mentoring opportunities that will help young people achieve their goals.

• YoungCapital, a Dutch recruitment company, has announced that it has opened its first office in the UK located in Birmingham. The recruiter says it is focusing on the recruitment of young talent for the UK employment market. The company will serve various sectors.

23 August 2021
Retail, Transport & logistics, Engineering, Commercial & office support, Hospitality/Leisure, Apprentices/Grads/School leavers

NEW TO THE MARKET: 23-27 AUGUST 2021

• Dublin-based recruiter Reliance Talent Acquisition has launched with the backing of James Caan CBE’s investment service Recruitment Entrepreneur, which supports recruiters with the infrastructure to set up and run their own business through REflex.

Headed up by Alan McGrath, Reliance Talent Acquisition specialises in the transport & logistics, food & beverage production, engineering and commercial sectors.

• Ross Jelf, a talent acquisition manager and an Australian living in London, has created YouthMobilityJobs.com to assist Youth Mobility Visa holders and young Australians to find jobs in the UK. Currently eligible to 18-30-year-olds, the Youth Mobility Scheme allows around 30,000 Aussies every year to work in the UK for up to two years.

UK employers will start advertising their vacancies on YouthMobilityJobs.com from today [23 August] during the pre-launch of the site. The official launch is on 13 September creating a new job community connecting Youth Mobility Scheme jobseekers from participating countries with UK employers.

19 August 2021
Life sciences, Engineering

RBW Consulting expands in US with San Diego office

The company said the move follows increasing demand in the San Diego life sciences market and to support clients’ rapid growth across the US. San Diego encapsulates the third largest biotech hub in the US.

The office will launch with an initial team of four. The team members will split their time between office space in downtown San Diego and working remotely, the company said.

RBW also has US offices in North Carolina and in Massachusetts.

• Comment below on this story. Or let us know what you think by emailing us at [email protected] or tweet us to tell us your thoughts or share this story with a friend.

Recruiter Magazine

SUBSCRIBE TO PRINT
VIEW PAST ISSUES
Top