Keystone wins place in SUPC framework
Keystone Employment Group, the leading provider of temporary and permanent staff solutions in the university sector, has secured a position within the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC). Keystone was already the leading provider of employment services on the London University framework (LUPC) and has delivered it’s unique solution to a number of leading universities in London. Jane Horridge, Head of Education at Keystone told LINK: “We are delighted to now be able to extend our Talent Bank solutions to more organisations across the UK. Our online service helps universities save money whilst offering their students real paid and volunteer work placements.” Keystone Talent Bank provides organisations with an end to end, fully branded technology programme that includes all visa and compliance checks, as well as payroll services.
Tracking the student journey
Helping students find work whilst studying, as well as preparing them for graduate job placements and internships is once again topping the agenda for many universities. But equally important is being able to track and monitor a student’s journey through their time in university and into work. Keystone specialises in providing universities with a single online portal to not only offer students paid and voluntary work, but also to provide reporting on every stage of a student’s journey. In addition, Keystone has recently added voluntary placements from external companies to their service, so universities can now track their student’s progress working as volunteers for organisations outside the university. All this helps universities to be more accountable for their student welfare. More importantly the Keystone Talent Bank solution provides valuable work experience opportunities and helps universities match students with assignments and work. King’s College London is a long time advocate of the Keystone Talent Bank solution and Lesley Knott, Forensic Science Programme Developer and Co-ordinator at King’s told LINK: “I have been working with Keystone for many years and their service has always been impressive. Their understanding of the evolving business needs and culture of an institution such as King’s College London enables them to provide us with excellent support to our managers. Managing temporary staff has improved dramatically since Keystone began to work with us, and I would not hesitate in recommending their service.”
Demand for Graduate employees increases
The latest labour market figures reinforce the picture of falling youth unemployment and rising vacancies. Economists forecast unemployment across all ages will drop to 6.1% in the three months to August, the lowest since the onset of the financial crisis in 2008. The latest employment figures showed the biggest drop in unemployment for new graduates in 15 years. Joblessness among those who completed degrees in the summer of 2013 was 7.3%, down from 8.5% for the previous year group, according to the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (Hecsu). This change in dynamic has sparked a trend for more work experience among undergraduates. According to a poll by the Association of Graduate Recruiters graduate vacancies look set to increase by 17% during 2015. However, despite the rising number of positions available for graduates, employers are still keen to remind universities that preparing their students for a working life, rather than just an academic one, remains key.
Universities partner with Keystone to increase efficiency and save money
Many universities have now realised the cost benefits that can be gained by running their own internal Talent Bank, as opposed to using a traditional recruitment agency. With agencies typically charging anywhere between 15-25% for employment services plus VAT (which universities cannot claim back) it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify this model. Keystone provides universities with a single online solution that instantly reduces agency fees by around 50% on average. Even more appealing is for those universities that use the technology to bring the full employment service in-house or use Keystone’s fully managed service, they no longer need to pay any agency fees. Thanks to Keystone there are universities now saving in excess of £500,000 per year with Keystone Talent Bank solutions. What’s more they now have all their volunteering, temporary and permanent staffing, compliance, payroll and reporting tools in one easy-to-use online service.
LINK is produced by Keystone Employment Group- Education Division. Keystone’s online Talent Bank solution allows universities to form their own internal database of students and other talent to whom work assignments can be easily allocated, with fully managed compliance, onboarding and payroll services. Keystone Employment Group is a fully approved supplier to the LUPC framework and the SUPC framework.
To find out more on how our Talent Bank solution can offer your students regular work opportunities and save substantial costs on recruitment fees please contact our educational specialists: jane.horridge@keystone-jobs.com & debbie.ruff@keystone-jobs.com or call us on: 0844 225 1010
