Education recruitment agencies as well as supply agencies have become an indispensable part of most UK school recruitment strategies. Such agencies provide staff for a wide range of contract types, including day-to-day and short-term supply to cover unexpected teacher absences, as well as longer-term vacancies including maternity cover, long-term illness, and permanent positions. If you’re in Leeds area and looking for an education job, check out supply teaching agencies Leeds.
The reasons why schools use recruitment agencies are manifold, just as organisations from many other sectors do. Here are some of the more common ones:
Saving time and resources, and reducing poor recruitment decisions
Schools often lack the time or experience to effectively screen job candidates and are unable to differentiate quality from mediocrity. Job applicants tend to oversell their abilities, enthusiasm, & dedication in their CVs, while other brilliant teachers may have unimpressive CVs, being inexperienced in writing them. Experienced recruiters are better at identifying the most valuable recruits, saving schools time and resources, and minimising their risk of making a bad recruitment decision. Thus, reputable agencies help to enhance the standards of education by ensuring that the most competent candidates are placed in schools.
Recruitment difficulties due to teacher shortages
The teacher shortage in the UK is a well-known fact. With rising numbers of pupils entering the education system, and a large number of teachers leaving the profession, the teacher shortage is expected to rise to over 13,000 by 2021. Furthermore, the shortage is compounded by fewer individuals entering teacher training courses, as there are very few graduates replacing retiring teachers. How does this affect the use of supply agencies by schools? Schools that conduct their own recruiting say it is increasingly challenging to find suitable candidates, even after spending huge sums of money on job advertisements. It is easier for schools to hire an agency to recruit personnel for them, with no risk of wasted advertising expenses and a large, pre-screened pool of agency candidates to choose from.
Better candidates prefer to be recruited via agencies
More and more educators are now seeking jobs through recruitment agencies instead of applying directly to a hiring school. Job-seekers prefer agencies because it is usually a quicker way to find a position and larger agencies usually have a wide variety of jobs to offer. Professional education recruiters typically have in-depth knowledge of schools in their locality. The best agencies will meaningfully consult with job seekers to ensure the most suitable match between the school and jobseeker. Again, this lowers the risk of making bad recruitment decisions and helps ensure a higher standard of education for students.
Temp-to-Perm Options
Numerous schools and jobseekers prefer to operate on a temp-to-perm basis. In such a scenario, a teacher is employed on a temporary contract, with prospects of becoming a permanent staff member. This lowers the risk, both for schools and teachers, of making poor recruitment choices. It allows both parties to try working together before making a more permanent commitment.
Supply agencies are an indispensable component of most UK school hiring programmes
Most UK schools currently use supply agencies in their recruitment mix. This occurs for a combination of the reasons mentioned above. Headteachers, SENCO, and other school leaders appreciate the reduced administration and handling of wasted time that comes with hiring through agencies. They also appreciate the benefits of employing pre-screened, top-quality agency staff. If your school intends to use agencies in its staff recruitment strategy, make sure to choose well-regarded agencies with extensive knowledge of the local area.
The aforementioned article provides information on why most schools use supply agencies to fill short-term and long-term vacancies in their schools.