• Flourish has launched to identify training and support talent from all backgrounds including non-graduates and those looking for a career change. Recognising a gap in the traditional early career sales recruitment and development process, the firm says it aims to build a strong community, providing access to on-demand personal coaching to help people navigate personal and professional challenges during their first year in sales.

Managing director Sarah Skelton is spearheading the business, which is part of the Apprentify Group. Skelton brings more than 20 years of expertise in training and mentoring within the employment sector. She worked for more than two decades at Pareto, a sales recruitment and training firm, serving much of her tenure as regional director for South-East England. She joins founder of Pareto Jonathan Fitchew, who is now CEO of Apprentify.

• The Protocol Group, a leader in recruitment for the further education sector, has introduced AMPLIFY, a service specifically designed to help colleges tackle the ongoing challenges of recruiting teachers and other staff. The new offering is a direct response to widespread teacher shortages and recruitment struggles, providing a hands-on solution to improve hiring practices, increase placement success, and manage recruitment costs more efficiently. Central to AMPLIFY is the placement of dedicated recruitment experts within colleges, offering tailored support to refine and optimise their hiring strategies.