At a glance
New College Durham have faced challenges with agencies including miscommunication, vetting issues and time-consuming recruitment processes. Dovetail & Slate stepped in and provided a personalised and transparent service, addressing specific needs, improving candidate quality and enhancing student experience
New College Durham, formerly Neville’s Cross College, has strong ties to the University of Durham. Since merging with Durham Technical College in 1977, it has grown into the largest further education college in County Durham. Operating from a unified campus since 2005, the institution is dedicated to providing top-tier further and higher education.
The Challenge
New College Durham faced recurrent challenges in their recruitment process. Having engaged with multiple agencies, they were flooded with candidates, yet many lacked the essential qualifications and experience. This resulted in a frustrating cycle of hiring, only to realise after a few weeks that the fit wasn’t right.
Miscommunications intensified the issue further, leading to unexpected visits and unverified DBS statuses. New College Durham had lost trust in the agencies and was hesitant to use them for months at a time, knowing that a single misguided placement could significantly impact a curriculum area.
The Solution
The college urgently needed a more efficient and effective recruitment process tailored to the complex construction education sector. Dovetail & Slate stepped in with a dedicated recruiter who specialises in construction education. All candidates were meticulously pre-qualified, ensuring they met the rigid criteria set by the college.
Communication became a cornerstone of this partnership, with Dovetail & Slate providing transparent assessments of candidates’ capabilities, highlighting areas where experience was lacking as well as clear communications across all areas, including Vetting.
Dovetail & Slate’s attentive approach ensured candidates not only possessed the essential skills but also aligned seamlessly with the college’s culture.
10% increase in student attendance
Partnership of more than 2 years
The Results
The impact was immediate and significant. Time spent on recruitment reduced dramatically, allowing for a renewed focus on core responsibilities. Trust in Dovetail & Slate soared, with the college relying on them for high-calibre candidates.
The level of communication and personal touch demonstrated throughout the process was unparalleled.
The benefits were not confined to the recruitment process alone. Student attendance surged by an impressive 10%, a testament to the quality of candidates sourced by Dovetail & Slate.
During a Learner Voice session, one standout candidate prompted phenomenal remarks, highlighting the positive impact on the learning environment.
Their transparency about candidates, including strengths and areas for development, enables us to onboard and provide tailored support effectively. We trust them to deliver - and trust between an agency and college is imperative.
Want to enhance your students' experience?
Contact us today to explore how Dovetail & Slate can help find you high calibre staff.
Alternatively, please email solutions@dovetailslate.co.uk or call 03308 221 324.
