At a glance
Brooklands College faced disorganisation and inconsistency, resulting in inadequate hires. Dovetail & Slate streamlined the process, reduced the agency roster from 12 to 7, and brought unprecedented efficiency, with a notable 2-day turnaround for critical roles.
Brooklands College is a further education college that serves the community of Surrey and the neighbouring county of Middlesex. They proudly offer both full and part time education and training across a broad range of subjects and course levels for both young people and adults. More than 6,000 students choose to study with them each year.
The Challenge
Brooklands College struggled with a recruitment process that was both time-consuming and unpredictable. The college’s hiring managers were overwhelmed with the number of recruitment agencies they used, leading to a lack of communication, poor-quality candidates, and safeguarding concerns.
They needed a solution to improve communication and ensure the quality and reliability of candidates. This was even more apparent in two particular situations: a senior interim role was urgently required, as well as a beauty lecturer who was off sick for an unknown amount of time. They needed to quickly and efficiently fill these positions.
The Solution
Brooklands College began by exploring recruitment agencies online and this is where Dovetail & Slate addressed their challenges head-on; they delivered two CVs for the senior role within a day, which is an unheard-of turnaround time.
The quality of both candidates was spot on, and so the college continued to use Dovetail & Slate for additional recruitment requirements, and the agency consistently sourced temporary staff who integrated seamlessly into the college culture, aligning with their recently implemented values.
Similarly, when a beauty lecturer went off sick for an unknown period, Dovetail & Slate found an outstanding replacement lecturer who was in the position within 2 days. This was a unique approach for the college, which had previously battled with agencies that didn’t understand who they were or their culture. This approach built a strong partnership between Dovetail & Slate and Brooklands College.
2-day turnaround for critical roles.
On track to be the college's sole recruitment partner
20% increase in student satisfaction.
The Results
The impact of Dovetail & Slate’s solutions was transformative for Brooklands College.
The streamlined process, rapid turnaround times, a single point of contact, and a deep understanding of the college’s needs led to significant improvements.
The college experienced a notable increase in attendance across various courses, and student satisfaction soared by 20% compared to the previous year, as revealed in a recent student survey.
The college has commended Dovetail & Slate on their consultants, who are all friendly, respectful of their time, know when to push and when to hold off, understand the college and who they’re looking for, and exhibit brilliant communication.
Dovetail & Slate hit the nail on the head every time. The consultants are patient, respectful of our time, and approachable. They understand us and know what we need. It’s a partnership as opposed to a transactional relationship.
Six months ago, we had 12 different agencies, and we couldn’t tie anyone down. We’ve now reduced this down to 7, with the intention to reduce this down even further. Dovetail & Slate has sourced the majority of candidates within the business. We have 14 agency staff, and Dovetail & Slate has found the majority of these. Any contracts that are coming to an end will be replaced through Dovetail & Slate.
We are so grateful for the work everyone puts in and we look forward to working with Dovetail further.
Ready to reshape your recruitment processes?
Contact us today to explore how Dovetail & Slate can reform your hiring strategy.
