As a West Yorkshire-based recruitment agency with over 15 successful years behind us, we’re often asked—by others and ourselves—what about the north?!

The answer is quite simple: it was all about demand. Since 2010, we’ve helped thousands of candidates find their dream roles in schools, mainly within a 50-mile radius of the capital.

However, schools all over the country are now suffering from a teacher shortage. As a result, we are speaking with more and more schools in the north of England that require the help of a specialist education recruitment agency able to offer innovative solutions to address their staffing shortages. And that’s where we come in.

Hourglass: Your partner in education recruitment

Hourglass has always helped schools recruit top talent. Not only do we assist local ‘career teachers’ looking for the next step in their careers, but we’ve also forged a reputation as the first port of call for schools and Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) open to sponsoring ‘global talent’—overseas-trained teachers who are looking to relocate to the UK.

Ed Hyland joined Hourglass in 2016 as a consultant, working with schools in the southeast. In that time, prime ministers, Brexit, and a global pandemic have all played their part in changing the face of education recruitment. Eight years on, he believes Hourglass can play a more critical role than ever in guiding schools and MATs through the choppy waters of recruitment and retention.

Building lasting relationships

“Our success comes from forging longstanding, transparent relationships with both our schools and candidates,” Ed Hyland says. “Schools appreciate our consultative approach. We become an ally and help them understand the various recruitment options,” he continues. “Whether their focus is attracting local talent or scouring the globe for the right fit, the expertise of our in-house support team is invaluable. It’s sometimes tricky, but our ability to guide our clients through the sponsorship process is second to none.”

Supporting teachers every step of the way

We’re equally focused on our candidates: “Our teachers come back to us time after time,” says Ed. “They trust us to help them take the next step on the career ladder, as well as relocate to more suitable parts of the country depending on their family situation.” A common question we’re hearing more regularly is, “Can you help me find a role up north?”

Exclusive Access to Top Talent

Many of these teachers secured their first positions through Hourglass. This means our pipeline is tried, tested, and exclusive. You’re not likely to come across these teachers anywhere else. What’s more, many of our teachers are flexible on location across the UK, which can be a refreshing change from seeing the same old CVs circulating every month.

Ed’s experience in the sector, along with Hourglass’ position as a leader in recruiting both UK and overseas-based teachers, makes us confident that we’ll be able to replicate our success in the north of England. Ed would love to have a chat with you about how he can help!