Some of the projects we’ve delivered…
Employers
Objective/Client
Early Careers Strategy - Renesas Electronics
Three months became two years. Here's what we built…
The situation
Renesas Electronics is a global semiconductor business operating across highly competitive specialist talent markets. Like many fast-growing global organisations, their Early Careers hiring was evolving rapidly, with increasing demand for graduates and interns across key markets including Japan, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, the US and Germany.
The ambition was clear and the business knew what it wanted to achieve. What was needed was dedicated senior resource to bring it all together, to take the strategy from vision to reality across multiple markets simultaneously, build the infrastructure to support it and create something sustainable for the long term.
They brought us in for a three-month project to do exactly that.
What we did
Started with structured discovery across all focus countries, speaking with HR teams to understand existing processes, what was working, what wasn't and where the biggest gaps were. The findings were significant enough that Renesas extended the assignment to allow full implementation alongside strategy design.
Over two years, working directly with the leads in each market, we co-designed and built their global Early Careers function. University partnerships in each country targeting the right institutions rather than a blanket approach. Student ambassador programmes, guest lectures and workshops to raise Renesas's profile in markets where they were sometimes unknown to students. Specialist Early Careers business partners brought in across Vietnam, Malaysia, India and EMEA where internal expertise didn't yet exist. Global demand planning and standardised processes.
We also visited their head office in Tokyo, meeting the Early Careers and TA team and spending time with university professors to understand the world new graduates are stepping into. That in person insight shaped decisions that a purely virtual approach never could have.
Alongside all of this, we led an RPO implementation across 22 countries, 8 workstreams, delivered in 4 months, 4.5/5 client satisfaction.
The results
A global Early Careers function built from scratch. A previously siloed team across six regions operating as one. Sustainable university pipelines replacing one off relationships. Processes standardised across markets that had each been doing things differently.
Three months became two years. The extension says everything.
“What was meant to be a consulting project for a few months has turned into something much bigger. Standing up our early careers strategy and executing on university relations was and is so important for us. Without you we wouldn’t be where we are today. Renesas is a complex organisation that is not quick to change, so the impact you’ve been able to make in this time is all the more impressive.”
Objective
Changing what young people think apprenticeships are
3,300 students. 33 schools…
The situation
Most young people arrive at secondary school with a fixed idea of what an apprenticeship means, a trade, low pay, no real qualifications, no future. The reality is completely different. But nobody had shown them that.
In 2023, Emerging Talent Partnership was approached to run a pilot at four schools across the region to challenge these misconceptions and give students and teachers an insight into what apprenticeships offer. The schools selected were high priority, meaning the students taking part were from disadvantaged backgrounds with limited exposure to employers and the options available to them after school.
The pilot results were so positive that the programme was extended across two further years, eventually reaching 3,300 students across 33 schools.
What we did
Designed and delivered 4 interactive sessions per school, co-created with 3 employer partners.
37 employers took part from 13 different industries, ranging from financial services, to hospitality, construction and engineering.
Each session was built around real engagement rather than information delivery. Students heard directly from apprentices about their career paths. Employer representatives coached them on the skills needed to become apprenticeship ready. A live Q&A gave students and teachers the chance to ask the questions.
Four of the 33 schools were Alternative Provision schools; the programme format was adapted specifically for these students to ensure maximum impact.
The sessions covered: what apprenticeships are, the levels and qualifications available, how to navigate the application process, and how AI is increasingly part of modern hiring.
The results
Student understanding of apprenticeships increased by 150%. Student interest in applying for an apprenticeship rose by 62%.
In their own words:
"I didn't know about most of it so learnt a lot today."
"It showed how it compared to uni, you may get qualifications of the same level, but you also get experience and money."
"It shows how everyone has the chance to pursue something they love."
"The unbiased comparison to other career paths. It laid out information plus pros and cons without pressuring you to pick one or the other."
Schools reported that students left with significantly greater confidence and awareness and several asked for more events of this kind. One school noted that students had actively begun researching apprenticeship options following the session.
Employers reported that the format, rotating smaller groups for more direct contact, created genuine engagement rather than passive listening.
3,300 students. 33 schools. 37 employers. 13 industries. Two seasons of delivery.
And a generation of young people who now know that an apprenticeship isn't a compromise, it's a viable choice.
Educators
Objective/Client
ATS Implementation - XP Power
From 77 days to 42: how XP Power transformed global talent acquisition…
The situation
XP Power, a global manufacturer operating across 10 countries, had no unified applicant tracking system. Recruitment was slow, inconsistent and heavily reliant on agencies. Processes were manual; data was unreliable and hiring managers had no single system to work from. They needed their first-ever global ATS, one that would work across multiple languages, geographies and varying levels of technical confidence in their HR teams.
What we did
Led the full selection, implementation and rollout of SmartRecruiters across 10 countries, from initial brief to go-live. Rather than imposing a solution, we started by running focus groups with hiring managers, employees and HR teams across the business to understand what wasn't working and what a better process needed to look like. That insight shaped the selection criteria, narrowed the field to two providers, and informed every design and testing decision that followed.
The HR team were active partners throughout, not passive recipients. Their involvement in design and testing ensured the system worked for real users across real markets, not just on paper.
The results
Within four months of go-live, the impact was significant across every measure that matters.
Time to fill reduced from 77 days to 42 days
Agency spend reduced from 23% to 15%
Employee referrals increased from 10% to 20%
100% satisfaction from both candidates and hiring managers
Delivered on time and below budget
Beyond the numbers, XP Power moved from a manual, fragmented approach to a data-driven global function. Hiring decisions are now informed by real time insight rather than instinct, administrative burden has been removed from HR teams, and the business has a talent acquisition infrastructure built to scale with it.
Objective/Client
Employability Programmes
East Midlands Careers Hub
Equipping 2,000 students with the skills to compete…
The situation
Young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds face a significant disadvantage when entering the job market. Without access to employer networks, practical interview experience or knowledge of how hiring processes work, many capable students arrive at the application stage underprepared and under-confident. Schools across the region needed structured, employer-informed support to bridge that gap.
What we did
Designed and delivered five employability programmes reaching 2,000 students across 29 schools, supported by 34 employers who volunteered their time. Programmes were tailored to different student needs, including a bespoke stream for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
The five programmes covered:
Virtual Mock Assessment Centres, giving students hands on experience of interviews, presentations and group exercises, with direct feedback from employers across different industries.
Speed Networking Events, where each student had five face to face encounters with employers, gaining real insight into different career paths and practising professional communication.
LinkedIn Masterclasses, educating students on how to build a professional profile, use the platform for networking and begin their professional journey before they leave education.
A Let's Talk SEND Event, bringing together employers and young people with disabilities to share experiences, challenge assumptions and demonstrate the value these individuals bring to the workplace.
A How to Seek Employment programme for 500 students, covering job search techniques, CV writing, interview preparation and the skills employers look for.
The results
2,000 students across 29 schools reached, supported by 34 employer volunteers across multiple industries. Students left with practical skills, real employer connections and significantly greater confidence in navigating the recruitment process.
"Helped me get an insight into what a real interview situation is like." - Student
"I just wanted to say a huge thank you for giving us the opportunity to attend the Speed Networking event. The students shared that they had really enjoyed the whole experience. We would love to be a part of anything similar." - School
"I was very impressed with the students. I hope the experience will help them when interviewed and I wish them all the best in their future careers." - Employer
"A quick but heartfelt thank you for demonstrating LinkedIn to our sixth form students. I have to be honest, I learned a lot too." - Teacher