Case Study: Chesterfield College modernises recruitment and cuts agency reliance with IRIS Recruitment Services

How Chesterfield College overcame FE recruitment challenges

Chesterfield College, a further and higher education institution in Derbyshire, faced major recruitment challenges driven by pay stagnation, high staff turnover, and strong competition for specialist talent. To modernise its hiring process and reduce dependence on agencies, the college partnered with IRIS Software Group, using IRIS Recruitment Services for applicant tracking and recruitment campaigns.

IRIS Software Group helped Chesterfield College move from paper-based hiring to a fully digital recruitment process, adding onboarding, vacancy authorisation, job board integrations, and right-to-work checks. The college now recruits around 180 roles a year through IRIS Recruitment Services, has improved the candidate experience, and reduced agency reliance and costs, with some agencies charging up to 30% finder’s fees.

Chesterfield College

Craig Acaster

Craig Acaster