Education recruitment group secures investment to complete double acquisition

A South Yorkshire education recruitment business is set to complete a duo of acquisitions after securing investment.

Operam Education Group was founded in 2017 by resourcing specialists Eddie Austin and Andrew Frome. The firm completed its first acquisition in the same year, buying Provide Education, an education recruitment agency operating across three branches and a head office in Barnsley.

Operam will now use the newly secured funding from BGF and HSBC to complete the acquisition of Teachers UK and The Education Specialists.

The Education Specialists was founded in 2002 and operates from two branches in Liverpool and Manchester. Teachers UK is a specialist education recruitment agency based in Mansfield that supplies teachers, lecturers and support staff to academies, schools, colleges and nurseries across the region.

Andy McRae, a former of MD of Hays and formerly CEO of Red Commerce, will join the business as non-executive chair.

Eddie Austin, CEO of Operam, said: “We’re delighted to welcome The Education Specialists and Teachers UK to the Operam Group. Both are highly regarded industry specialists and will help us to broaden our reach and continue to provide high quality candidates to more schools in the regions.

“Our vision for Operam is to drive growth both organically and via acquisition and build a group of real scale over the next three years. I’m excited to enter this next stage of growth with BGF and HSBC’s backing.”

Barry Jackson, who led the deal on behalf of BGF, added: “Eddie and Andrew are well-respected specialists with over 50 years’ experience in education recruitment. They have developed a strong pipeline of acquisition targets and have ambitious plans for organic growth in the coming years, and we’re delighted to be partnering with them at this exciting stage of their development.”

Scott Christian, relationship director for HSBC UK, South Yorkshire & Humber, added: “It’s an exciting time for Operam Education Group, with these latest acquisitions adding valuable expertise to this rapidly expanding business.

“In a short space of time, Operam has demonstrated its in-depth knowledge of the education sector, identifying great opportunities and making bold steps into new markets. We’re delighted to support the group as it continues to grow.”

Dow Schofield Watts advised Operam on the fundraising and acquisitions. The investment was led for BGF by Barry Jackson, Rob Johnson and Richard Taylor.

The advisors to the transaction were BGF: Gordons (legals); Operam: Dow Schofield Watts (corporate finance and due diligence); Ward Hadaway, Keebles and Marriott Harrison (legals)

HSBC: Pinsent Masons (legals); The Education Specialist: Hill Dickinson (legals) and Teachers UK: Wright Hassell (legals).

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