5 Signs Your Workforce Needs a Train to Deploy Strategy

BLOGBy Rullion on 21 July 2025

Discover five signs your organisation needs a Train to Deploy strategy and learn more about Hire Train Deploy models.

You need a Train to Deploy Strategy when you find yourself:

  1. Rehiring the same roles repeatedly
  2. Staring down a retirement cliff
  3. Watching time-to-hire stall delivery
  4. Falling behind on diversity and social value
  5. Working with out of sync training providers

Train to Deploy, often referred to as a Hire Train Deploy or a Recruit Train Deploy model, is a workforce transformation solution where a provider designs, delivers, and deploys role-specific training up front, helping you plug skills gaps, onboard faster, and build work-ready teams from day one. This is typically done by bringing in transferable talent from adjacent sectors, reskilling deployed contractors, or hiring and training new external candidates aligned with your business goals.

Most organisations don’t always realise when they’re ready for a Train to Deploy (TTD) strategy. The signs build gradually. Recruitment pressures intensify quietly. Talent pools shrink. Skills gaps start to feel permanent. And the tools that once worked – your job boards, agencies, and graduate deployment schemes – no longer deliver the talent or speed you need.

If any of this feels familiar, you're not without options. A Train to Deploy strategy can help you rebuild confidence in your workforce plan, expand your reach, and reduce the hidden costs of reactive hiring. It’s one of the most effective ways to evolve your talent pipeline strategy to build scalable, work-ready teams.

Here are five signs that now might be the right time to make the shift.

 

1. You’re Rehiring the Same Roles Repeatedly

When roles start to become revolving doors, it’s often a sign that the problem isn’t just recruitment; it’s readiness. High turnover in key positions can point to poor role fit, lack of structured development, or unclear progression pathways. It burns through recruitment budgets, disrupts project continuity, and stalls long-term growth.

TTD flips the traditional model on its head. Instead of waiting for the “right” person to appear, you develop the capabilities you need within the people you hire or redeploy from day one. Rullion’s match-to-train approach directly addresses the root cause by designing role-specific training and onboarding ahead of deployment, ensuring the people coming into your organisation are better equipped, aligned, and more likely to stay. You’re building the talent you need, sustainably.

 

2. You’re Staring Down a Retirement Cliff 

In critical infrastructure sectors, retirements are accelerating. In the UK energy and utilities sectors alone, 37% of the workforce will retire by 2030 – that’s around 168,400 vacancies that will need to be filled. And with them, decades of knowledge are walking out the door. 

Our train and deploy solution bridges that gap before it opens. We help you upskill successors, build structured handovers, and onboard people who can shadow, learn, and grow into critical roles. We make sure that expertise isn’t lost. It’s transferred, evolved, and retained.

 

3. You’re Watching Time-to-Hire Stall Delivery

Every week you wait for a hire to land is a week your teams aren’t delivering. In project-based environments, those delays cascade into missed milestones, overstretched teams, and lost momentum.

A Hire Train Deploy strategy eliminates that lag. With custom training and onboarding ahead of deployment, candidates arrive equipped with the technical and behavioural readiness to contribute from day one. That upfront investment in preparation pays dividends in retention, and not just in performance. When new hires feel supported, skilled, and set up to succeed, they’re far more likely to stay.

 

4. You’re Falling Behind on Your Diversity and Social Value Goals

Most organisations have diversity targets and social value commitments, but traditional hiring often reaches the same narrow pools in the same ways.

Rullion’s Train to Deploy solution is built around inclusion without limits. If someone shows the right mindset, behaviours, and potential, we build the skillset, regardless of their background or circumstance. We don’t tick boxes or run generic ED&I programmes. We focus on opening doors to those with potential and create genuinely inclusive talent pipelines that reflect the communities you serve.

 

5. Your Training Providers Feel Out of Sync 

As your organisation adapts to new technologies, delivery models, and regulatory changes, you need learning partners that can evolve just as fast. But many traditional training providers are slow to respond. Courses feel outdated, generic, or disconnected from the realities your teams face day-to-day. This disconnect leads to wasted investment, delayed impact, and talent that still isn’t ready for the job.

If your current provision feels out of sync, Rullion’s Train to Deploy strategy gives you control. You co-design the training journey to reflect your systems, tools, and standards, and we manage delivery, acting as the conduit between you and the training providers. We help embed learning into your operating model, whether through bespoke external programmes or scaling your own internal training. Making sure your people are learning what matters and applying it from day one.

 

Recognising the Signs

Every workforce challenge is an opportunity to rethink the way things have always been done. If any of these signs sound familiar, it may be time to reassess your approach. A Train to Deploy strategy offers a more proactive path, helping you build the skills, teams, and resilience you need to grow. Shift from reactive hiring to long-term capability building. And get ahead of change before talent gaps hold you back.

Helping you get work done

Visit our Train to Deploy solution page to see how a Train to Deploy strategy could work for your organisation or book a discovery call with one of our consultants.

Share

Unlock your full potential.

Tell us what's holding you back, and we'll design a solution specifically for you

More like this

NEWS
Rullion receives 'Highly Commended' at the 2025 APSCo OutSource Awards for Excellence

Rullion receives 'Highly Commended' at the 2025 APSCo OutSource Awards for Excellence

This recognition reflects the strength of our Managed Service Programme (MSP) delivery and our long-standing partnerships with clients such as E.ON, Siemens and Northumbrian Water. These are complex, regulated environments where trust, compliance and responsiveness are critical – and where our recruitment outsourcing solutions are making a measurable difference. Why the APSCo Awards Matter APSCo’s OutSource Awards for Excellence are highly respected in the staffing industry, celebrating organisations that deliver innovative, compliant and scalable workforce solutions. Recognition from APSCo highlights the value of strategic MSP services in a market where organisations face skills shortages, tighter regulation and growing reliance on contingent workforces to keep operations running. Lindsay Harrison, Chief Customer Officer at Rullion, said: “Judges recognised Rullion for its ability to deliver recruitment outsourcing programmes that combine scale, compliance, and exceptional service. With a 90% client retention rate and partnerships spanning decades, Rullion has proven its ability to build long-term trust with organisations across critical infrastructure.” We’re grateful to APSCo and the judging panel for this recognition and extend our congratulations to the winners. We’re proud to be part of a community that celebrates excellence in recruitment outsourcing. What the Judges Said Lindsay Harrison, Chief Customer Officer at Rullion, said: In their announcement, APSCo shared: “Judges recognised Rullion for its ability to deliver recruitment outsourcing programmes that combine scale, compliance, and exceptional service. With a 90% client retention rate and partnerships spanning decades, Rullion has proven its ability to build long-term trust with organisations across critical infrastructure.” They also praised our NPS of 93, innovative direct sourcing strategies, and ability to manage complex transitions without disruption. Clients consistently describe Rullion as a true extension of their teams. A Proven MSP Model Our Managed Service Programme is built to handle the challenges of contingent workforce management at scale. Whether it’s sourcing highly skilled engineers for the energy sector, managing compliance for regulated utility environments, or ensuring rapid deployment of contractors across infrastructure projects, our MSP model gives clients the confidence that every aspect of workforce delivery is covered. We’ve invested in direct sourcing to improve quality, reduce time-to-hire and deliver cost savings. At E.ON, for example, we achieved 100% direct hires, cut time-to-hire by 15%, and improved interview-to-offer conversion rates by 25%. People-First, Insight-Led Delivery Our success isn’t only about processes and metrics. It comes from a people-first approach that prioritises partnership, communication and cultural alignment. We know that managing a contingent workforce is not just about filling vacancies, it’s about creating a seamless experience for hiring managers, contractors and stakeholders. We support this with an insight-led model that measures five key areas: compliance, cost savings, operational excellence, innovation, and social value. This allows us to track impact and continuously improve our MSP delivery. Alongside business results, we embed ESG principles into our programmes, from inclusive recruitment practices to supporting local supply chains and delivering social value in the communities we serve. Looking Ahead The demand for agile and resilient workforce models is only increasing. Organisations across energy, utilities, and infrastructure face rising pressure to balance compliance with innovation while securing scarce skills. As an MSP service provider, we’re committed to helping clients adapt, scale effectively, and unlock long-term value from their contingent workforce. Winning this recognition at the APSCo OutSource Awards highlights the ongoing commitment of our teams to deliver MSP solutions that make a measurable difference for clients. For us, this commendation is about more than a single programme. It reflects the day-to-day commitment of our people to deliver people-first, insight-led MSP solutions that evolve with our clients' needs.

By Rullion on 19 September 2025

NEWS
Delivering Proven Screening Success at Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C

Delivering Proven Screening Success at Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C

Rullion has been a trusted candidate background screening provider since 2014, playing a vital role in supporting major UK nuclear infrastructure projects, including Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C. Working across multiple delivery partners and project phases, we’ve helped embed consistent, compliant, and candidate-friendly screening at scale. With over 8,000 candidates screened annually and clearance times reduced to an average of just 7.5 days, our model continues to support project momentum and onboarding efficiency - while maintaining the highest standards of compliance and governance. The Challenge To keep momentum on projects of this scale, pre-employment screening must be robust, accurate, and fast. Every individual working on site requires BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard) clearance before work can begin. With multiple stakeholders, evolving regulatory requirements, and high volumes of candidates, the background screening process can be complex to manage, even with established systems in place. Our clients needed a nuclear screening provider who could bring clarity, consistency, and pace to an already demanding environment. What project teams need: Timely and accurate delivery of BPSS clearance and related vetting checks A positive, well-supported candidate experience Screening support delivered direct to projects like Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, and across Tier 1 contractors and their supply chains Real-time visibility, control, and governance in screening processes Tier 1 contractors are the principal delivery partners on major projects such as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C. Supporting them means enabling their workforces and suppliers to clear vetting efficiently, reducing risk of onboarding delays. A Proven Screening Model for Nuclear Environments Our nuclear screening model has evolved over years of delivery, working across early careers, agency-supplied workers, and permanent hires. The service model is grounded in best practice, with compliance and candidate experience at its core. Our solution is built on five key pillars: 1. Speed with Precision We consistently reduce average BPSS clearance times from 30-40 days to fewer than 8 days, using: A dedicated screening portal with automated timelines Electronic document collection via DocuSign One-to-one support from trained candidate advisors “We’re consistently achieving clearances in 7–8 days - and in urgent cases, we’ve turned around checks in just 24 hours,” says Jayne Lee, Head of Screening. 2. BPSS and Beyond We manage all core BPSS clearance elements: Right to work (RTW) Identity and address verification Criminal record checks (DBS) Three to five years referencing We also support CTC and SC clearance preparation where needed, compiling candidate packs ready for formal review. 3. Human-Led Candidate Experience Every candidate is assigned a named advisor who supports them through the screening journey; they answer questions, collect documents, and maintain engagement from start to finish. “We know how to reach the right contact for a reference. Our proactive approach keeps things moving,” adds Jayne. 4. Real-Time Governance Our clients benefit from full transparency throughout: Live dashboards and candidate status tracking SLA-based monitoring and escalation Monthly reporting and governance in screening audits 5. Scalable Across Supply Chains Our solution is used not only by project leads but by Tier 1 contractors across both Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C. The model scales to support different business units and workforce types including; contractors, agency workers, and permanent staff Impact to Date Over 8,000 candidates screened annually 75% reduction in average screening times +69 Net Promoter Score (NPS) from screened candidates BPSS compliance embedded with live audit capability Fully digital, mobile-friendly experience Adopted by Tier 1s across the project supply chain A Benchmark for Nuclear Screening Rullion’s screening model is now a recognised example of best practice in regulated environments, supporting complex infrastructure programmes where delays and drop-offs can have significant impact. We continue to support project teams across Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, delivering the confidence and control they need to move quickly and compliantly. If you’d like to explore how our model could support your screening processes, get in touch with our team. Curious about common pitfalls? Read our guide on pre-employment screening mistakes.

By Rullion on 18 September 2025