How FindStaff Recruitment is Leading ATCNB into the Future of Trade Education

Australian Trade College North Brisbane (ATCNB), part of the IntoWork Group, is positioning itself at the forefront of vocational education—bridging the gap between schooling and industry to meet the needs of Australia’s modern workforce. To support this ambition, ATCNB required exceptional leadership that could champion innovation, strengthen industry alignment and drive educational transformation.

To achieve this, ATCNB partnered with its sister company, FindStaff, leveraging specialist executive recruitment expertise to secure a leader capable of shaping the college’s future.

FindStaff took an executive search-led approach, prioritising long-term fit over short-term placement. Central to the process was FindStaff Executive Search Specialist Andrew Kilgour, who worked closely with ATCNB to define not just the role, but the impact the successful candidate needed to make.

The search resulted in the appointment of Steven Smythe, who joined ATCNB in September 2025. Steven brought an unconventional yet highly relevant background—spanning music education, business ownership, Registered Training Organisation (RTO) leadership and the development of large-scale STEM facilities.

FindStaff enhanced the recruitment process with Forsee People Technology psychometric testing, providing a deeper understanding of Steven’s leadership style, work preferences and development opportunities. This ensured a holistic evaluation beyond qualifications and experience, and laid the foundation for ongoing professional development.

Critically, FindStaff’s candidate-first engagement played a key role in securing the appointment. Steven described the recruitment experience as markedly different from previous agencies, highlighting the genuine focus on mutual fit rather than transactional placement.

This case study demonstrates how strategic recruitment can be a catalyst for organisational transformation. By partnering with FindStaff, ATCNB secured more than an Assistant Principal—it gained a visionary leader equipped to shape the future of trade education.

The success of this placement highlights FindStaff’s strengths in executive search, psychometric assessment and values-based matching, ensuring long-term outcomes for both candidate and organisation.

With further expansion planned, the partnership between ATCNB and FindStaff is set to continue—supporting the growth of skilled, industry-ready graduates and innovative educational leadership well into the future.