Premier Placement Services continues to grow with the appointment of three new staff.
Highly experienced recruiters Russell Lunn and Melanie Harvey have taken the roles of senior driving consultant and senior commercial/office consultant, while apprentice Abbie Sutton joins the team from Newcastle College.
Our offices in Newcastle and Crewe, serve employers and jobseekers within the driving, office, technical, industrial and skilled sectors.
Born and bred in Staffordshire and a former Clayton High School student, Melanie has 14 years of experience in recruitment and has worked with clients Atos, Siemens and the NHS.
She said: “I had around 150 staff out with a number of clients at my previous company and this role at Premier Placement Services really appealed to me as I get to work with a range of different clients.
“Living in Newcastle means the office is on my doorstep. It’s been a really positive experience here as everyone has made me feel very welcome and there are lots of opportunities for training.
“Working in a local company rather than a national one was a change, but a nice one as our clients are always impressed with our service. I’ve already got a full diary of clients to see in January and there are some really good roles available in this area for people who are willing to work.”
Fellow Clayton High School student Abbie Sutton, aged 16, will be working towards her Level 1 Diploma at Newcastle College while at Premier Placement Services.
She said: “I was studying accountancy but found I didn’t really enjoy it and when I saw this position and I thought it looked interesting.
“There is a lot to learn but it’s not been too complicated and everyone has made me feel welcome.
“My main role is to offer office support, helping to run the reception area, answer the phone, meet clients and candidates as they come in and carry out administrative tasks like helping with timesheets and updating client data.
“I enjoy helping on reception as I like meeting and talking to people, and hopefully I can progress here and save up to buy my own car.”
Russell Lunn has spent the last five years in recruitment and the previous 20 years in senior roles as a transport and logistics manager for companies including TKMaxx, Gist, Flowgas and Rowlinson Garden Products.
“I was aware of Premier Placement Services as I’d worked for two other agencies in Stoke so they were our competitors,” he said, “and they have been around a long time.
“It’s a challenging role recruiting drivers, HGV drivers in particular, as there is a national shortage as many drivers have retired and we’re not doing enough training in the UK.
“To get someone from zero experience to HGV driver costs around £2,000-£2,500 and no one is funding that. Driving itself is a stressful job and the roads are overcrowded now so i’m very appreciative of what they do.
“We have now doubled the number of drivers since I began, and because there is such a shortage of drivers it’s easy for me to find them work once I find the right person.
“We are a JAUPT approved Driver CPC training centre which helps, as it means we can offer the driver training required to be legally compliant. We can also offer training in other essential workplace skills like level 2 food and hygiene certificates, manual handling and health and safety.
“It’s my job to match the person to the role and criteria the client needs. Our drivers are fully compliant and understand transport legislation, and as a result I keep our clients happy as I make sure I get the right drivers for the right company.”
The appointments follow the successful opening of our office in Crewe last year which marked an expansion into Cheshire, as we’re already well established in Staffordshire having also celebrated 20 years in business.
Our Managing Director Jonathan Harper said the new appointments were essential to the continued growth of the business.
He said: “We’re delighted to welcome Russell, Melanie and Abbie to our team.
“In the case of Russell and Melanie, they have years of experience in the industry which is invaluable to us as we continue to invest in and grow the business.
“It’s been a successful year for us as we’ve continued to build on our Crewe office which is going from strength to strength.
“We’ve always been about more than simply filling a vacancy which is why we’ve been in business more than 20 years, and it’s that personal touch and attention to detail which keeps clients coming to us.”
Anyone looking for employment can find out more about the jobs available with Premier Placement Services on our online job search which is updated daily. Employers can also use the website to make a staffing request or by calling 01782 717007 (Newcastle) / 01270 444900 (Crewe).