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Written by - Courtney Roye
Shaping The Future of 1st Step: Introducing...
1st Step Solutions are delighted to announce Tony Clayden will be joining the 1st Step Group as a Regional Director on the 1st October. Tony will be part of the Basildon team and lead the line in business development; bringing with him a wealth of industry knowledge to boost and expand the newly reformed London & South East Trades & Technical Team. Tony has also been invited to join our main board. Tony has 23 years of Construction Recruitment experience under his belt, specialising in Contract and Permanent recruitment for both Trades and Technical roles within the Construction, Civil Engineering and Building Services sectors. Tony comes highly recommended by a number of key blue-chip companies, providing the highest level of service on a national basis. During this unprecedented time, we can assure our clients – both current and future – that 1st Step is committed to providing a leading service and the addition of Tony to the business will strengthen our service levels. Welcome to the team, Tony!
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Written by - Courtney Roye
World Suicide Prevention Day 2020
10th September marks World Suicide Prevention Day; A day in which organisations around the world can get together and raise awareness about suicide and how we can all work to prevent it. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), close to 800,000 people die globally from suicide every year; equating to one person every 40 seconds. Furthermore, for each suicide, there are more than 20 suicide attempts. In the UK, every week 125 people take their own lives; 6,500 deaths every year. In 2020, a day like this is even more vital. Throughout this global pandemic, people all over the world have been affected emotionally by both the uncertainty of the virus and through unemployment, confirmed and potential. In the UK alone, the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits has more than doubled since March, when the crisis began. The number of employees on UK payrolls fell by 730,000 from March to July, the largest fall in decades, average earnings fell, and the average number of hours fell by a record amount. It has also been recorded that 1.2m people have been placed on furlough. It can’t be forgotten that those essential workers who have continued to work throughout this pandemic may have also experienced difficulties working through such a stressful time, taking on more work which may be out of their remit due to the lower staff numbers following redundancies and furlough. The WSPD 2020 falls just days after The Office of National Statistics released distressing figures that the suicide rate for men has reached its highest figure for two decades. This equates to 75% of Suicide Deaths being accountable by Men. Following on from this, the rate of Suicide in Construction workers is more than three times the national average for men. Now is the time to check on your friends, colleagues, and family members. To be there for whoever needs it. If you are worried about someone, there are many ways that you can help and make a difference. Samaritans has a guide on the signs that someone may not be ok, and how and when to help. (https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/if-youre-worried-about-someone-else/how-support-someone-youre-worried-about/) If you, yourself, are struggling to cope, there is nothing wrong with asking for help. The stigma surrounding mental health needs to be removed, and this starts with us all opening the lines of communication with each other. It is recorded that 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England. There are a number of external organisations out there that are dedicated to helping those in need and at 1st Step, we are also available for anyone, even if it is just for a little chat. It’s time to #TalkSuicide and #SmashTheStigma. Samaritans: 116 123 (24 hours a day, 365 days a year) CALM: 0800 58 58 58 (5pm – Midnight, 356 days per year) Mind: 0300 123 3393 (9am – 6pm, Monday – Friday) Construction Industry Helpline: 0345 605 1956 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
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Written by - Courtney Roye
National Apprenticeship Week 2020
This year is the 13th annual National Apprenticeship Week, taking place from 3rd to 9th February 2020 and we are proud to be supporting this again. National Apprenticeship Week is an annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships across England and is a time to recognise and applaud apprenticeship success. The apprenticeship programmes at 1st Step are organised and monitored by our HR Department and are in partnership with Recruitment Juice. Apprenticeships offer people of all ages and backgrounds a high-quality route to skilled employment with the option to train at every level in a range of exciting professions. Over the years, we have encouraged apprenticeship schemes to our staff in which we have had success, this leading to company development and progression. Apprenticeships are a great way to expand knowledge and understanding of how to further your career. For those who do not wish to take the apprentice route, we also provide support with additional recruitment coaching and training. Back in 2012, Sean Kelly completed his apprenticeship within 9 months. Sean joined 1st Step as an Apprentice Resourcer, and following completion of his apprenticeship, he has worked hard over the last 8 years developing one of our most successful desks, being promoted to Business Manager at the end of 2018. This month, Hayley Laurance, of the London & South East Trades team, will be completing her NVQ Level 3 apprenticeship in Recruitment Practice. This has now given her the opportunity to build her client relationships and fully understand the recruitment industry. Lee Lewis in the South West Trades team will also be completing his NVQ Level 3 in Recruitment Practice this month. Since beginning his apprenticeship, he has gained an understanding of what needs to be done to maximise his sales opportunities, resulting in an increased client base. Nicole Waymont, of the London & South East Trades team, is in the process of her NVQ Level 3 in Recruitment, to which she is looking to complete in May 2020. During this process, she has gained the confidence and experience to be able to take on the role of junior account management, both in the office and out on site.
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Written by - Samantha Boreham
The 1st Step Group
We are pleased to announce that within the past two weeks, 1st Step Solutions Ltd has completed a deal to purchase On-Site London, making them part of the 1st Step Group. Like 1st Step Solutions Ltd, On-Site London supply M&E candidates to construction sites across London and the South East. They have the added speciality with providing airside passed candidates for Heathrow & Gatwick, which is not something all agencies can attain to! The process of applying for an airport authorised signatory is not an easy task but we can now proudly announce that in the past week On-Site London has successfully gained another 12 months. Our Chairman Simon Cowdrey said “The On-Site London team are established with longevity in employment, led by their Director, Neil Saunders, whom I’ve known personally for 30 years. The acquisition of On-Site London is a great addition to the 1st Step Group, now consisting of 1st Step Solutions Ltd, 1st Step Resourcing Inc. and Wells-Brooks Associates.” He also added, “this is a very exciting time for the group, with grossing our accumulative turnover to 50M, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank our accountant Kris Havard - Wells Associates, lawyer Nick Gabay - Thomson Snell & Passmore, and the previous owner Darren Burnett in facilitating this deal.” Neil Saunders, Group Business Development Director statement: “The team at On-Site London are excited at the new challenges ahead. We are confident that with the joint experience and knowledge of the industry of both On-Site London and 1st Step, that both our clients and candidates will reap the benefits. On-Site London specialise in the supply of M&E and Construction blue-collar trades in London and the Home Counties. We are also authorised signatories for both Gatwick and Heathrow Airport. The team at On-Site London has over 30 years of experience collectively in the industry.” Les Fillery, Managing Director/Finance Director statement: “1st Step Solutions Ltd are delighted with the acquisition of On-Site London and excited to welcome the team onboard. As with any business, diversification and expansion is necessary for growth and with this partnership, we can offer different areas of experience within our market. The On-Site London team add to our extensive knowledge on supplying M&E trades and labour and in particular, at both Heathrow and Gatwick Airport as airside signatories. We, in turn, will be able to offer their clients and candidates the benefits of our LUL, Rail and technical divisions.” Lara Cameron-Wells, Managing Director statement: "Since Wells-Brooks Associates joined forces with the 1st Step Group, we have had the opportunity to expand our presence on a global basis to include, UAE, Europe, and the USA. Wells-Brooks specialise in the recruitment and training of Doctors and Nurses, with training academies in 12 countries, including London and Manchester. We are perfectly placed to address the ongoing shortage of suitably qualified candidates for the NHS and private sector. Our strong pipeline of GMC /IMC registered Doctors graduating PLAB 2, and our Nurses graduating CBT, IELTs/OET means we can uniquely present candidates from all specialities ready for relocation to the UK. We offer a full recruitment service including support from our inhouse immigration and compliance team, this includes a 12-week aftercare service for both candidates and clients which ensures confidence in our commitment to developing long term relationships." Nana Boss, Vice President statement: “1st Step Resourcing Inc. is located in New York, a thriving place for construction with some iconic structures, all of which we can acclaim to having provided white-collar and permanent placement staff for. We are specialists in the provision of operatives for Exterior, MEP, Ground Up, Heavy Construction and General Contracting sectors. We also operate on the East Coast of the USA and currently working towards the Mid-Atlantic USA. As a division, we have over 20 years of industry knowledge as a team.”
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Written by - Samantha Boreham
Australian Fires
Over the past 6 weeks, the Australian bush fires have destroyed wildlife habitats, residential homes and towns. It has been labelled by the Australian fire authorities as the worst in the state's history. The fires burn alongside the Eastern and Southern coast, which is where most of the population lives. This includes areas around Sydney and Adelaide. As of 8th January 2020, there have been more than 200 fires which have sadly claimed 28 human lives, numerous amounts of people missing, killed 8,000 Koalas and affected almost half a billion animals along with other estimates of animals such as bats, amphibians and invertebrates to have now put the number killed at over a billion, which have left some species on the verge of extinction. If you wish to donate, here are a few charities to consider. Any donations will help support all those in need during this dreadful time. General https://www.redcross.org.au/campaigns/disaster-relief-and-recovery-donate https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/donate/make-a-donation/donate-online/?appeal=disasterappeal https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nsw/vinnies-nsw-bushfire-appeal-nsw Wildlife https://www.facebook.com/donate/1386120504919105/10158318179549750/ Fire Service (NSW Rural) https://quickweb.westpac.com.au/OnlinePaymentServlet?cd_community=NSWRFS&cd_currency=AUD&cd_supplie
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Written by - Samantha Boreham
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
We would like to wish all our clients, candidates and suppliers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for all your continued support throughout 2019. We look forward to another amazing year with you in 2020!!
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Written by - Samantha Boreham
Christmas Opening Hours & Timesheet Deadlines
Here are our Christmas opening hours and timesheet deadlines. In order to deal with the Bank holidays, our payroll department will only have limited time to process the entire payroll for these weeks. We would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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Written by - Samantha Boreham
Christmas Party 2019
Experience Days generously donated a £50 voucher to spend on one of there experiences. Check out their website to view all they have to offer. www.experiencedays.co.uk Wednesday 4th December 2019 was our annual Christmas Party where we hosted a raffle with some amazing prizes. It was a great night had by all and we are very proud to announce that £810 was raised for 'Live Life To The Max' in aid of Cancer Research. Special thanks for all the donations from the companies above, without your generous donations we wouldn't have been able to raise such a great amount of money for the charity that means so much to us as a business.
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Written by - Samantha Boreham
Goodbye Stuart Wallis
On Friday 29th November we will be sadly saying goodbye to our HR Director Stuart Wallis, as he starts a new venture. Stuart started with 1st Step in February 2016 and has recently achieved the position of HR Director. Stuart has had a huge positive impact within the business with both clients and internal staff; as well as assisting with opening a new successful office in Slough, he also contributed in achieving authorised signatory for several major UK airports. Stuart has been instrumental in standardising all HR procedures within 1st Step. Our Owner & Chairman Simon Cowdrey said, “I have personally known Stuart for over 20 years and he has had a very constructive impact within the business and been a big part of the 1st Step family, it’s been a pleasure working with him over the past 3½ years. His work has been outstanding and provided a great deal of added value across 1st Step. Although I am sad to see him go, he leaves with my blessing and on good terms as the position he has been offered is an opportunity he can’t refuse. He has been an incredible support to me and the company and I would like to express my gratitude and wish him all the very best. I Look forward to crossing paths again in the near future.
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Written by - Stuart Wallis
Celebrating a 1st Step culture of diversity
At 1st Step, we are proud of our record in employing people based on their ability to do their job and for promoting a diverse workforce. Our latest statistics back up our efforts! Looking at our entire workforce of 50 employees, 60.4% of 1st Step employees are women, some of whom are now 40% of our senior team - almost treble what it was just 4 years ago. In terms of ethnic diversity, employees from a BAME ethnicity now represent 35.4% of our workforce. We believe that our ongoing growth and success is based on our ambition to have people working for us who have the ability to succeed, alongside having a workforce that is as diverse as the communities it represents. It's good to #bea1ststepper
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