The 8th March 2024 marks International Women’s Day. A significant occasion dedicated to honouring the accomplishment of women worldwide. For over a century, International Women’s Day has been observed, with its roots tracing back to 1911 generating support from millions around the globe. Today it stands as a platform for advocacy.  

About International Women’s Day

This year the theme is #inspireinclusion. When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world. When women themselves are inspired to be included, there is a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. 

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, Advance TRS takes immense pride in recognising the incredible contributions and achievements of the remarkable women who play a vital role in shaping our success. We understand the importance of creating an inclusive and diverse workplace where every individual feels valued and empowered.  

Women of Advance TRS completing Pretty Muddy in 2023

The Women of Advance TRS

Louise Oldham has been with the business for nearly 8 years. Within her role as Client Services Delivery Manager at Advance TRS, Lousie not only oversees a team of dedicated professionals but also develops the client service decision to deliver service-level agreements for select MSP and PRO clients. Louise has a proven track record in the sector and understands the importance of building strong candidate and client networks.  Notably, she stands out as the most successful female sales consultant in the business, underscoring her exceptional dedication and outstanding performance. Additionally, Louise has been a proud representative woman both within our company and the industry at large, through her participation in events like the Women in Rail awards and representing Alstom at Railtex.  

Since joining in 2016, Ella Gilbody has demonstrated exceptional growth within the company, now serving as the Marketing & Development Director. As one of two female directors on the business’s Management Board, she plays a crucial role in steering the growth and strategic direction of Advance TRS. Ella’s proactive “can do” attitude consistently delivers innovative and inspiring ideas to enhance our service for both clients and candidates. Her contributions have been pivotal in securing numerous awards for Advance TRS.  

We are proud to also spotlight the incredible contributions of our young female employees. These Women are just starting out their professional careers with us. Their enthusiasm, determination, and fresh perspectives drive our company forward and we are committed to nurturing their talents and empowering their growth.  

group photo of the Advance TRS girls at the Christmas party

“I encourage and support the growth of women within my work by understanding that we all have different needs to thrive, whether that’s within my team in a sales environment in supporting candidates securing their dream roles. I feel it is so important to enhance and celebrate each other strengths”.

Maia Devonshire – Recruitment Resourcer

“The communication with Hannah was very good and open”

Candidate Feedback

Join Us!  

Join us in creating a workplace where every voice is heard, every perspective is respected, and every opportunity is accessible. Check out our Work for Us page now.   

Are you ready to take your recruiting career to the next level? Look no further. Advance TRS is currently seeking talented individuals like you to join our dynamic team of established recruiters. If you’re passionate about technical recruitment and thrive in a collaborative environment, we want to hear from you!  

Advance TRS is a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly skilled technical professionals. We provide permanent, contract, and temporary recruitment solutions to both candidates and clients across several key technical sectors: Rail, Water, Environment, Construction, Infrastructure, Energy, Renewables, and Highways.    

We are currently based over three offices:  

Guildford  

Our head office is located just outside the busy market town of Guildford, Surrey. We recently celebrated our first anniversary of our new office Wonersh House – a milestone that marks a year of growth, collaboration, and innovation. Our office provides the perfect setting for our team to come together and share ideas.  

London 

Our newest addition to the family is our state-of-the-art London office, located right in the heart of the city. Situated in a prime location with panoramic views of the themes and the bustling cityscape, our modern office is more than just a workplace. With modern conveniences, flexible workspaces, and a vibrant atmosphere, we provide the ideal environment for you to thrive and excel in your career.   

Portsmouth  

Nestled in the Marina of Port Solent, our office offers a stunning double-fronted view of the harbor, providing a picturesque backdrop for our south coast team. It is more than just a place to work it offers nearby shopping, entertainment, and recreational activities for all to enjoy.  

About Advance TRS

Joining Advance TRS is not just a career move; it’s a strategic decision to align yourself with a powerhouse in the recruitment industry. With an unparalleled reputation and extensive Preferred Supplier List coverage, we stand at the forefront of talent acquisition, particularly in the dynamic and vital infrastructure market.  

As a consultant, you’ll have the opportunity to leverage our strong industry standing, unlocking doors to an expansive network of top-tier clients and projects. We take pride in being the go-to recruitment partner for major players in infrastructure, ensuring that you’ll be at the heart of ground-breaking developments and transformative projects.  

Moreover, our commitment to excellence is reflected in the calibre of our leadership team – seasoned and well-respected individuals in infrastructure recruitment. Working alongside these industry luminaries provides not just mentorship but a unique chance to shape and lead a desk, contributing to the continued success and growth of Advance TRS. 

At Advance TRS, we understand the value of empowering consultants to chart their course and shape their legacy. You’ll find an environment that fosters innovation, autonomy, and the support needed to excel. Joining our team means not only tapping into a wealth of industry knowledge but also being part of a culture that recognises and rewards leadership.  

Benefits

If you are seeking a fresh opportunity to elevate your career, lead a desk, and make a significant impact, Advance TRS is the place to be. Come be a key player in our success story, where your expertise is not just valued but instrumental in shaping the future of infrastructure recruitment. 

We are passionate about creating a vibrant and supportive community both inside and outside the office walls. Whether it’s team building activities or charity events there is plenty of opportunities to connect and thrive as part of our team.  Joining Advance TRS not only comes with a competitive salary but also includes access to a fantastic benefit package  

  • Quarterly conferences – where our team gathers to celebrate success, share updates, team build and socialise.  
  • Bonus structure, vouchers, lunch clubs, and seasonal incentives  
  • Heightened employee match pension scheme  
  • Premium health insurance  
  • Heightened maternity & paternity leave 
  • Long service awards  
  • Perk box – access to 4,000 perks and discounts worldwide, employees can access a wide range of deals and discounts from the biggest brands 

Join us

To learn more about these exciting opportunities and how you can become part of our team, visit our Work for Us page.  

Advance TRS is a proud member of the SME Climate Hub, a global initiative that empowers small to medium sized companies to take climate action and build more resilient businesses. Through the SME Climate Hub, we commit to lowering our impact on the environment through authentic action, halving our emissions by 2030. In making the commitment, we have joined the United Nations Race to Zero campaign.

At Advance TRS Ltd., we are dedicated to making a positive impact on the environment and are committed to taking meaningful actions to address climate change. Our commitment is grounded in a set of specific goals and milestones that reflect our dedication to sustainability. By adhering to the following targets, we strive to contribute to a more sustainable future:

SME Climate Hub Membership: We have joined the SME Climate Hub, a global initiative that aligns small and medium-sized enterprises with the goals of the Paris Agreement. By doing so, we commit to actively participate in collaborative efforts to mitigate climate change and foster sustainable practices within our operations.

Signed the Climate Pledge by December 2024: By December 2024, Advance TRS Ltd. commits to signing the Climate Pledge, signaling our commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions and actively working towards a sustainable and resilient future. This pledge reinforces our dedication to environmental stewardship and aligns us with global efforts to combat climate change.

Set Science-Based Targets by December 2024: We recognize the importance of sciencebased targets in driving meaningful change. By December 2024, Advance TRS Ltd. will establish and communicate science-based targets, ensuring that our emissions reduction goals are in line with what is necessary to limit global temperature rise and contribute to a low-carbon economy.

Archived ISO14001 Certification by December 2025: Environmental management is a cornerstone of our sustainability efforts. By December 2025, we commit to achieving and maintaining ISO14001 certification, demonstrating our commitment to systematically managing our environmental impact and continuously improving our environmental performance.

Achieved Carbon Neutral Status by December 2027: We understand the urgency of addressing climate change, and by December 2027, we aspire to achieve Carbon Neutral Status. Through a combination of emissions reduction measures and offsetting initiatives, we aim to balance our carbon footprint, contributing to the global effort to stabilize and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

As members of the Supply Chain Sustainability School, we are working through online learning resources surrounding various sustainability, offsite, BIM, lean and management topics relevant to the built environment to further our company and staff knowledge. Our team are able to gain CPD points by attending training workshops, networking events or completing e-learning modules.

Find out more about our memberships, professional accreditations and certifications or our commitment to delivering our service responsibly.

Embarking on a job search is often an unnerving experience, but choosing to collaborate with a specialist recruitment company can play a pivotal role in shaping your career trajectory, particularly for those in technical fields. 

From industry insights to personalised support, Advance TRS is committed to elevating your job search experience. In this blog, we’ll explore how a tailored approach can make all the difference when it comes to unlocking new opportunities and realising your professional aspirations.  

Industry expertise and market intelligence

Our team of expert consultants draw on decades of sector experience and market insight to help people find the right roles for them. From project awards and company culture to planned works and emerging trends, our comprehensive understanding of the built environment ensures we administer personalised advice to support your long-term professional development. Our goal is not only to help you find your next role, but to empower you.

Personalised career guidance

We recognise that no two people are the same. Each has their own unique set of values, goals and aspirations. This could be advancing within their current role, transitioning to a new specialism, exploring opportunities for career growth or finding an employer whose culture aligns with their personal ethos.

Over the years, we have developed a personalised approach to career guidance. We’ll take the time to understand your needs. Then we will place you in environments where you are destined to thrive.

Non-transactional relationships

At our core, we believe in building meaningful and enduring relationships. Beyond simply matching candidates with job opportunities, we are committed to ensuring long-term career success.

Your dedicated recruitment specialist will serve as a trusted advisor, offering ongoing support, mentorship and professional development opportunities to help you succeed in your chosen field. In turn, you will gain access to valuable networks and resources to expedite your career progression.

Time-efficient solutions

Searching for a new job can be a time-consuming and overwhelming process. By partnering with Advance TRS, you can streamline your job search and save valuable time and effort. Our comprehensive recruitment solutions will support you at every step. From sourcing opportunities and tailoring your CV to coordinating the interview process and navigating negotiations and counteroffers, we’re here to alleviate you of any stress.

Better negotiation process

When it comes to negotiating job offers, having a skilled advocate on your side can make all the difference. Our team of recruitment specialists offer expert negotiation support. We’ll act in your best interests and ensure that you secure competitive compensation packages aligned with your skills, experience and market value. From salary negotiations to additional benefits and perks, we’ll  work tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcome for you.

Specialist support from Advance TRS

At Advance TRS, our complementary candidate care package supports technical professionals at every stage of the hiring journey and beyond. Drawing on our unrivalled industry expertise and experience, we have successfully placed thousands of individuals with national and global leaders.

To find out how we can help you to attain your career goals, contact us today. Submit your CV on our website and one of our consultants will be in touch.

In the heartbeat of any successful organisation lies its company’s culture and values. Our company values form at the core of our approach. We wholeheartedly believe in these principles and embody them in our interactions with both colleagues and those we support. Leveraging our specialised industry knowledge, we excel in building relationships founded on the principles of quality, integrity, loyalty, honesty, and commitment.  

Quality

Our team is dedicated to delivering excellence every time. Our customers’ success is the goal – it’s the ultimate reward. We are proud to adhere to ethical standards, ensuring the highest level of integrity in all tasks.

“Perfect experience with a professional consultant”

Candidate feedback

Integrity

We deliver what we promise and only promise what we know we can deliver, without fail. This helps us to build and maintain trusted relationships with clients, colleagues, and stakeholders.

Loyalty

We nurture long-lasting relationships founded on trust and collaboration. We’re ambassadors for all our candidates, clients, and colleagues. We demonstrate loyalty to the team by actively contributing to a collaborative and supportive work environment. We invest in personal and professional development to contribute effectively to the company’s growth.

Honesty

We’re upfront and realistic about what we can do. If there is something, we don’t know it is an opportunity to get better and expand knowledge. This demonstrated authentic behavior, aligning with stated values.

Commitment

We are committed to being the best we can be. In order to achieve this, we put the customer at the centre of everything that we do. We strive to go beyond expectations and go the extra mile to get the job done.

“Stuart always goes the extra mile and I have never had a better agent.”

Candidate feedback

Delivering premium recruitment solutions is not easy, however, as a successful consultant, the rewards can be huge. Driven, Hard Working, Focused, Ambitious, Optimistic, Self-motivated, Persistent, Caring, Fun, and Committed are some of the qualities we look for when expanding our team. Whether it is roles for business services or sales, these attributes remain constant. These personal qualities together with our core values lay the foundations of the distinctive Advance DNA we look for in every recruit. 

Join Us

If you are driven, ambitious, and passionate about making a difference we want you! Explore exciting opportunities with us and become part of the Advance TRS family. 

Today, the Advance TRS Group celebrates a pivotal milestone. In a move that expands our service portfolio, we proudly announce the launch of CITILINE Limited, specialist Telecommunications and M&E recruitment consultancy.

Under the visionary leadership of Ben Shayegan, former Head of Telecoms and M&E at Advance TRS, CITILINE is set to revolutionise the ever-evolving industry landscape with unrivalled expertise, insight, and a network of highly skilled technical professionals. It is the product of ten years’ experience, passion, and a dedication to delivering the very highest quality service for the UK’s built environment.

A decade of dedication

Ben joined Advance TRS as a Trainee Recruitment Consultant in 2014. With an impressive understanding of the UK’s technical sectors and incredible ability to build strong, trustworthy relationships, he quickly ascended through the ranks. His decorated career showcases an unwavering commitment to go beyond. It is this which has driven the establishment of CITILINE.

Of the launch, Advance TRS’ Managing Director, Andy Ridout said:

‘I have worked with Ben for the last decade, serving as his mentor during the very early days of his career and then a friend. I feel an immense sense of pride surrounding this achievement. CITILINE is an invaluable addition to the Advance TRS Group. It will have such a positive impact on the industry. I have every faith in Ben’s leadership, and I am thrilled to see what the future holds.’

Part of the Advance TRS Group

CITILINE and its customers will benefit from the Group’s established processes with the added energy and agility of a newly emerging SME. This means guaranteed assurance for new and existing clients, candidates, and contractors from day one.

‘I am incredibly excited to move on to this next chapter and introduce CITILINE to my extensive network. This venture would not be possible without them,’ said Ben. ‘Thank you to all who I have had the opportunity to work with over the last ten years. I very much look forward to continuing our relationship and the many more successful years ahead.’

Follow Ben and CITILINE on LinkedIn to keep abreast of services, news and industry insight.

Katie embarked on her journey at Advance TRS half a decade ago, over the course of these five years, she has ascended the professional ladder with remarkable achievements. Demonstrating exceptional dedication Katie is now Head of Compliance and Administration.

Katie is a highly valued and key team member of our Business Services team, based at our head office in Guildford. Her exceptional skills and unwavering commitment underpin the success of her team. In her role, Katie is responsible for all contractor onboarding, registration packs, starters/finishers, contracts, contract extensions, umbrella companies, and supply chains. 

“Katie’s support and encouragement helps us achieve our goals and targets. Her compassion and drive create a warm and welcoming environment in the team”

Charlotte Tunstall – Compliance Coordinator

Our Employee Engagement Coordinator, Emilie asked Katie about some of her favorite moments from the last 5 years.

What do you enjoy about Advance TRS?

“One thing I really like about Advance TRS is the ability to make your career what you want, you get out of it what you put in. There are multiple opportunities for progression with support from the Directors to help you achieve your goals. Being part of a team with such supportive individuals has not only helped my career development but also contributed to my personal growth”.

What is your favorite memory/time at Advance TRS?

I don’t have one specific memory, but I would say that a lot of the social incentives and summer parties holds such good memories for me. Participating in celebrations for the company’s achievements such as reaching the Millionaires Club, the Advance 10-year anniversary, hitting team targets, incentives, and the lively summer party are always the best. It is always fun getting to spend time with the team and letting your hair down. Being part of a company where my colleagues aren’t just coworkers but also friends make these moments truly special.  

What is the best thing about being a manager?

The best thing about being a manager is being able to help my team with their successes. Having a team that is dedicated and committed to their roles and being able to help them realise and achieve their goals is so rewarding. 

Join us

Over the years we have consistently achieved year-on-year growth. At the core of our success is the creation of a business culture that wholeheartedly embraces and reflects the unique characters and personalities within our team. Central to this is our exceptional training program that ensures individuals at all levels receive the appropriate amount of support.  

We are constantly looking to grow. View our Work for Us page to dive deeper into who we are and what we are about.

At Advance TRS we are excited to kickstart the year with our wellness initiatives, to combat the fallout of ‘Blue January’. This is designed to encourage our employees to prioritise their mental and physical health, fostering a positive and supportive work culture.  

‘Blue January’, also known as the ‘January Blues,’ is a term used to describe the post-holiday period when people may experience a dip in mood and motivation. At Advance TRS, we view this as an opportunity to proactively support and encourage our team to set themselves up for a positive start to the year.  

Our wellness program has always been at the center of our employee experience and is the driving force behind our promoted initiatives in Blue January. These initiatives focus on helping our team to strengthen their efforts to prioritize mental health, stress management, and work-life balance.    

Why wellness matters to us.  

We recognise the significance of a workplace where mental and physical health is not just encouraged but prioritised. A positive culture around wellness empowers individuals, enhances productivity, and provides a positive workplace. 

What we do at Advance TRS 

Mental Health Awareness Week  

Every year, we use Mental Health Awareness Week as a powerful platform to raise awareness and educate. At Advance TRS, we take proactive steps to support our team’s well-being with the presence of two dedicated Mental Health first-aiders. They serve as a go-to resource for anyone within our organisation seeking advice, guidance, or simply a listening ear. Their training ensures that they can provide valuable insights, direct individuals to additional support, and create a safe space for open conversations. This commitment reflects our ongoing efforts to prioritise mental health and create a supportive environment for everyone at Advance TRS.  

Wellness Hour  

Each week, we offer staff the opportunity to embrace their wellness hour – a dedicated time to either conclude their workday an hour earlier or commence it an hour later to encourage activities that contribute positively to their mental health.  

By empowering our team to use this hour for personal well-being activities, we help them to prioritise self-care and recognise the impact it can have on overall mental health. This aligns with our commitment to a healthier work-life balance supporting a culture that values and supports the well-being of each team member.  

Available Support. 

Our Wellbeing Hub offers impartial and confident support via a 24-hour counseling helpline, with access to debt legal and child/dependent care advisors the opportunity to have a “Live Chat” with a counselor as well as a wealth of practical tips, help sheets, and stimulating reading.   

Join us  

Ready to be part of a team that values your wellbeing as much as you? Join Advance TRS where your journey is not just about building a career but nurturing a balanced life. Visit our Work for Us Page to explore the current opportunities open to you.  

As we move into the new year it is a perfect time to hit the reset button and focus on what matters both personally and professionally. Setting goals not only gives us a roadmap for the year ahead but also provides motivation.  

The recruitment industry is forever evolving. Next year provides you with the perfect opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to the changing dynamics.

Benefits of setting personal and professional goals for well-being

Promotes a healthy work-life balance.

This approach encourages you to prioritize aspects of life beyond professional achievements, striking this balance is crucial for overall wellbeing and helps prevent burnout.

Enhance emotional well-being.

Working towards and achieving personal goals provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment. This contributes to improved emotional well-being, reducing feelings of dissatisfaction. Achieving the set personal goals can lead to a more fulfilled and positive outlook.

Clarity and Focus

Setting personal goals provides clarity about what truly matters to us in life, it helps us identify our values and aspirations. This clarity helps to enhance job satisfaction and reduce stress, whereas having professional goals ensures that your efforts are focused on tasks that align with your career aspirations.

Motivation and drive

Pursuing personal goals creates a sense of motivation. As you make progress and achieve milestones, the sense of accomplishment fuels your drive to continue working towards it. Similarly accomplishing tasks and achieving career milestones enhances job satisfaction and provides a basis for ongoing success.

Personal growth

Goals push you to step outside your comfort zone promoting personal growth. As you strive to achieve new things, you learn, adapt, and develop valuable skills.

Increased happiness

Accomplishing goals, experiencing progress, and living in alignment with your values contribute to a more positive outlook on life, leading to increased happiness.

As the recruitment industry undergoes continuous evolution, the coming year presents a prime opportunity to not only adapt but to lead the change.

Join us.

At Advance TRS we understand the significance of leading the way in the ever-evolving recruitment landscape. As we step into the new year, we invite you to be part of our journey characterised by innovation, growth, and success. Join us at Advance TRS as we embark on a year of possibilities and opportunities. Your journey to success starts here.

Visit our Work For Us page here

As 2023 comes to an end, it is a great chance to reflect on some of the amazing achievements that took place this year.

New Office

We started the year off big by bidding farewell to our old Guildford office and embracing the exciting change of moving to Wonersh House. This new space has been tailored to meet our specifications providing an ideal setting for our expanding head office team. The new office serves as a base for our company conferences and plays a key role in cultivating a family feel atmosphere within our workplace.

As we close the chapter on our first year in the new offices, the excitement for what lies ahead is evident. Our office is not just a destination it’s a launchpad for innovation, growth, and continued success in the dynamic world of recruitment.

Conferences

To foster a close company culture, we have quarterly conferences that unite our three offices.

This year our Kick Off Conference in April was held in the Guildford office, featuring a dynamic team event “The Airship Challenge”, employees were grouped into small teams encouraging collaboration among colleagues who don’t typically cross paths. This event showed great teamwork, setting a vibrant tone for the year ahead.

In the summer, we visited our London office, where we took the opportunity to recognize the outstanding achievements of our team members, acknowledging their valuable contributions to the company’s growth and success.

In October, we celebrated our halfway conference, and our London and South Coast teams joined remotely via Teams. This was a great opportunity to celebrate the successes of Quarter 2, share updates, and get an insight into what was in store for Quarter 3.

New Starters 2023

In alignment with our ongoing commitment to strategic expansion. We are pleased to announce the addition of 11 new members of staff this year. We saw new team members joining various departments across the company.   

In our business services team, we are pleased to introduce: Emilie Bass – Employee Engagement Coordinator, Olivia Close – Marketing Executive, Emilia Perrin – Compliance Coordinator, Charlotte Tunstall – Compliance Coordinator and Esta Stollard-Taylor – Payroll Supervisor.

To Our Guildford-based team Rail team, we welcomed Lily Kaye – Recruitment Resourcer, George More – Recruitment Resourcer, and Jo Tancrel – Sales Support Administrator. ­­

In London, we saw Sissy and Shontal join the rail and infrastructure team. In South Coast, Ariadna joined the water and infrastructure team.

Charity Fundraising

After an extraordinary year of charity events, it gives us great joy to reveal that we have raised a staggering £18,855 for charitable causes.

Three Peaks by Rail

To start our year of amazing fundraising events, Louise, Jake, Sam, and Tom overcame a challenging 48 hours, demonstrating incredible determination and teamwork to complete the 3 mountain hikes.

“It was by far the hardest challenge, nothing but steep steps up and in 30 degrees heat, it was hard work”.

Jake about Scafell Pike

They raised an amazing £4,000 for Railway Children, who support vulnerable children who live on the streets.

Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid 2023

In September we hosted our annual golf day at Celtic Manor in support of Rail Aid. The day was a great success, with an outstanding £14,000 raised. When combined with previous totals from the two previous events. We are thrilled to announce a total of £57,395 raised by this trilogy of Golf Day events.

The day kicked off with a briefing, followed by 18 holes of golf In the sunny weather. After all the golf excitement, attendees gathered for a three-course dinner, and a talk from our guest speaker, Billy Foster. The celebrations continued with the golf awards, prize giving, and a charity auction.

SME Surrey Business Awards

This November we are delighted to announce we were awarded silver in the category of Business of the Year (less than 50 employees). This award is a testament to the hard work of each team member here at Advance TRS.

Join us.

As we continue to grow, we’re on the lookout for passionate individuals to join our dynamic team. Ready to embark on a rewarding journey with us? Explore our current job openings and discover how you can be a part of our success story.

In a night filled with anticipation and excitement. Advance TRS proudly accepted the silver award for Business of the Year (Less than 50 Employees). This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovation that defines our company. It was an exceptional evening celebrating the achievements alongside fellow nominees. 

In 12 years, Advance TRS has grown from a vision to a successful story of continued growth and commitment to excellence. Our path is defined by fostering a workplace culture centered on values such as quality, integrity, loyalty, honesty, and commitment. We have achieved our growth and success by having a consultative approach with our clients and building relationships based on trust and respect.  

Picture of Advance TRS with our award

At Advance TRS, we are always on the lookout for individuals who align with our values to join our dynamic team. Our consultants undergo comprehensive training, and bring extensive expertise to the table, excelling in the management of both contract workers and permanent recruitment solutions.

We offer enticing companywide incentives to attract and retain top-tier talent. Our staff benefits and rewards package includes uncapped commission, pension scheme, and life assurance. Our sales team enjoys numerous opportunities to earn additional bonuses. Whereas our Business Services department offers various avenues for rewarding the consistent hard work of its members.  

Additionally, we provide access to perks and discounts through Perk Box, offering an array of advantages such as free coffee and discounts at both high street and online shops and restaurants. Celebrating success is the foundation of our culture. We host company-wide activities and celebratory drinks to mark the achievements of targets and milestones. Check out our Work For Us page.

The Results

Congratulations to everyone involved, you can view the full list of winners here 

Join Us

Do you aspire to be part of a team that highly values its employees, placing them at the core of everything we do? Check out what job opportunities are open to you here.  

Check out our 2023 Charity Recap blog here

As 2023 draws a close, it provides us with an invaluable opportunity to reflect on the outstanding charitable events undertaken by our employees, aimed at raising funds for noble causes for organizations like Railway Children, Cancer Research, and MacMillan

At Advance TRS, our Founder and Managing Director, Andy Ridout has consistently provided support and motivation to the team, urging them to embrace personal challenges, step out of their comfort zones, and contribute to charitable causes by raising funds. This year saw our team participate in 6 charity events.

Three Peaks by Rail

In 2023 the first charity event our employees participated in was the Three Peaks by Rail. On the 15th June, the Advance team of Louise, Tom, Jake, and Sam embarked on an enduring 3-day mountain challenge. This tested various physical and mental; attributes including endurance, mental resilience, and physical fitness.

Our commitment to supporting Railway Children has been longstanding. This organization is dedicated to aiding vulnerable children living on the streets. Through our efforts, we were able to raise an impressive £4,000 for this cause.  

Pretty Muddy Challenge

In June, the women of the Guildford office participated in the “Pretty Muddy Challenge” to demonstrate their unwavering support for Cancer Research.

This event served as a significant platform to showcase their dedication and determination to effect positive change in the lives of cancer patients and their families. Upon the finish line, they not only commemorated their individual achievements but also acknowledged the collective impact of their efforts.  Our collective fundraising efforts resulted in an impressive donation of £600 to support Cancer Research.

Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid

In September we had the return of our annual Golf Day for Rail Aid. This year’s golf day was at Celtic Manor. The event boosted participation from a total of 18 fourballs.

With outstanding prizes to win, complemented by a wide selection of amazing experiences in our auction. We raised a magnificent £14,000 for a great cause. Added to the previous year’s totals, we are immensely proud to announce that Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid has now raised a total of £57,395 benefiting underprivileged children in the UK, Africa, and India.

Pictures of our charity events

Macmillan Coffee Morning

In October we held a coffee morning in support of Macmillan Cancer Support. This event saw a bake-off competition come to the Guildford office, with Lily taking home star baker for her exceptional blondies. This was a great opportunity to have some run and raise some money for Macmillan.

Business Fives

This November the Advance TRS team represented by the boys, has joined the 5-a-side football competition organized by Business Fives. The participation is not just about scoring goals, it is about making a meaningful impact.

They are proud to be supporting the Little Roo Neonatal Fund, a charity that holds a special place in our managing director Andy’s heart and is dedicated to providing crucial support to the Neonatal care unit at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey.

Their dedication has been shown through having raised an incredible £220 for this noble cause.

Still to come this year…

Christmas Jumper Day

To conclude an extraordinary year of charity events, we are wrapping it up with a festive touch. Christmas Jumper Day. On December 14th, our entire team across all offices will be wearing their most cheerful Christmas jumpers, all in support of the wonderful cause of Save the Children.

This year we take immense pride in our remarkable contribution to numerous charitable causes, making a significant impact by raising a staggering sum of £18,855 Our dedication has left an indelible mark on the lives of those in need.

Join the team

Are you eager to be part of a business that not only thrives on success but also believes in giving back it its community? Then check out our Work for Us page now.

We are delighted to announce 3 new members to our team this month. As our business continues to expand, we recognize the crucial importance of parallel workforce development to uphold the highest standard of service delivery.

Please Welcome:

Olivia Close – Marketing Executive

Shontal Cohen – Senior Recruitment Consultant

Emilia Perrin – Compliance Coordinator

Olivia joined our Guildford team at the start of the month as our Marketing Executive. Olivia will be focused on the candidate journey, driving marketing strategy to attract, convert, and retain candidate leads. Part of Olivia’s remit will include job board management, quality control best practices, and content creation aimed at the candidate audience. Olivia has 5 years of experience working in a variety of marketing roles.

When asked what excites her about joining Advance TRS,

“From when I came in for my interview, I immediately noticed the amazing work culture they have here, from being someone that worked from home in my previous job this really excited me”.

The wonderful Shontal has joined our London office as a Senior Recruitment Consultant. Shontal mostly recruits in the Admin, Document control, office secretary/office manager type roles specifically in the Rail Infrastructure market to start. With over 10 years of experience in the recruitment industry, Shontal is a great addition to the team.

When asking her what excites her about the job

“The variety in the work that I do, this means that not one day is the same”.

Lastly, Emilia is the latest member to join our Guildford team as a Compliance Coordinator. Emilia is responsible for booking training, D&A, and medicals, sending out PPE, and chasing compliant documents for all our rail workers. Emilia has just completed her A-levels in Economics, Business, and Geography.

When asked what made her choose Advance TRS,

“As someone who has just finished my A-levels, I saw the development of growth this company offers, and the job allows me to explore different potential career paths and gain new knowledge on an area I am unsure about”.

“Straight away meeting Millie I knew she would be a great fit for Advance, she is such an engaging person and is keen to get involved. I am excited to have Millie on the team”.

Katie Walker – Compliance & Administration Manager

Join Advance TRS

Are you seeking a new opportunity to advance your career with an established growing business? We provide quality recruitment solutions in the built environment and engineering markets; we are always looking for new talent to join our team.

We’re pleased to share that Advance TRS’s very own Mick Schruyers and Josh Hill have been nominated at the RailStaff Awards 2023. 

A relentless pursuit of success for our clients and candidates over the last twelve months has earnt them a total of six nominations (and counting) in this year’s Recruitment and Talent Acquisition Person of the Year category. With commendations from Babcock and VolkerRail representatives among many others, it’s an extraordinary recognition of their commitment to the industry.  

The RailStaff Awards celebrate the achievements of the very best rail veterans, from drivers to cleaners, engineers to station attendants. Bringing together some of the largest and most renowned suppliers, providers and organisations, it’s a night of recognition and of paying thanks to those who deliver the UK’s railway.  

Unlike others of its kind, the RailStaff Awards let the public have their say. The finalists for each category are whittled down by a vote. So, if you want your opinion to count, this is your chance. Vote here

One thing’s for sure: it’s going to be a nail-biting finale for Team Advance TRS. 

Mick Schruyers, Rail Business Development and Infrastructure Director 

Mick has recently celebrated his sixth anniversary with Advance TRS. During his time with the business, he has served as Rail Infrastructure Director and Business Development Director. Renowned for his collaborative approach, Mick has nurtured close relationships with clients including Babcock. 

“Mick is the consummate professional within the rail recruitment industry, helpful, knowledgeable, quick to react and always has time for you.” 

Ashley Gierth

“I am exceptionally proud of the time, work and dedication that has been invested into our client relationships. I am even more grateful that so many of our clients have gone out of their way to nominate me for this award. It’s a real privilege.” – Mick Schruyers 

Vote for Mick! 

Josh Hill, Principal Consultant 

Josh joined Advance TRS as a Recruitment Consultant in January 2016. Now a Principal Consultant, he leads our Civils and PWays team, drawing on years of practical experience managing country-wide recruitment. 

“Josh listens to the requirements of the business. Takes time to build relationships with the clients to ensure that not only do the personnel who they forward to the business have the correct skill set, but they also are a good fit for the team.”  

Peter Blakeley

Of his nomination, Josh said “I’m very flattered to have been recognised at the RailStaff Awards alongside Mick and some other brilliant recruiters. For the last four years, my focus has been on developing Advance TRS’ strengths in Pways and Civils so that we can deliver even better results for the sector. I’m incredibly proud of everything we have achieved.” 

Vote for Josh! 

Who will come out on top? 

The RailStaff Awards are adjudicated by a panel of industry-leading figures. Judges include the Chair of IOSH Railway Group, Chairwoman of Young Rail Professionals and the Chief People Officer of Transport for London.  

With a proven track record in delivering outstanding results for our customers, we are confident that Mick and Josh both stand a good chance of bringing home gold. If you’d like to help them on their way, you can vote for Mick here, and Josh here

The RailStaff Awards will take place on Thursday 30th November at the NEC, Birmingham. We wish all the nominees the very best of luck.  

If you would like support in elevating your recruitment strategy, contact us today. Our award-winning team are here to help. 

Awards season continues to tilt in our favour as Advance TRS is announced as finalist in two categories at the British Recruitment Awards.

We’re delighted to have been shortlisted in two awards in the Agency Recruitment Team of the Year (<50 Employees) and Engineering Recruitment Agency of the Year categories.

This spectacular news comes after a series of nominations at the SME Surrey Business Awards.

Agency Recruitment Team of the Year (<50 Employees)

Our first-class team is made up of highly skilled, driven people. From our industry-expert recruiters to our exceptional business services colleagues, we are united by a dedication to helping people and organisations thrive. We’ve spent the last 12 years cultivating a culture which celebrates success and promotes wellbeing. It’s this approach which ensures our colleagues continue to deliver the very best results for our customers – and this nomination is testament to just that.

Engineering Recruitment Agency of the Year

Our team is strengthened by a number of industry veterans, whose first-hand experience and sector knowledge propels our customers’ individual goals. As supplier to the UK’s leading engineering organisations, we have access to the most up-to-date trends – and our clients trust that we know what’s best for them.

Good luck to all involved

The British Recruitment Awards are adjudicated by some of the most prestigious figures in the UK market. This year saw a 40% increase in the number of organisations nominated, making our nomination news even more of a privilege.

Congratulations to our brilliant team, whose unparalleled commitment, expertise and passion are to thank for this incredible achievement.

The awards ceremony will take place on 8th November. Until then, we’re keeping everything crossed.

Are you looking to elevate your recruitment strategy? Contact us today to see how we can support your business.

Awards season is off to a good start for Advance TRS after receiving two nominations at the Surrey SME Business Awards.

We’re back and (we would argue) better than ever, thanks to the hard work of our first-class team. Last time Advance TRS attended the SME Surrey Business Awards, we took home gold for High Growth and as Overall Winner. This year, our achievements are being recognised in the Business of the Year (Less than 50 Employees) and Employer of the Year categories.

The awards celebrate the very best businesses in the county and are a veritable endorsement of success. The judges look for organisations who “show outstanding initiative, boldness and imagination” – and we think we that summarises Advance TRS quite nicely.

Investing in our people, for your people

As specialists in the provision of top talent, we recognise that diverse, motivated and empowered staff are the key to success. As such, we value and invest in our people — after all, without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Our employee package strives to set the standard for workplace health and well-being, not just within the county but on a national scale. In the last year, we’ve gone above and beyond our statutory obligations to deliver uplifted benefits for our team. This approach ensures we form the strongest relationships, perform the best we possibly can, and deliver high quality results for our candidates and clients time and time again.

An outstanding achievement

Of the nomination, Founder and Managing Director, Andy Ridout said:

“These awards nominations are testament to the incredible work that the Advance TRS team are doing — for our customers and to making the UK’s built environment more diverse and inclusive than ever before. I am exceptionally proud of them and the milestones that we’ve reached in the last twelve months and can’t wait to celebrate alongside Surrey’s finest in November!”

May the best business win

Congratulations to our brilliant team, whose unwavering dedication has delivered the greatest possible results for our customers and the business.

The SME Surrey Business Awards will take place on 22nd November at Epsom Downs Racecourse.

The very best of luck to all involved. You can view a list of finalist here.

If you think you’d benefit from our expertise, why not get in touch? We’d love to hear from you.

The annual Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid returned to Celtic Manor in Wales on Tuesday 5th September.

Unlike the weather we have experienced all summer, the golfers enjoyed a delightful 30-degree sunny weather while competing for the charity. There were 18 fourballs in total, all sent out in buggies for a shotgun start at 11:00 Prizes to be won involved competitions such as Longest Drive, Beat the Pro, nearest to the pin, Driving range competition individual Stableford, and the winning Four-Ball.

The course

The Montgomerie course – A dramatic par 69 challenge designed by Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie. Offering a spectacular par 69 challenge, the legendary Colin Montgomerie has called on all his Ryder Cup experience to create a course with many exciting tests of strategy.

The Evening – Speakers & Rewards

After a fantastic day of golf, everyone enjoyed a 3-course dinner, a talk from Jack from Railway Children. Jack enlightened the room with a talk about how the money helps the charity, whilst sharing some emotional stories, emphasising the need to donate and support this cause. Finally joined by guest speaker Billy Foster. Billy is one of the most recognised caddies in the world, having been on the bag for the likes of Westwood, Steve Ballesteros, Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke, and even Tiger Woods.  The Yorkshireman has seen many of the players he’s caddied win titles but, up until this point, he has never experienced major glory.

Results

Longest Drive – Martin Headly

Nearest to the pin – Frank Cardona

Driving Range – Martin Headly

Individual Stableford – William Gates (41 points)

Winning Four-Ball – Atkins (Adrian Charlton, Nick Ansell, Steve Owens and Trian Bootle)

With outstanding prizes to win, complemented by a wide selection of amazing experiences in our auction. We raised a magnificent £14,000 for a great cause in Rail Aid. Added to the previous year’s totals, we are delighted that the Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid has now raised a total of £57,395 for Children In need across the UK, Africa, and India.

Thank you

We would like to thank our sponsors who have made this feat possible not only this year but for the last 3 years. Thank you to MACE Dragados for joining us as a partner sponsor for all three years and to our competition sponsors, Gleeds, Atkins, and Turner & Townsend.

Thank you to our hole sponsors; Clipfine, Clemtech, Amey, Protech, BAM Nuttall, and to our prize and merchandise sponsors; Mick Schruyers, Neil Webber, Liquid Friday, Willie Mitchell, Kingsbridge, Brookson, Warren Jones, Coombes, Global Rail, Sam & Ella Gilbody, Chris Spurdle, Sean Clarke, Rob Love and Chix Shah.

Finally, thank you to Mark Thurston and Dave Ellis, without your support and energy to get this event up and running, we could never have achieved what we have.

Railway Children

Railway Children has been fighting for children alone and at risk on the street for over 25 years. During this time, they have reached more than 275,000 children in India, the UK, and East Africa.

Children run away or are forced to leave home, where they suffer poverty, violence, and neglect. They find themselves living on the streets because there is nowhere else to, and no one left to turn to. The problems they face on the streets are often even worse than those they endured at home. Every day they fight to change their story.

Rail Aid is a major fundraising initiative in support of Railway Children, the Rail industry’s charity. It was launched in direct response to the Covid-19 outbreak, which has made our work with vulnerable young people even more vital.

Advance TRS founder, Andy Ridout and a few other members of our team have completed numerous challenges such as climbing Mt Everest and Kilimanjaro, Ride Vietnam Challenge, Three Peaks By Rail 2023. These are just some of the amazing challenges we have done to raise funds for Railway Children.

Supporting charities is a core element of life at Advance TRS, Since its establishment, our staff has raised over £85,000 for charities including Railway Children and Action for Children. Taking on personal challenges and fundraising activities to advance others has been a core founding principle and staff ­­­are encouraged to support charitable causes.

Advance TRS are always looking for more people to join the team, Find out more about our latest vacancies.

On Sunday 22nd June, the women of the Guildford office participated in the pretty muddy challenge to show their support for Cancer Research.

The Pretty Muddy Challenge is an exhilarating fundraising event that takes participants through a fun and muddy obstacle course. The funds raised from this event go towards crucial treatment and support services for cancer patients and their families.

As the girls navigated through the muddy course, they encountered many obstacles that demanded teamwork, courage, and perseverance. Crawling through mud pits, and splashing through water obstacles was all part of the exciting adventure. Their determination was evident in every muddy stride they took. Throughout the challenges, the girls supported each other, motivated one another, and demonstrate the power of unity. As they crossed the finish line together, they not only celebrated their personal accomplishments but also the collective impact of their efforts.

collage of the Advace TRS girls taking on the Pretty Muddy challenge

Support

The pretty muddy challenge provided a platform for these exceptional girls to showcase their spirit and commitment to making a positive change in the lives of cancer patients and their families. Their determination, teamwork, and resilience are shining examples of how small acts can lead to significant transformations. Please help the girls reach their final fundraising goal of £600, to remember the importance of supporting initiatives like this that bring hope to those affected by cancer.

About us

Advance TRS has a strong history of taking on challenges and hosting events to raise money for Cancer Research and support. In June last year, Advance TRS complete the longest day golf challenge in support of Macmillan, and upcoming this September we are hosting a Macmillan coffee morning. Find out more about how we support other charities here.

Advance TRS is always looking for more people to join the team, find out more about our latest vacancies.

In July, we hosted our yearly summer conference at the Northern and Shell building where our London office is situated.

The event was a resounding success, bringing together our talented team members from various offices including Guildford and Port Solent for a day of celebration. During the conference, we took the opportunity to recognize the outstanding achievements of our team members. Acknowledging their valuable contributions to the company’s growth and success.

The event served as a platform for fostering connections among colleagues from different departments locations and teams, reinforcing our commitment to building a strong, cohesive team that leverages the strengths of everyone.

Team London office conference photo

We currently have three offices in London, Guildford, and Port Solent. As a company, we constantly seek opportunities to grow and enhance our teams by bringing in fresh and talented individuals. If you want to be part of a thriving and forward-thinking company, join our team now and explore your current option.

A huge congratulations to Louise, Tom, Jake, and Sam, who have successfully completed the Three Peaks by Rail challenge, and what a journey it has been!

The Three Peaks by Rail challenge is an exhilarating adventure that combines the physical feat of climbing three mountains: Snowdon (1085 meters), Scarfell Pike (978 meters), and Ben Nevis (1345 meters). Their goal was not only to conquer the peaks but also to raise funds and awareness for a deserving charity. Railway Children, dedicated to supporting vulnerable children.

Louise, Tom, Jake, and Sam overcame a challenging 48 hours, demonstrating incredible determination and teamwork. The team dedicated several weeks to preparing themselves from walking up Pen y Fan, to making sure they had all the equipment needed (however last minute, Tom) and of course, getting the extra steps in on the golf course! All this preparation helped them get ready to take on their challenge.

The Challenge

On the 15th of June, the team arrived at Crewe, joining the train to travel to the first mountain, the highest peak in Wales, Snowdon. The team successfully completed the challenging task of climbing the 1,085 meters in complete darkness, with adrenaline flowing.

“This was the most enjoyable mountain,” said Louise, “as you could see a trail of head torches when you looked down the mountain as well as the enjoyment of scrambling their way back in the dark!”

Once Snowdon was completed the team re-joined the train to travel back into England to face Scarfell Pike.

On the journey, the team took the opportunity to attempt to sleep with little success. Scarfell Pike posed a unique additional challenge of a 4-mile walk from the station to the mountain before the 8-hour window to climb and descend the 978-meter mountain began.

“It was by far the hardest challenge, nothing but steep steps all the way up and, in 30 degrees heat it was hard graft – especially as they make us walk 2 hours to the bottom of the mountain from the train!”

Once the first 2 mountains were successfully completed. The team then moved on to their final challenge of Ben Nevis. The last mountain presented them with their ultimate test of climbing 1,345 meters.

Once completed they were greeted with the sound of the bagpipes as they reached the bottom of the mountain which proved an overall overwhelming experience for the whole team! Even with tired and aching bodies the team pulled through and completed the challenge, well done everyone!

We would like to thank anyone who donated to reach our end goal of £4,000. However, the challenge continues with another remaining £467 to raise for Railway Children. The team has already raised an incredible £3,553 for the children’s charity.

Show your support for their incredible effort and help them complete their final hurdle of reaching their ultimate fundraising goal.

The Team’s Final Statistics

Snowdon

Total time: 4hrs 15 mins

Scafell Pike

Total Time: 4hrs 38 mins

Ben Nevis

Total Time: 7hrs 10 mins

Railway Children

Advance TRS has been a long supporter and partner of Railway Children and the Rail Aid campaign. Railway children work to support vulnerable children who live on the streets. The organisation aims to provide protection, support, and opportunities for these children. Our staff has taken part in multiple challenges to support this charity already such as a Vietnam ride, A trek up Kilimanjaro, an Everest base camp as well as a previous Three Peaks by Rail challenge.

Find out more about how Railway Children help children in need.

The girls of Advance TRS are taking on this latest challenge, in support of cancer research and race for life, where they will push their limits and conquer a 5K obstacle course in the mud, showing that even though cancer plays dirty, so do we!

On the 23rd of July, catch our team as they embark on the challenge of completing the muddy obstacle course at Stoke Park in Guildford. The course presents them with various obstacles, starting with the A frame, the primary goal is to manoeuvre across the A frame without falling into the mud pit below them. However, this is just the beginning as the girl’s progress further into the course, they are challenged to scramble on their belly in the “Go commando” task.

The next obstacle the girls will encounter is the spiders’ web, putting to test their flexibility. Following the spiders’ web they face the tunnel crawl, a narrow passage where they must crawl on their hands and knees, displaying their physical strengths. After emerging from the tunnel, the girls are greeted with a series of exhilarating obstacles. After all this endurance the end is in sight and the girls will finally head down the mudslide into the final pool of mud.

Our team of runners will climb, crawl, and slide their way to help beat cancer. Fundraising can make a huge difference, we are aiming to raise £600 for taking part in this challenge, please do support our team in reaching their fundraising goal. Taking on this challenge will help support cancer research programmes and provide support for patients as well as their families.

Meet the Race for Life Team:

The team taking on the Race for Life challenge is: Katie Walker, Carolyn Kaye, Eira Burnett, Lauren Hawkins, Chloe Moore, Farina Dahiya, Leanne Soul, Louise Oldham, Michelle Shepherd, and Lily Kaye.

Our employee engagement coordinator, Emilie sat down with some of the team to understand their perspective and expectations of the event.

 “What do you most look forward to with this event?”

“I love an obstacle course it is a good laugh! It means a lot to help raise money for this charity as it will help so many new people, who get a diagnosis every day” Lauren Hawkins – Health and safety manager.

“Why was Cancer research chosen?”

“Being able to raise money for Cancer Research is a privilege. To help fund vital research so that hopefully fewer lives are lost and loved ones stay safe is what it is all about” Katie Walker – Compliance and admin manager.

“Why do you want to participate in this Race for Life event?”

“I have been running for many years and done numerous events but haven’t done much in the last year and a half due to injury’s so when asked to participate in this challenge, there certainly was an element of doubt but I haven’t done a muddy event and didn’t want to let the Advance girls down, so I was in ! it’s all for a great cause and will be fun on the day” Chloe Moore – Accounts manager

We wish our incredible girls the best of luck in their upcoming race and thank the rest of the business for their fundraising efforts to help raise as much money as we can.

Advance TRS has a strong history of taking on challenges and hosting events to raise money for Cancer research and support. In June last year, Advance TRS complete longest day golf challenge in support of Macmillan and upcoming this September we are hosting a Macmillan coffee morning.

Advance TRS are always looking for more people to join the team, find out more about us latest vacancies.

Eira Burnett is a Sales Support Manager for the rail team in the Guildford office. Eira joined the company in June 2022, having previous experience in administration work with a desire to develop her skills further. Eira now assists our consultants with relationship management for large clients within the company, creating multiple job boards across various sites every day to find the best suitable candidate for a range of supplied roles.

In her time in the role, Eira has developed a strong relationship with the sales team, with effective coordination and efficiency displayed throughout her time with Advance TRS. To support business growth, Eira is now seeking for a Sales Support Administrator to help assist as we continue to expand our client services offering.

Our Senior Marketing Executive, Harry sat down with Eira to understand more about her role, life at Advance TRS, and what the ideal candidate looks like for the role:

“So Eira, what responsibilities occur in your day-to-day?”

“My day-to-day involves processing CVs through client frameworks, booking interviews for both candidates and clients, updating our data within systems, and creating detailed job adverts across various high-profile job search engines.”

“What made you take the job at Advance TRS?”

Advance TRS gave me an opportunity to grow with the company as I progress my career to a senior administrator role. From the interview stage onwards, their clear vision and belief in my contribution excited me to be a part of this project!”  

“What was your own onboarding experience like?”

My onboarding experience was extremely welcoming, a helpful factor to this was the social incentive shortly after I joined the company.  All the staff enjoyed a day out at the races to celebrate success and I had a brilliant time bonding with all the teams! In relation to my duties at work, Jess and Ella were a really big help with learning new systems, job ad formatting, and reporting also.

“What is the ideal candidate you would like to join the team and support your responsibilities?”

The ideal candidate would be a friendly team player, who is somewhat IT savvy and has good copywriting skills. Huge bonus if there is admin experience for protocols, but a positive and kind individual is the key to the right fit with Advance TRS!”

“What is the best thing about working with Advance TRS?”

100% the people. The togetherness and fun culture that we have here is a truly rare find, with many social incentives and other company benefits to make our time here that little bit more special.

About Our Sales Support Administrator Role

This unique opportunity presented is to join our established managed accounts team to deliver recruitment frameworks with key client partners within established service level agreements. This opportunity lends itself to someone who is comfortable on the phone, with an eye for detail.

If you are interested in applying for the Sales Support Administrator role and learning from Eira on the sales team, please view the specified job descriptions here.

If you are interested in pursuing a different career with us, we are always hiring! Find out more about our current opportunities here. Alternatively, you can speak to one of our dedicated team on 01483 361 061.

Advance TRS and Alstom are delighted to announce a huge milestone achieved in our recruitment partnership as our 300th permanent starter joins the business this week, following 3 years of tremendous growth across the business!

Advance TRS are the recruitment partner for Alstom UK & Ireland’s rail recruitment programme, sourcing rail signalling management, engineering, and installation professionals. The Advance TRS and Alstom UK & Ireland partnership has placed over 300 new professionals in permanent roles across the business.

Working in a truly collaborative manner has been a vital factor in the success to date which has seen both businesses work tirelessly to attract and engage with some of the brightest and most committed individuals across the country. Whilst in the company, the opportunities have not stopped with new starters building development career paths, taking on additional responsibilities, and achieving promotions as the benefits of working for a leading global engineering firm become a reality.

Having taken a proactive approach to appoint a diverse workforce, we have seen numerous key roles being filled by candidates outside of the sector, with management driving a recruitment focus on individual skills & behaviours rather than time spent in the railways. This has led to fresh ideas, new approaches, and opportunities for people to join and excel in the industry.

But the hard work doesn’t stop here! Thanks to an enviable work bank and constantly expanding product offering, Alstom is growing further and can offer outstanding opportunities across engineering, operations, and management as we gear up for the years ahead.

Find out more about the Advance TRS recruitment partnership with Alstom.

ALSTOM IN IRELAND

Advance TRS & Alstom are recruiting Commercial, Planning, Engineering, Management, Health & Safety professionals for the Cork Area Commuter Rail (CACR) upgrade, a transformative rail improvement programme for the Cork Rail Network.

The Cork Area Commuter Rail programme is the heavy rail element of CMATS and is a transformative rail improvement programme for the Cork Rail Network. Delivering increased train capacity and frequency, providing for more connected communities and a more sustainable transport network, the project represents the largest-ever investment in the Cork Rail Network.

The programme involves developments and enhancements to the rail network from Mallow through Cork to Cobh and Midleton and will include the delivery of new rail infrastructure and electrification and re-signalling across the 3 main lines of Mallow, Cobh and Glounthaune to Midleton.

The Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme is being progressed through a number of separate but interrelated projects which will be delivered in specific work packages.

This is a fantastic opportunity to work on the Signalling and Communications Upgrade to facilitate the proposed capacity and service frequency increases across the Cork Area Commuter Rail network. The preliminary design of the project is well-advanced, and the implementation stage is starting now.

View the latest Alstom jobs in Ireland.

BUILDING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE WITH ALSTOM

A key focus for Alstom is to build a diverse and entrepreneurial workforce with inclusivity at its core. Alstom knows that employee empowerment is crucial to its success and continues to strengthen its culture by promoting diversity and entrepreneurial spirit with a fundamental commitment to integrity and high ethical business standards and practices.

This key commitment has been embraced and mirrored by Advance TRS, working together to establish a non-discriminative recruitment process to ensure a diverse candidate pool is available, and promoting opportunities for under-represented communities. At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, and that the diversity of the workforce is an essential part of success. We are committed to supporting clients to build work environments that are free from discrimination and promote equal opportunities for all.

View the latest Alstom Jobs.

QUALITY CANDIDATE CARE

At Advance TRS providing a premium quality service to candidates and clients alike is a core founding principle and forms the backbone of how we approach our work.

We pride ourselves on our exceptional level of customer service and seek to create long-lasting and dependable relationships. Advance TRS support candidates throughout the entire process from initial contact and interview, through to remuneration negotiations and onboarding.

ALSTOM PRIORITIZING CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Professional development is part of Alstom’s recruitment strategy, with the organisation firmly believing that employee motivation and performance are intrinsically linked and that the nurturing of employee potential and competencies are key to ensuring the ongoing success of the international brand.

All employees are offered development opportunities via the ‘People Management Cycle’, which helps line managers and HR to design a bespoke training plan for each employee. This offers high-quality learning and development opportunities and supports employees through professional mentoring or coaching.

For those hesitant to take the next step in their career and explore opportunities, such a solid investment into personal development has proven to temper nerves and ease the transition when joining the business.

“My favourite part of my role is enhancing and developing new skills and expertise in the development of people. I have fully embraced Alstom’s People Management Cycle and encourage the development of my team members.”

Lead Commercial Manager, Alstom.

“Alstom has committed to training the right candidates to be the perfect fit for the business. They understand that not everyone will be the finished article straight away, but their development opportunities are really encouraging and quick to materialise.”

Principal Project Engineer, Alstom.

Find out more about life at Alstom.

FIND YOUR IDEAL ROLE

Across the UK, Alstom is winning new projects and securing exciting packages of work, opening up huge opportunities for professionals across the UK.

Are you looking for your next role and does Alstom sound like the right fit for you? View our live jobs or speak to one of our Alstom delivery teams today.

How Advance TRS will Advocate for Change

As a recruitment company, we believe we have a part to play on International Women’s Day by challenging gender bias and inequality within the built environment. That is why we will continue to exercise and encourage clients to engage with more women within the engineering sector. On the other hand, our lovely female candidates will get our utmost support and help to confidently enter the space as we have a firm belief in their abundance of passion and future success.

Celebrating our Advance TRS Women

We are privileged to work with many brilliant women in the Advance TRS team, and would like to personally highlight the positivity we have received from their presence and dedication to the company:

Why is International Women’s Day Important to you?

“It is an opportunity to celebrate and support Women and girls around the world, as we remember the brave and empowering women who fought for equality.” – Lauren Hawkins | Health & Safety Manager

Remembering the History

The 8th of March is a day to celebrate the achievements from events throughout history where Women have echoed for change. In 1911, one million people across European countries protested at rallies to fight for women’s rights. This significant world-changing protest started on International Women’s Day, now celebrated on a global scale annually.

Contact Us

If you are a women who is passionate about working within infrastruture, contact us today at 01483 361 061 or head to our contact us page to talk to one of our friendly & helpful consultants, who offers a free confidential conversation about your place in the recruitment market and what opportunities are out there within the built environment. 

Over Christmas 2022 we were delighted to relocate our Guildford office to a newly refurbished office in Artington, just outside of the center of town. These new offices have been customised to our exact specifications and are designed to accommodate our growing Head Office team in a modern and vibrant environment.

Our new offices include new meeting rooms, a board room, interview rooms, ‘pods’ for individual video meetings or quiet work in addition to one large open plan sales floor and a bright social break out space and kitchen.

The team welcomed all Advance TRS staff to the new office on 13th January for our January KickOff Conference, where we celebrated success from Q3 and looked forward to what is to come this spring.

We are delighted to celebrate this huge milestone for the business after such a fantastic year for the company. By relocating our Head Office, we hope this new space will continue to support our growth plans, offering an exciting space for people to join us and work in. By collaborating in a friendly open office, we work together to deliver the best possible service for our customers and have fun whilst we do it.

Join the Team

If you are local to the Guildford area and looking for an opportunity to further a career in sales or learn new skills, we are looking for talented people at all levels to join our business.

Are you driven, hardworking, ambitious, self-motivated, and caring? If so, we may be just the fit for you! These personal qualities together with our core values and company charter form the basis of the Advance TRS DNA we look for in every new recruit.

For a confidential chat, the opportunity to discuss your potential and the possibility of making a career move, or simply exploring the countless options available to you, get in touch with Jess our Talent Acquisition Manager today.

2022 was an action-packed year for Advance TRS Ltd, marked by new office openings, new recruits to the business, and mammoth charity fundraising efforts.

New London Office

Advance TRS announced a new office location in central London, based in the Northern & Shell Building, near Monument was launched in September 2022. This new base is the third office for the recruitment business and marks an exciting chapter in the business’s growth. 

The new London office will be a permanent office for some of our Rail and Infrastructure recruitment business and provide a base for other members of the team who have meetings in London. 

The new office is led by Specialist Consultant in the Rail & Civil Engineering Industry, Craig Outhwaite. Craig focuses on the recruitment of freelance Quantity Surveyors and Commercial professionals across the UK. 

“I’m really proud and excited to open and grow a London branch for the company. London excites me, you can’t help but feel invigorated heading into the city each morning. The market is really busy and we are now expertly positioned to meet all our clients and candidates as needed”

Shares Craig. 

 

 

New Guildford Office

Over the Christmas period, we were delighted to relocate our Guildford office to a newly refurbished offices in Artington, just outside of the center of town. These new offices have been customised to our exact specifications.

This new office creates an energising atmosphere for our team to work and thrive in a new space, enabling people to work collaboratively in an open space.

NEW STARTERS 2022

Throughout the year the business has welcomed 11 new starters. In our business services team we have welcomed Harry Payne, Marketing Executive and Farina Dahiya, Payroll Supervisor.

To our Guildford-based sales teams, we have welcomed Emily Peek, Chris Spurdle, Sam Riley, Mike Butler and Eira Burnett to our rail and client services teams. Adding to our London office, Victoria Bartram joined in September and Sissy Todd joined in January 2023.

Our Port Solent office also welcomed Calum French, Charlie Knight and Hannah Coton into their buildings, infrastructure and water teams.

“We are so pleased to have attracted such diverse talent this year, expanding our teams throughout the business. This will really support our business growth plans for the next few years and give lots of opportunities for personal and team development.”

Andy Ridout, Group Managing Director, Advance TRS

Charity Fundraising

Longest Day Golf Challenge

Charity fundraising and golf really shaped the summer of 2022, firstly seven of our avid golfers took on the Longest Day Golf Challenge to raise vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. They raised a total of £1,175! The team made up of our Rail consultants included Jake RodgerAndy RidoutCraig OuthwaiteJosh HillSam BlairMick Schruyers and Chris Spurdle.

They completed 4 rounds of golf, 72 holes, in 31-degree heat, taking a total of 16 hours and walking over21 miles!

Business Development Director Mick shared some thoughts from the day:

“The day was great, it was a real team effort. It was certainly a hard day but hearing a number of people at the club cheering us on during the day helped get us through. We even had a lady who thought we were crazy and was leaving the course after 9 holes as it was too hot. We told her what we were doing, and she waited for us to return and donated £20 towards the day. It was a real good, spirited team event and still managed to recognise good shots even on the last 18 holes.”

Advance TRS Rail Aid Golf Day

The annual Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid returned to The Belfry in Birmingham for the second year running on Thursday the 29th of September.

After a great day of golf, we enjoyed a 3-course dinner, a presentation from Dave Ellis at Railway Children, and then were joined by guest speaker Kriss Akabusi. Kriss rose to fame on the athletics track. His greatest individual triumph was winning the gold medal in the 1990 European Championships, and he is now a motivational speaker and TV personality.

We then completed the evening with a much-anticipated finale involving Golf Awards, Prize Giving, and a Charity Auction.

Last year, Advance TRS raised a staggering £20,000 for Rail Aid, which they were very keen to beat and overcome for their return in 2022. With outstanding prizes to win, complimented by a wide selection of amazing experiences in a charity auction, we overcame expectations and raised a magnificent £23,395 for a great cause in Rail Aid.

Railway Children Ride to Vietnam Challenge

Capping off the years fundraising, our Director of Client Services & Rail Signalling, Sam Jennings joined the Railway Children team to complete the Ride Vietnam Challenge.

Since returning, Sam and his teammates concluded their journey as “Truly an unforgettable experience and an amazing opportunity to see a new country and keep fit! It was a fantastic way to achieve a once-in-a-lifetime achievement whilst raising awareness for a great cause. It was also truly admiring to hear about the amazing work that Railway Children do.”

We would like to thank anyone who donated to reach our end goal of raising £3,500 for charity! Sam couldn’t have done it without you!

Subsequently our Rail & Client Director Sam Jennings has been nominated for the RailStaff charity award! Due to his brilliant work throughout the year, he went that extra mile to raise awareness and has been a vital part of raising over an amazing £85,000 for Charity at Advance TRS.

 

 

Join the Team

If you are looking for an opportunity to further a career in sales or learn new skills, we are looking for talented people at all levels to join our business.

Are you driven, hardworking, ambitious, self-motivated and caring? If so, we may be just the fit for you! These personal qualities together with our core values and company charter form the basis of the Advance TRS DNA we look for in every new recruit.

For a confidential chat, the opportunity to discuss your potential and the possibility of making a career move, or simply exploring the countless options available to you, get in touch with Jess our Talent Acquisition Manager today.

Our team are taking on this latest challenge in support of Railway Children to complete the special 20th Anniversary Porterbrook 3 Peaks by Rail!

On 15th June, the team will arrive in Crewe to start their journey climbing Mount Snowdon throughout the night. Then they will be getting the train to the next mountain, Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England at an elevation of 978 metres (3,209 ft) above sea level. Once they’ve climbed this, they will be getting the train again to the third and final peak, Ben Nevis. This is the highest peak in the British Isles which is in Scotland.

The three mountains total over 30km of walking and over 3,000m of ascent. This challenge isn’t being taken lightly! The team have been training for weeks and is now gearing up for this two-day event.

We are aiming to raise £4,000 for taking part in this challenge! Please do support our team to reach their fundraising goal!

Our team of intrepid mountaineers includes;

Louise Oldham

Louise Oldham is our Client Services Delivery Manager and has been with Advance TRS since April 2016. Louise is responsible for the continued growth, success and effective service delivery of the Client Services team and supporting the Client Services Director. Outside of work she is a keen netball player for a local team and enjoys travelling whenever she can, last year Louise went on a boot camp holiday to Marbella with a rigorous programme of yoga and hiking. Louise is excited to take on this physical and mental challenge to test her strength as part of a team for such a great cause and has started to break in her new hiking boots and pushing her incline training in the gym.

Jake Rodger is a Recruitment Consultant specialising in Rail signalling. Jake has risen through the ranks in his time with Advance TRS to be a knowledgeable consultant with a wide-reaching network in the sector. Jake was one of the key drivers to bring together a team to complete the 3 Peaks Challenge and is using this as a great focus to his workout schedule and training. As a new member of David Lloyd gyms, Jake loves a relaxing spa session and is enduring beastings from his personal trainer in his weekly sessions. No pain no gain! As a keen golfer, Jake is also planning to clock up a chunk of practice miles on the golf course!

Jake Rodger
Sam Riley

Sam Riley is one of our Delivery Specialists working with our Client Services team. Since joining the business Sam has settled in well as part of the team and has shown his hard work and dedicated mentality to providing the best service possible and learning his craft. Sam enjoys working out and keeping fit as a semi-professional Goalkeeper and was previously a member of the Fulham academy. On top of his physical fitness, as the only Duke of Edinburgh Award participant in the group, he is an excellent addition to the team.

Tom Gibson is our Recruitment Consultant specialising in the delivery process for the recruitment of Engineering, Design, M&E, Process, Commissioning, Site Agent/Managers and Project managers for the Construction sector. Tom is looking forward to the challenge and is excited to work towards such a big challenge as part of a strong team. Tom is an avid Chelsea FC fan and is planning a practice walk by completing the Surrey Three Peaks (Box Hill, Holmbury Hill and Leith Hill) a challenging 33.5km walk across the local countryside will prove great training!

Tom Gibson

Advance TRS’s founder, Andy Ridout, and a few other members of our team have completed numerous challenges like climbing some of the world’s highest mountains including Mt Everest and Kilimanjaro, completed Iron Man triathlons, marathons and cycling challenges to raise money and awareness for the charity. Most recently our Director of Client Services & Rail Signalling, Sam Jennings joined the Railway Children team to complete the Ride Vietnam Challenge, raising over £3,500 for Railway Children. Some staff have even been out to Africa and Vietnam to visit the projects and witness what money raised can do to help vulnerable children in person.

We wish our Three Peaks team the best of luck and thank the rest of the business for their fundraising efforts to help raise as much money as we can for this great charity.

If you are looking to join a dynamic business with exciting growth projections and career progression opportunities in London, Guildford or Port Solent, find out more about our live opportunities.

This October, our Director of Client Services & Rail Signalling, Sam Jennings joined the Railway Children team to complete the Ride Vietnam Challenge.

The challenge involved a 450km cycle across 6 days in 30-degree heat… and after 1100 miles of hard training through the year, multiple vaccinations, and a long 13-hour flight, Sam finally arrived with other team members at Da Nang Airport.

“Our friendly local tour guides greeted us just outside the airport, and the first thing we noticed was the instant rush of scorching heat and humidity! It felt like the 40-degree heatwave we had in the UK back in August.”

As the team bonded and had their first taste of Vietnamese food and lifestyle, they managed an early night and were well-rested for the days ahead.

The team began the trip cycling through the beautiful terrain and local villages, which was an incredible insight into the cultural heritage and history of Vietnam. During water and coffee breaks, they were welcomed by many friendly locals, who showed an abundance of high energy and happiness to see foreign faces from around the world!

As days went by, the group started to encounter an extreme shift in tropical weather conditions. From dry and bumpy paths to high humidity and torrential rain. Arguably, this proved more favourable for the team as the rain helped keep them cool! The extreme weather was still preferable to the stormy and wintry conditions of training back in the UK…

Despite starting to feel a bit heavy-footed throughout the challenge, they still took the time to learn more about the intriguing and fascinating lifestyle of the Vietnamese. The team loved the distractions from cycling, which involved coconut harvesting, floating markets, overtaking Bison’s on the main roads, and even helping the locals push a stuck truck out of the mud!

Since returning, Sam and his teammates concluded their journey as “Truly an unforgettable experience and an amazing opportunity to see a new country and keep fit! It was a fantastic way to achieve a once-in-a-lifetime achievement whilst raising awareness for a great cause. It was also truly admiring to hear about the amazing work that Railway Children do.”

We would like to thank anyone who donated to reach our end goal of raising £3,500 for charity! Sam couldn’t have done it without you!

Please be sure to show support to Sam and the team’s efforts in Vietnam by donating to Railway Children.

GIVING BACK

Advance TRS continues to dedicate time to raising money and bringing awareness to great causes. Since Advance TRS was established in 2011, advancing less fortunate people has always been a central motivator for founder Andy Ridout and the Advance TRS team. To date, our staff has raised over £88,000 for charities completing an incredible array of personal challenges to raise money and awareness for those less fortunate. Find out more.

RAILWAY CHILDREN

Advance TRS has been a long-term supporter and partner of Railway Children and the Rail Aid campaign. Railway Children is an international children’s charity that funds rescue workers and street teams that seek out vulnerable children living on the streets before potential abusers get to them first. Our staff has completed a number of challenges to raise money and awareness for the charity including Three Peaks By Rail, Three Ironman’s, a trek up Kilimanjaro, and to Everest Base Camp. Find out more about how Railway Children support children in need.

Our Rail & Client Director Sam Jennings has been nominated for the RailStaff charity award! Due to his brilliant work throughout the year, he went that extra mile to raise awareness and has been a vital part of raising over an amazing £85,000 for Charity at Advance TRS.

Please show your support for Sam and his continuing efforts by voting for him on the RailStaff Award website.

RailStaff awards will be shutting their voting panel on the 16th of October, so we ask you kindly to cast your votes in as soon as you can!

Ella Gardiner, Marketing Director shares Sam’s dedication to charity work and impact on the Company:

“Sam has been an active member of the Advance TRS team promoting our values and taking on personal challenges to raise money and awareness for charities. Previously Sam completed the London Marathon raising over £2,500 for Action for Children. He has also taken part in Movember, Macmillian Coffee Mornings, our Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid, and the numerous walking and triathlon challenges we have completed as a business. Since joining the business 8 years ago Sam has played a key role in raising over £65,000 in total for various charities”

This October, Sam will be taking part in Railway Children’s Ride Vietnam Challenge. As a novice cyclist, Sam will be confronting a challenging 450km cycle across 7 days in 30 degrees, on a (barely used) bike!

So far Sam has completed over 500 miles of training in the saddle, with 340 miles traveled through a very hot July! There is a lot of water, sun cream, and only the one puncture to date to report as Sam hits the halfway mark on his donations target and only 2 months to go! In the next few weeks, Sam faces a step up in training with 100 miles a week to complete.

The trip itself will see Sam spend between six and eight hours in the saddle each day, traveling across waterways and plantations on unpaved and dusty roads, slightly different surfaces to the hills he will be training on but all part of the challenge for a true bike novice!

“Having never previously ridden a bike without balancing a child on the back, it seemed like a great opportunity to take on a huge personal challenge and raise money that will go to support some of the most vulnerable children in the world”

Shares Sam Jennings

Sam is fundraising for his Railway Children’s Ride Vietnam Challenge . We are just 7% away from reaching our target of £3500! We are extremely grateful for any donations towards reaching our goals for such an excellent cause, for this occurrence, and for all previous fundraising events throughout the year!

More About Railway Children:

Children run away or are forced to leave homes where they suffer poverty, violence, abuse, and neglect. They find themselves living on the streets because there is nowhere else to go and nobody to turn to. Railway Children work to reach children as soon as they arrive on the streets and intervene before an abuser can.

We at Advance TRS are delighted to welcome 5 new, lovely faces to the team this month! As we continue to grow the size of the business, we value the importance of developing the workforce simultaneously to sustain our service delivery at the highest standard. 

Please Welcome: 

Emily Peek – Delivery Consultant 

Farina Dahiya – Payroll Supervisor 

Harry Payne – Senior Marketing Executive 

Victoria Bartram – Recruitment Consultant 


Emily was the first to join our team as our new Delivery Consultant. She will be focused on managing key accounts in rail and improving relationships more so within the consultant team. With her 4 years of experience in this role, liaising with her friendly and bubbly personality, we did not doubt that it was the perfect fit for both her and the company. 

When asked what excites her about joining, she stated this: “I am ecstatic to start my journey with Advance TRS, I am particularly very keen to explore and learn a lot in a new and growing industry. There’s no better time to be joining the consultant team considering their exciting upcoming projects and growth of accounts.” 


Farina, payroll supervisor

The wonderful Farina will be focusing on managing payroll as our newest member within the Finance department. With years of knowledge in PAYE and SAGE, “I am looking forward to being involved with such a fun team, I’m also extremely excited about the growth of this specialist company and learning the way that they operate payroll”. 

“We are excited to welcome Farina to Advance TRS, and more personally, I am delighted to have her in our department. Farina’s payroll experience and knowledge are of great value to the company, making her a truly great addition to an already brilliant team.”  

Finance Director at Advance TRS, Carolyn Kaye 


Harry, marketing executive

Harry is our latest member within the marketing department as a Senior Marketing Executive. He is a young and competitive marketer who shows great value in his experience and knowledge within, who isn’t shy in providing new ideas of ways to drive Advance TRS forward as we look to grow and expand the company.

Harry will be looking at innovative ways to connect to our water, construction, and rail audiences to improve the customer journey experience by improving relationships and ways to connect with candidates and clients. 

“I am delighted to welcome Harry to the Marketing team, we have a packed programme of activity planned for the next few months, and his energy and drive will be a huge asset to deliver our plans and set out the strategy for the future.” 

Marketing & Development Director, Ella Gardiner 


Lastly, Victoria is our latest addition as a recruitment consultant in our new London Office. With valuable years of experience as a consultant, complimented by her great working relationship with Craig Outhwaite (London Lead Operator) in her previous role, Victoria looks to settle in tremendously as she starts her journey with Advance TRS. 

When asked what excites her most in joining the company, she stated “I am very excited about joining Advance TRS at such a busy time! I am thrilled over the prospect of working in a new office environment, whilst continuing the development of my working relationship with Craig in the commercial team. I just can’t wait to get started!” 


JOIN ADVANCE TRS

If you are looking for a new opportunity to further your career with an established and growing business providing quality recruitment solutions in the built environment and engineering markets, we are always looking for new talented staff to join our team. Find out what it is like to work for us and see our live opportunities. 

The annual Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid returned to The Belfry in Birmingham for the second year running on Thursday the 29th of September.

Unlike the torrential weather and storms from the year previous, we had lovely 18-degree sun for our golfers to enjoy as they compete for charity. There were 19 fourballs in total, all sent out in buggies for a shotgun start at midday. Prizes to be won involved competitions like Beat the Pro, Furthest Drive, individual Stableford, and Team Stablefords.

Rail Aid Photos of golf day

The Evening – Speakers & Rewards

After a great day of golf, we enjoyed a 3-course dinner, a presentation from Dave Ellis at Railway Children, and then were joined by guest speaker Kriss Akabusi. Kriss rose to fame on the athletics track. His greatest individual triumph was winning the gold medal in the 1990 European Championships, and he is now a motivational speaker and TV personality.

Rail Aid Speakers, drinks and dinner

We then completed the evening with a much-anticipated finale involving Golf Awards, Prize Giving, and a Charity Auction.

Last year, Advance TRS raised a staggering £20,000 for Rail Aid, which they were very keen to beat and overcome for their return in 2022. With outstanding prizes to win, complimented by a wide selection of amazing experiences in a charity auction, we overcame expectations and raised a magnificent £23,395 for a great cause in Rail Aid.

Rail Aid money celebrations and golf day rewards

Advance TRS Founder & Managing Director Andy Ridout shared;

We are ecstatic about achieving their milestone and are extremely excited to have raised so much for such an incredible cause. Thank you to our partner sponsors for their continued support and all who joined us on the day, especially those who bid on the auction prizes and helped push up our fundraising total.”

A very special thank you to our partner sponsors, MACE Dragados and Turner and Townsend for their continued support of the event and also to our generous hole sponsors; Aecom, Atkins, BAM Nuttall, Clipfine, Coombes, Gleeds, Kilnbridge, Telent and Volker Rail.

Dave Ellis – Corporate Partnerships Manager at Railway Children:

“Wow, where do you start after a day like that… and there were times during the Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid, where I genuinely took a moment to look around and really did feel incredibly humbled.

When you put into context that the £23,395 raised from the day could fund one of Railway Children’s Open Shelters in India for almost an entire year, that is true impact and where the value of the day really becomes evident.”

Railway Children

Children run away or are forced to leave homes where they suffer poverty, violence, abuse, and neglect. They find themselves living on the streets because there is nowhere else to go and nobody to turn to. Railway Children work to reach children as soon as they arrive on the streets and intervene before an abuser can.

Rail Aid, is a major fundraising initiative in support of Railway Children, the Rail industry’s charity. Dubbed ‘the railway’s answer to Children In Need’, Rail Aid was conceived and realised in direct response to the Covid-19 outbreak and will raise critical funds for Railway Children’s work with vulnerable young people at a time when many of the charity’s biggest fundraisers have been cancelled.

This October our Director of Client Services & Rail Signalling, Sam Jennings will be taking part in Railway Children’s Ride Vietnam Challenge. As a novice cyclist, Sam will be confronting a challenging 450km cycle across 7 days in 30 degrees, on a (barely used) bike!


Advance TRS are delighted to welcome experienced rail industry recruiter, Chris Spurdle to join the business as Business Development Manager – Rail. Chris has over 14 years experience in the rail industry predominantly working in the rail civils and permanent way specialism and joins Advance TRS to focus on white collar recruitment in rail civils and permanent way.

Chris is looking forward to progressing his industry knowledge and network from the blue-collar and labour side of the rail sector into white-collar recruitment.

“This is an exciting new opportunity to build on the established reputation I have built in the blue collar and labour market, and a natural continuation of my work in the sector.”

Explains Chris.

Chris will be focused on business development, supporting the current team building on established relationships and also bid development. Chris Spurdle will also be the main point of contact for a new client partnership Advance TRS have recently secured providing construction managers, project managers, civils, permanent way, signalling, planning and commercial engineering professionals into key rail projects across the UK rail network. These projects range across the UK & Ireland from a couple of million budgets to major infrastructure projects with budgets up to 200 million.

“We are delighted to welcome Chris into the Advance TRS team, and more personally, I am so pleased to work with him in the business development team. His experience and industry knowledge will prove to be a great asset to our business.”

Shares Business Development Director, Michael Schruyers.

When asked why Chris chose to join Advance TRS, Chris explained:

“I wanted to work for a specialist company, a niche recruiter. It was important for me to join a flexible and agile business where the team are skilled, well networked and have the ability to support clients throughout the process rather than a large corporate business. Advance TRS offer all this and have a really good team, both in sales and business services, and provide a positive work environment.”

Chris Spurdle will be supporting the business development team across the full spectrum of permanent and contract supply, both in rail and also reaching across the wider infrastructure piece.

Chris goes on to say:

“I love the ambition and trajectory Advance TRS offer as a growing SME. It gives me an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the business growth trajectory and adding value. Everyone has been so helpful and welcoming – particularly Jake and Josh who I have been working with a lot, and have helped me settle in. The business services support and payroll teams are brilliant too – shout out to everybody!”

Join Advance TRS

If you are looking for a new opportunity to further your career with an established and growing business providing quality recruitment solutions in the built environment and engineering markets, we are always looking for new talented staff to join our team. Find out what it is like to work for us and see our live opportunities.

Expert Rail Recruiters

Advance TRS know the rail industry like no one else. We work with some of the world’s biggest engineering organisations, creating bespoke recruitment solutions for some of the UK’s biggest rail projects.

Our team of experts are well established in the sector and expertly networked to ensure the best results for clients every time with specialisms focused on signalling, telecoms, E&P, OLE, Civils, M&E, Pway and Project Services. With over 400 contractors working across the UK rail network we are proud to be committed to high safety standards.

Advance TRS is accredited by the Rail Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS), enabling us to supply rail recruitment solutions to clients across the UK. Find out how we can support your business hire the best talent in the market. Or get in touch to speak to a member of our team, call 01483 361061.

Advance TRS are proud to announce the new office opening in central London. The new office, based in the Northern & Shell Building, near Monument was launched in September 2022. This new base is the third office for the recruitment business and marks an exciting chapter in the business’s growth. 

The new London office will be a permanent office for some of our Rail recruitment business and provide a base for other members of the team who have meetings in London. 

The new office is led by Specialist Consultant in the Rail & Civil Engineering Industry, Craig Outhwaite. Craig joined Advance TRS in autumn 2021 and after one year is stepping up into this new role. Craig focuses on the recruitment of freelance Quantity Surveyors and Commercial professionals across the UK. 

“I’m really proud and excited to open and grow a London Branch for the company. London excites me, you can’t help but feel invigorated heading into the city each morning. The market is really busy and we are now expertly positioned to meet all our clients and candidates as needed”

Shares Craig. 

Craig is joined by Victoria Bartram (nee. Satterley), who joined Advance TRS earlier this month after a few years out to grow her family, Victoria is a brilliant addition to the team and back with a bang! 

“I’m very excited to of joined Advance TRS and to be involved in the opening of our new London office with Craig Outhwaite. Extremely busy and exciting times ahead!”

Explains Victoria. 

If you are a QS, at any level, with Civil Engineering experience, and you are feeling unhappy, unfulfilled, and just a bit meh about your role, then please get in contact with the team who has various roles with contractors, subcontractors and consultancies that may be your perfect job. Even if you are not ready to make the move just yet, they would love to meet you for a coffee and chat about the market, and what your perfect role would look like, so can contact you in the future about suitable opportunities.

Check out our latest roles and opportunities.

The new London office will specialise in the recruitment of Commercial (Quantity Surveyors’) Rail and Civil staff for “blue chip” clients across the UK. The team are currently recruiting Commercial Managers/Directors, Estimating Managers, Managing Quantity Surveyors and all other levels of Quantity Surveyors, Estimators as well as Risk Managers and procurement staff for major rail projects and frameworks including HS2. 

Join the Team

Are you working in London and looking for a new opportunity in engineering recruitment? We are looking to expand our team from our London office. Find out more about working life at Advance TRS or contact our Head of Talent Acquisition, Jessica Wells, to find out about our opportunities across all three offices and all built environment teams. 

This October our Director of Client Services & Rail Signalling, Sam Jennings will be taking part in Railway Children’s Ride Vietnam Challenge. As a novice cyclist, Sam will be confronting a challenging 450km cycle across 7 days in 30 degrees, on a (barely used) bike!

Please support Sam to raise money for this excellent cause and donate via his JustGiving page.

“Having never previously ridden a bike without balancing a child on the back, it seemed like a great opportunity to take on a huge personal challenge and raise money that will go to support some of the most vulnerable children in the world”

shares Sam Jennings.

So far Sam has completed over 500 miles training in the saddle, with 340 miles travelled through a very hot July! Lots of water, sun cream and only the one puncture so far to date to report as Sam hits the halfway mark on his donations target and only 2 months to go! In the next few weeks, Sam faces a step up in training with 100 miles a week to complete.

The trip itself will see Sam spend between six and eight hours in the saddle each day, travelling across waterways and plantations on unpaved and dusty roads, slightly different surfaces to the hills he will be training on but all part of the challenge for a true bike novice!

Sam Challenge Charity
Sam Jennings continues training for the Ride Cambodia Challenge this October

Sam has previously completed the London Marathon raising over £2,500 for Action for Children but is a complete newbie to the world of cycling and hoping to make the challenge worth whilst by beating his previous total.

Giving Back

Since Advance TRS was established in 2011, advancing less fortunate people has always been a central motivator for founder Andy Ridout and the Advance TRS team. To date, our staff have raised over £65,000 for charities completing an incredible array of personal challenges to raise money and awareness for those less fortunate. Find out more.

Railway Children

Advance TRS has been a long term supporter and partner of Railway Children and the Rail Aid campaign. Railway Children is an international children’s charity that funds rescue workers and street teams that seek out vulnerable children living on the streets before potential abusers get to them first. Our staff have completed a number of challenges to raise money and awareness for the charity including Three Peaks By Rail, Three Ironman’s, a trek up Kilimanjaro and to Everest Base Camp. Find out more about how Railway Children support children in need.

Last week, seven of our avid golfers took on the Longest Day Golf Challenge to raise vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. They raised a total of £1,175!

The team made up of our Rail consultants included Jake Rodger, Andy Ridout, Craig Outhwaite, Josh Hill, Sam Blair, Mick Schruyers and Chris Spurdle.

They completed 4 rounds of golf, 72 holes, in 31-degree heat, taking a total of 16 hours and walking over21 miles!

Rail Business Development Manager Chris shared:

“It was a really good day. As someone who has recently joined the business, taking on the Longest Day Golf Challenge was a great way for me to get to know some of my team.”

The team teed off at 5:30am, long before some of us were even out of bed and finished the last round at approximately 8:30pm! Each round of golf took roughly 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, but the team admit they lost track after the first couple of rounds.

Speaking to them about the distance they said:

“The last we checked it was about 46,000 steps, however, the watch we were using ran out of charge, so we don’t know the exact count. This happened on the second hole of the last round so you can guess the next 16 holes…”

We would like to again extend our thanks to Blacknest Golf and Country Club who supported us on the day and allowed us to use their course.

“We started very strong and played some good golf, but with the heat and exhaustion, it did go a bit downhill each round we played. Despite struggling to walk the next day, it was very good fun and something I would do again.”
Explained our consultant, Sam.

Fundraising can make a huge difference, so we are pleased to have contributed to an important cause. Taking on this challenge will help Macmillan make a real difference to people living with cancer. They will be able to give people going through a cancer experience practical, emotional and personal support.

Business Development Director Mick shared some final thoughts from the day:

“The day was great, it was a real team effort. It was certainly a hard day but hearing a number of people at the club cheering us on during the day helped get us through. We even had a lady who thought we were crazy and was leaving the course after 9 holes as it was too hot. We told her what we were doing, and she waited for us to return and donated £20 towards the day. It was a real good, spirited team event and still managed to recognise good shots even on the last 18 holes.

The funniest part of the day was watching Jake try and save Andy’s ball going in the pond, however, while doing so he fell down the bank…luckily, he only got his feet wet but was so close to going all the way in…”

Advance TRS have a strong history of taking on personal challenges to raise money for causes important to the team. This is the latest challenge in a line of activities that has seen the team raise over £65,000 for charities in 10 years.

It has been an exciting six months for the Advance TRS team! Although it’s hard to believe we are over halfway through 2022 already, we have been reflecting on the company’s achievements and highlights from what has been a successful start to the year so far.

Getting back out and meeting face to face

At the end of 2021, we spoke to Managing Director Andy about where he wanted the company to be in the immediate future. He spoke about wanting to re-engage with clients face to face, rather than remotely via zoom or teams. Whilst these tools were an important part of business over the past two years, nothing beats working together face to face.

In addition to getting out and about visiting clients on-site, our team have been delighted to attend a number of industry events including:

Celebrating staff achievements

We understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. Therefore, we support staff to grow and succeed as the company does the same.

Already this year we have celebrated as 15 staff members mark an anniversary with Advance TRS. Plus, three of our team have earned hard-won promotions. These team members have demonstrated their hard work, skill and fully embody the core values that the business was founded on. Our company values run at the heart of our approach, we believe in them and recognise each of them in the way we act, both with each other and those we support.

Notably, our Operations Director Paul Merton marked 10 years at Advance TRS in April. As our resident expert of legislation, Paul oversees the continual development of Advance TRS’s compliance and operational systems.

Coming together as a team

At Advance TRS, we work hard to deliver the best possible service for our clients and candidates, so enjoy taking the time to celebrate together as one united team. This unified approach is a core part of our success and ongoing practices towards those we work with.

With COVID-19 restrictions finally lifted we’ve taken the time to come together as a team and celebrate our achievements. At the start of our financial year, we brought the team together for our annual Kick-Off Conference. We shared our upcoming business plans for the year and celebrated achievements from 2021-22. Since then, our teams have enjoyed trips to Brighton, clay pigeon shooting, go-karting, driving experience days, and lunches out. More recently our whole team enjoyed a day out at Sandown races for our Summer Social.

Growing our team

Due to a period of rapid growth, we have welcomed nine new starters across our Guildford and Port Solent offices. The new additions are proving to be great assets to the sectors they have joined and excelling in their roles. We’re excited to witness the positive impact this has on the services we deliver to our clients and candidates. A warm welcome to Advance TRS’ new team members of 2022.

Managing Director Andy said:

“These new appointments have come at an exciting phase of our development and growth strategy. These new starters join us to build out teams across the business. Whilst some bring years of industry experience, and others are showing incredible promise at the start of their recruitment career, they are all showing to be brilliant additions to the team and share our core values and commitment to being the best.”

For a confidential chat about our current vacancies, the opportunity to discuss your potential and the possibility of making a career move, contact our Talent Acquisition Manager Jess.

Launching our new website

Our marketing team and developers worked behind the scenes to launch our new website, with a key focus on improving user experience and creating a seamless job search.

Not only have we given it a brand-new look, but we have made extensive adjustments to our job boards and candidate zone. By registering an account with us, you can:

  • Set up detailed job alerts relevant to your skills and disciplines
  • Upload and manage multiple CVs
  • Shortlist your favourite jobs and easily apply at a time suitable to you
  • Access additional resources and advice to support your job search

With new vacancies added regularly, you can search our job boards and quickly apply to various opportunities across our sectors, with some roles exclusively available to us.

Company video production

This year we are delighted to have partnered with a video production company for the first time. Arranging a number of filming days with our team helps support our internal recruitment drive and provides a fresh, dynamic insight into life at Advance TRS. Look out for these new videos coming soon.

Giving back to charities

Advance TRS have a strong history of taking on personal challenges to raise money for causes important to the team. This year has seen us continue to raise money for good causes, with preparations for more activities later in the year.

Most recently we assembled 7 of our rail consultants to take on the Longest Golf Day Challenge. The challenge saw the team complete 72 holes and 4 rounds of golf, in 16 hours. This is the latest challenge in a line of activities that has seen the team raise over £65,000 for charities in 10 years.

Looking forward

The next 6 months look to be as exciting as the first!

Following the success of last year’s event, Railway Children and Advance TRS have again teamed up for the annual Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid, at the prestigious Belfry Hotel & Resort. The day brings together industry leaders for some healthy competition, networking and most importantly to raise money for the Rail Aid campaign.

This October our Director of Client Services & Rail Signalling, Sam Jennings will be taking part in Railway Children’s Ride Vietnam Challenge. The trip will see Sam spend between six and eight hours in the saddle each day, travelling across waterways and plantations on unpaved and dusty roads, slightly different surfaces to the hills he will be training on but all part of the challenge for a true bike novice! Sam is well on his way with his training journey. You can keep up to date with his progress or donate to his fundraising total on his JustGiving page. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sam-jennings4

As well as continued growth and driving our internal recruitment, we are also looking forward to opening new offices later in 2022/2023.

Advance TRS

Advance TRS offers a supportive environment to help you to be the best you can be and reach your career goals as part of our team, whether you are an established recruiter or just starting out on your journey. View our latest vacancies here.

On Tuesday 12th July, Advance TRS are taking on the Longest Day Golf Challenge to raise important funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. We have assembled 8 of our best golf players to take part in what will be a hard but fun day. Our team will be walking 24 miles (the equivalent of a marathon!).

A team of our Rail consultants are taking on the challenge including; Jake Rodger, Andy Ridout, Joe Moss, Craig Outhwaite, Josh Hill, Sam Blair, Mick Schruyers and Chris Spurdle.

72 holes. Four rounds. One fantastic cause.

Thank you to Blacknest Golf and Country Club for supporting us on the day and letting us use their course.

Fundraising can make a huge difference so we would appreciate any donations. Taking on this challenge will help Macmillan make a real difference to people living with cancer. Please support our team by donating here.

Fundraising can make a huge difference so please donate what you can. Taking on this challenge will help Macmillan make a real difference to people living with cancer. They’ll be able to give people going through a cancer experience practical, emotional and personal support

Advance TRS have a strong history of taking on personal challenges to raise money for causes important to the team. This is the latest challenge in a line of activities that has seen the team raise over £65,000 for charities in 10 years.

We are delighted to celebrate Sam Jennings, Director of Client Services and Rail Signalling for his eight years of service at Advance TRS. In his time at Advance TRS, Sam has managed the delivery of a series of Managed Service Programmes and Recruitment Process Outsourcing partnerships with key client accounts for the rail sector and was promoted to Client Services and Rail Signalling last year.

“Sam is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team and an influential figure within the business. He is always the first to get involved in company activities and is an active fundraiser, often putting his body (and facial hair!) on the line to raise money for a good cause.”

Explains Group Managing Director, Andy Ridout.

Sam has previously completed the London Marathon raising over £2,500 for Action for Children, Movember, Surrey Half Marathon and #WalkAllOverCancer challenge for Cancer Research UK.

Ride Vietnam Challenge

This year he is taking on a new challenge, Railway Children’s Ride Vietnam Challenge. As a novice cyclist, Sam will be confronting a challenging 450km cycle across 7 days in 30 degrees. He is now well into his training before the October trip. Please support his efforts and donate via his JustGiving page.

Client Services

As Director of Client Services, Sam is responsible for delivering service level agreements and key performance indicators for our key client partnerships, recruitment process outsourcing and managed service contracts. He works closely with clients to create and deliver custom recruitment solutions to support business needs. From contingent recruitment to managed services and recruitment process outsourcing. For key clients Sam acts as a delivery director, offering a single point of contact for line managers. He works closely with the Advance TRS recruitment delivery team to fulfil technical recruitment SLAs and KPIs.

Alstom Partnership

Notably, Sam is the Key Account Director for our recruitment partnership with Alstom. Sam leads our client services team to deliver a planned programme of recruitment to an exciting portfolio of projects across the UK. Advance TRS was appointed as RPO partners for Alstom’s permanent staff recruitment drive. We supply rail signalling management, engineering and installation professionals in York, Derby, Birmingham, London and Bristol, as part of CP6 in early 2020.

Railway Signalling

Outside of his work with key clients in Client Services, Sam is incredibly well networked within the Railway Signalling sector. He has led the Advance TRS rail signalling department, following in company founder, Andy Ridout’s footsteps.

Join the team

Sam is expanding his team! Check out our live vacancies to find out how you can join the Advance TRS client services team, delivering an internal recruitment function for our key clients.

23rd June 2022 marks International Women in Engineering Day, giving women engineers around the world a profile in an under-represented profession. As of June 2021, figures show that 16.5% of engineers are women. It’s an important day to recognise those paving the way and encourage young women to take up engineering careers.

Why do we need more women in engineering?

There are many answers to this question, but ultimately studies have shown that diverse teams tend to perform better. With different approaches to tasks, various skillsets and ways of thinking, diverse teams can strike a great balance. Men and women often have different strengths, which can create a powerful result when combined.

With quickly developing technology and the 21st century advancing quicker than ever before, we need engineers with a wide range of skills and abilities. There are countless options, fields, and industries available to an engineer. From the built environment which encompasses roads, waterworks, railways and much more, to tackling climate change.

What can be done?

There are a number of organisations promoting the education and development of women or young girls to fulfil their potential and pursue engineering careers.

It’s important to shake the bias that girls can’t be or are not good in science and mathematics. From a young age, we can encourage girls to develop these skills. Such as learning code, carrying out science experiments (safely!) and taking these subjects through to further education.

STEM Women run graduate careers events and promote jobs aimed at university students and recent graduates who identify as women or non-binary, and study a STEM-related subject; science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

At the start of the year, they published a Whitepaper exploring students’ and graduates’ attitudes towards gender issues prevalent within STEM.

As a society, we should be shining the light on the contributions of women in engineering and encourage female innovators. Films such as Hidden Figures, Engima, Gravity and even Big Hero 6 are a great representation of women in STEM. We should also improve the images used when talking about science and engineering. A quick search online will often show images of men on a construction site and very few women. Imagine getting to a point where you don’t have to specifically search for “women engineer”.

The Women’s Engineering Society is a charitable company founded to support women in engineering. They were the ones who founded International Women in Engineering Day. Their vision is to see an engineering industry that employs the diversity of the society it serves, solving the biggest societal issues of our time. It is their mission to support women in engineering careers to fulfil their potential and support the industry to be inclusive.

We’re Hiring

At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The diversity of our workforce is an essential part of our success. As such, we are committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all.

We are currently recruiting for a number of positions across our Guildford and Port Solent offices. Check out our latest opportunities.

Brand new website, same quality recruitment solution!

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website. Our marketing team and developers have been tirelessly working behind the scenes to improve user experience and make your job search seamless.

Not only have we given it a brand-new look, but we have also made extensive adjustments to our job boards and candidate zone.

By registering an account with us, you can:

  • Set up detailed job alerts relevant to your skills and disciplines
  • Upload and manage multiple CVs
  • Shortlist your favourite jobs and easily apply at a time suitable to you
  • Access additional resources and advice to support your job search

Having your CVs uploaded to your account speeds up the application process by up to 5 minutes!

With new vacancies added regularly, you can search our job board and quickly apply to various opportunities across our sectors. Some roles are exclusively available to us. We have also added additional filters so you can find the jobs most suitable for you.

We could go on and on about the features and information available on the site, but don’t just take our word for it, look for yourself.

So what’s next?

We will continue developing and improving our website, providing you with information about the industry and our business.

Stay up to date with our regular blog posts and news updates!

We’re hiring

Due to a period of rapid growth, Advance TRS are seeking Recruitment Consultants of all levels.

We are always looking for talented and ambitious people to join our team. We have opportunities available across our offices and in sales, management, or business services.

For a confidential chat, the opportunity to discuss your potential and the possibility of making a career move, or simply exploring the countless options available to you, get in touch with our Talent Acquisition Manager Jess.

Advance TRS are excited to celebrate the six-year anniversary and promotion of Ella Gardiner. Having joined back in May 2016, she demonstrated a drive and passion for marketing and quickly increased her responsibilities. To recognise all her hard work and achievements over the years, Ella has now been promoted to our Marketing and Development Director.

Speaking to Group Managing Director Andy, he says:

“Ella offers a “can do” approach and isn’t afraid to think outside the box, offering Advance TRS innovative and inspiring ideas to promote our services to clients and candidates alike. Professional, passionate, hardworking, and committed are all words that I and many will associate with Ella. She truly embodies our company values.”

Always looking to learn, develop and increase her skills, with an open mind to new ways of working, she has been part of an incredible journey with the company. In 2021, Ella was recognised for her exceptional performance in organising Advance TRS’ first executive Golf Day. The event saw C-suites of the rail industry come together for a day of healthy competition, networking and raise money for the charity Railway Children. It was a huge success and raised an incredible £18,000, as well as becoming a key event for the Rail Industry.

Ella now joins the Advance TRS Senior Leadership Team as Marketing and Development Director at a very exciting period for the company. She will not only increase her responsibility for directing the marketing of the business but will be instrumental in helping to lead the next exciting growth period for Advance TRS. With the opening of our London office, expansion of our South Coast and Guildford HQ and role out of our latest Managed Service framework, she will be a welcome addition to the Senior Leadership Team.

Please join us in congratulating her on a fantastic promotion and anniversary!

We’re Hiring!

Due to unprecedented demand, Advance TRS have job vacancies across all levels. From entry-level resources to senior recruitment consultants, we’re looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

Contact our Talent Acquisition Manager for a confidential conversation, or find out about our current opportunities.

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, Advance TRS are exploring male mental health and raising awareness of the importance of talking about your mental wellbeing.

In England, around one in eight men has a common mental health problem such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It’s hard to ignore the statistics, with suicide being a leading cause of death for men up to the age of forty. Three times as many men as women die by suicide.

So why do men struggle to open up about their mental health? Society’s expectations and gender roles may play a part in the difficulty to discuss or seek help for their troubles. Men were often encouraged to appear “manly” or not show their emotions, in control and a provider for the home. This stigma can cause men to suppress their emotions for fear of how they will be received.

It is also thought that men may be less able to recognise symptoms of mental health problems in themselves and unable to process the way they are feeling. Many might find themselves engaging in risky activities, picking fights and substance misuse to cope.

It is clear that more needs to be done to improve the reality that men are facing. So what can we do to support and encourage change? Several campaigns have recently emerged, encouraging men to talk about their mental health. To help break the stigma, be sure to check in on your colleagues, employees, friends, and family. Regularly ask how they are to show they have your support. As a result, this will open up the conversation for you to both discuss worries if necessary.

What is the industry doing to support mental health?

More than 25,000 railway staff have now been trained to identify and help vulnerable people, inside and outside of the rail network, thanks to a Samaritans’ partnership with Network Rail and the wider rail industry.

The charity also runs a Small Talk Saves Lives campaign in partnership with Network Rail and British Transport Police. The campaign aims to encourage the public to use the skills they already have by simply starting a conversation if they see someone who needs help. A little small talk and simple question can be all it takes to interrupt someone’s suicidal thoughts and help start them on the journey to recovery.

More and more construction businesses are also starting to see their staff’s mental health as a priority. Mates in Mind is a leading UK charity raising awareness and addressing poor mental health across industries, focusing on construction, as well as related sectors. They work in partnership with industry-leading organisations with the aim to break the silence surrounding mental ill-health.

Helpful resources

Charity Movember has a variety of great tools on how to have a conversation with someone you believe is struggling.

If you need someone to talk to then Samaritans are available on 116 123 (UK) for free, 24/7. They are there to talk to, listen and they won’t judge or tell you what to do.

C.A.L.M is a National helpline for men to talk about any troubles they are feeling. Call 0800 58 58 58 (UK). They are available from 5pm-midnight 365 days a year.

When you’re experiencing a mental health problem, supportive and reliable information can change your life. Mind mental health charity believes no one should have to face this alone. Infoline: 0300 123 3393.

For support when you’re struggling to cope, Text Shout to 85258. If you’re experiencing a personal crisis, are unable to cope and need support.

The Construction Industry Helpline provides a 24/7 safety net for all construction workers and their families in the UK and Ireland. Call their helpline on 0345 605 1956 (UK) or text HARDHAT to 85258 (UK). They also offer a free Helpline App, offering advice on a variety of conditions or issues, self- assessment tools, coping strategies and referral pathways to access expert advice and support.

Advance TRS

Advance TRS is a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly-skilled technical professionals for the built environment. 

We have appointed qualified Mental Health First Aiders to provide a first point of contact for our staff if needed. We also offer our a Wellbeing Hub, where confidential support via an EAP helpline can be accessed at any time.

From the very beginning our Group Managing Director Andy has nurtured a close family feel office culture, where colleagues work together, socialise and look out for each other.

We are always looking for new talented and ambitious people to join our team, across our offices and in sales, management or business services.

This year for the first time, Advance TRS are delighted to launch a summer internship for someone looking to develop their skills in social media representing a brand. As a Social Media Intern, you’ll work alongside our Marketing Executive and Marketing & Development Director on all social media content & creative strategy; making sure our business’s content is on-brand, reaching the right people, and converting them into candidates or new recruits for our growing team.

View the full job description or apply.

You’ll be working on core channels across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and supporting our LinkedIn strategy. So if you’re passionate about social media and content creation – then this is the role for you!

Ella Gardiner, our Marketing and Development Director began her career in marketing by completing a summer internship that lead to a permanent role and has never looked back. 

“After graduating from university I was unsure as to what steps to take to start my career in the professional world. I was fortunate enough to land an opportunity as a summer intern for a non-profit group and got stuck right in. It was a great way to get my first taste of office life after full-time education without too much pressure. After a number of weeks in the position, a permanent role became available and I was over the moon when my application was accepted.” 

Ella explains. 

“Although I had had part-time jobs in retail, child care and hospitality throughout my teens and university career, working in an office environment was a big adjustment and the internship was a great way for me to get adjusted, meet people and learn how I could best apply my skill set and experience to supporting a brands marketing strategy”. 

Ella has progressed her career since beginning in marketing and was recently promoted to Marketing and Development Director at the award-winning £30 million turnover company based in central Guildford. Since joining the business 6 years ago as Events and PR Coordinator, Ella has grown with the business and developed skills across the marketing, training, and development fields. 

“As our business continues to grow and the opportunity for our brand to be represented in new ways on new channels increases, this is a great time to extend this opportunity to someone looking to apply their skills to an established brand and have some creative fun too”. 

This year signifies a high growth period for the business, with a new office planned for central London and large intakes of new staff at both existing offices in Guildford and Port Solent, this is a great time to join the business with a number of significant marketing campaigns and events planned for the new Intern to get stuck into.

The Opportunity

The successful candidate will be;

  • Building & developing your own, and the company’s, approach to social media content. 
  • Applying original thought to create beautiful content for our channels.
  • Working on social media strategy and constantly optimising campaigns to achieve the absolute best results for the team, taking into account performance across different channels.
  • Assisting in the growth of our Influencer Marketing service. 
  • Planning & booking influencers to drive revenue for our clients.
  • Supporting the Marketing Executive to report on and analyse performance and engagement.

The ideal candidate will:

  • want to build a career in Social Media Marketing, and see yourself growing within a fast-growth agency.
  • be an enthusiastic & passionate person, who genuinely cares about your work and wants to do the absolute best you can.
  • be creative and have experience with creating content, and have the desire to continue growing those skills.
  • have strong organisational skills.
  • need to be curious and adaptable: it’s a fast-moving company and social advertising even more so, products change and adapt weekly and you must be happy with keeping up to date with changes and learning about how they may impact our output.

View the full job description or apply for our Summer Social Media Internship.

If this sounds like the perfect opportunity for you or someone you know, please have a look at what it’s like to work for Advance TRS, check out our company Instagram or contact Ella for more information. 

Our Group Operations Director Paul Merton has been with Advance TRS since its humble beginnings, joining just 6 months after it was founded. He is now celebrating 10 years with the company, and what a decade it has been.

Group MD and Founder Andy Ridout explains:

Paul was such a welcome addition to the team. Aside from being a good friend, he brought a wealth of experience and industry knowledge. In his time with the company, he has worked tirelessly to ensure we have solid systems, policies and procedures that provide the foundations to support the success and growth of Advance TRS.”

As our resident expert of legislation, Paul oversees the continual development of Advance TRS’s compliance and operational systems.

Our compliance procedures, regulations, accreditations, and client processes are essential. This gives clients and candidates the confidence that our systems are robust enough to support any service they require.

Today, our Marketing Consultant sits down with Paul to understand more about his time with Advance TRS and the last 10 years of working with a growing company.

How did you secure your role with Advance TRS?

I’ve actually known Andy for over 30 years and worked closely with him in rail recruitment for 12 years prior to Advance TRS. During my career I built up extensive knowledge within the Rail Telecommunications and Mechanical & Electrical sectors. I developed strong relationships and grew an excellent network of respected clients and candidates.

Once Andy started the business, he approached me and asked if I’d come on board. We share the same beliefs and values and had the same visions for what makes a successful business. We used our experiences to learn from what we had done previously, and implement this in what we would do going forward.

What made you pursue this career?

Well, I decided to join the business to support its growth. With my experience in rail, I knew what we needed to do to offer the best service, especially when it came to being compliant and legal. The role offered a great balance of my skills. Andy and I also had complementary skills that worked well together.

How has the business changed in the past decade?

It’s been fantastic. The business has seen incredible growth and continues to provide honest, reliable, and top-quality recruitment solutions. I think that’s part of the success of the business, that the values we implemented at the start, have been bought into by staff and maintained. They really believe in the service that we’ve always wanted to provide. Genuinely, the key part of the business is the people.

To be honest the job has also become more of a passion. I want to make sure that whatever we’re doing, we are doing to the best of our ability. I’m always looking for ways in which I can improve what we do.

Have you seen changes in the sector in the past 10 years?

Whilst there have been a lot of changes in legislation, compliance, policies etc, the service we provide and the sector we work in have all stayed fairly constant. Legislation, equality & diversity, environment & sustainability, modern slavery etc – none of that was as prolific 10-15 years ago when I was a recruiter as it is now. It is fantastic that we are now so focused on these factors in both our own employment activities as well as our service provision, however change takes time and have to be administered carefully to ensure everyone understands the need and buys into it.

The business continues to evolve, as do our sectors. We’re providing services to more and more sectors, headed up by fantastic sector experts like Rob Kelly and Matt Bray. However, at the heart of it all are the same beliefs and values Andy and I have from 10 years ago.

What would you say is your greatest professional achievement so far?

I’d have to say it doesn’t necessarily come down to one project or one moment, but where the business is today is such an achievement. The fact we have a team of people that are so dedicated and committed to the business and their role within their team as a whole, is very rewarding. I feel so fortunate to be part of it. All that dedication plays a huge part in our qualifications, certifications etc, I can’t take responsibility for that on a personal level. The whole team contributes to our successes. 10 years ago, I could never have imagined we’d be where we are today!

What challenges have you faced in the last 10 years?

The challenges have changed over the years. A decade ago, it was the challenge of being a new company, trying to go out into the market and present yourself as a new brand. We had to get clients to buy into the company, not just myself or Andy and our experience. Luckily, we made sure a lot of our systems, IT infrastructure etc was scalable so that helped us a lot as we grew. COVID-19 was one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced, but our IT systems all being online meant we could switch from office to home working within 24 hours.

As the years go by everything becomes easier, but the challenges of growth then develop in other ways.

The other challenge is always staying one step ahead. As Group Operations Director, it’s my job to make sure the company runs smoothly and try to anticipate anything that might throw that.

What has been the key to a successful career with Advance?

I think it comes down to my belief in the business and the service we provide. I’ve always worked in a customer-facing role, so I know that if the business is stable from a legal/compliance/systems aspect, it can support our teams to deliver the best service to clients and candidates.

It always comes down to offering the best services, so I know I need to do whatever I can to make sure that happens.

Do you have any advice/words of wisdom for new starters or people entering the recruitment industry?

There is no part of this business that can operate as a sole entity, we’re all part of the chain and each person, department etc plays a vital role in that. We want each person to come on board and be part of the journey. I would advise new starters to take responsibility for their job role. As the company continues to grow, everybody has an opportunity to grow in their role, to flourish and be the best version of themselves. If you take pride in your own role, it helps you to develop. We reward success so we’re really looking for people who are determined, driven, and wanting to succeed.

Any final words?

It’s a never-ending job! It doesn’t matter what I do, there will always be something new, something different or something we can do better. Even now I’m constantly learning new things, it’s a very varied role. I feel so privileged to be where I am today, bring on the next 10 years!

Why Advance TRS?

As a rapidly growing recruitment business, 2022 is an exciting time to kick-start your career with Advance TRS. We have fantastic opportunities available across all levels, from entry-level resourcers to senior recruitment consultants. As recruiters we understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to a successful business.

For a confidential chat, contact our Talent Acquisition Manager Jessica Wells on 07432 356 750, email or connect on LinkedIn. Alternatively, head to our job search page to view all our latest vacancies.

This October our Director of Client Services & Rail Signalling, Sam Jennings will be taking part in Railway Children’s Ride Vietnam Challenge. 

Please support Sam to raise money for this excellent cause and donate via his JustGiving page

As a novice cyclist, Sam will be confronting a challenging 450km cycle across 7 days in 30 degrees, on a (barely used) bike! 

“Having never previously ridden a bike without balancing a child on the back, it seemed like a great opportunity to take on a huge personal challenge and raise money that will go to support some of the most vulnerable children in the world” shares Sam. 

The trip itself will see Sam spend between six and eight hours in the saddle each day, travelling across waterways and plantations on unpaved and dusty roads, slightly different surfaces to the hills he will be training on but all part of the challenge for a true bike novice!

Throughout the summer Sam will be up early and home late, trying to fit the training in and around family and working life, with 1,250 miles of training to be done before he even flies out. 

Sam will be keeping us up to date with regular updates from his training and welcomes offers for anyone to join him on a training ride! Get in touch if you would like to join Sam on a ride.

Sam has previously completed the London Marathon raising over £2,500 for Action for Children but is a complete newbie to the world of cycling and hoping to make the challenge worth whilst by beating his previous total. Donate via his JustGiving page

Giving Back 

Since Advance TRS was established in 2011, advancing less fortunate people has always been a central motivator for founder Andy Ridout and the Advance TRS team. To date, our staff have raised over £65,000 for charities completing an incredible array of personal challenges to raise money and awareness for those less fortunate. Find out more. 

Railway Children 

Advance TRS has been a long term supporter and partner of Railway Children and the Rail Aid campaign. Railway Children is an international children’s charity that funds rescue workers and street teams that seek out vulnerable children living on the streets before potential abusers get to them first. Our staff have completed a number of challenges to raise money and awareness for the charity including Three Peaks By Rail, Three Ironman’s, a trek up Kilimanjaro and to Everest Base Camp.  

Looking for a new challenge? 

We are always looking for talented new staff to join the Advance TRS team. Advance TRS offers a supportive environment to help you to be the best you can be and reach your career goals as part of our team, whether you are an established recruiter or just starting out on your journey. With access to the biggest clients in each market sector, a strongly networked and experienced Senior Leadership Team and great compensation, at Advance TRS we can help people grow and succeed as the company does the same. Find out about our current opportunities or contact Jess Wells, our Talent Acquisition Manager for a more detailed and confidential conversation. 

Follow Sam’s journey on our Instagram

Celebrating the achievements of women in recruitment

International Women’s Day celebrates the achievements of women and marks a call to action to accelerate women’s equality. Today, it is fighting to #BreakTheBias, advocating a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equal, and inclusive. So what is life like for women in recruitment?

We sit down with our Client Services Delivery Manager Louise to discuss her experiences and achievements as a woman in the recruitment industry. Her role involves headhunting experienced candidates and developing a good understanding of client companies and their industry, to best understand their assignments. She builds and nurtures strong relationships with our clients to swiftly source the best candidates.

With over 9 years’ recruitment experience, she has a proven track record in the sector. She understands the importance and impact of building strong relationships with client account representatives for the company.

When did you first consider pursuing this career?

Quite early on in my career, my employer suggested I transfer my original role into a more sales-based one. I found I really enjoyed the work, and it came quite naturally to me. This made me consider what I can achieve if I take this full-time.

I didn’t initially intend to go into the built environment sector, but after securing my first recruitment role in the industry I found it really interesting and enjoyed working with engineers. I’ve spent a long time working in a sales environment, I enjoy working with people and very target driven. This became something that I wanted to pursue further. So I then found a position at Advance TRS and the rest is history as they say!

What was your experience of entering the industry?

I was aware that I was entering quite a male-dominated role and sector, but I’ve never had any issues. I enjoy the competitive nature of recruitment and like the challenge of proving what I can do. I’ve never felt out of my depth, in fact, it’s helped pushed me to achieve more than I could think possible.

How important was diversity and inclusivity when you were job searching?

To be honest, I didn’t really consider it or find myself thinking about it, but in a way, I think this is a positive thing? I never felt like being a woman made things challenging or caused a barrier in creating a career for myself. I also feel like I make more of an impact. Yes, I am sometimes competing with men in the sector, but I’m able to prove that I am competent, provide value, ambitious and just as capable.

WomenInRecruitment, an initiative by APSCO, produced a report in Spring 2020 which found over two thirds of recruitment firms have more than 50% female representation and support staff level. Two-fifths have more than 50% female representation at recruitment/resourcer level.

The report also found that a third of recruitment firms have less than 5% female representation at board level. Whilst another third has between 21-50%.

What would you say is your greatest professional achievement so far?

I think there are a few accomplishments that I’m proud of. Firstly, when I achieved entry to the Millionaire’s Club, £1 million in billings in my time for Advance TRS. I was the first female to achieve this for the business so feel proud to be paving the way.

I also brought on board a new client to Advance TRS who have since become one of our top grossing clients. So this is quite an achievement. Finally, hiring during the pandemic and securing over 100 permanent hires for one client. Considering we were in lockdown and recruiting under very challenging circumstances, it was very rewarding to accomplish that.

How would you describe your experience of being a woman in your industry?

In general, I don’t feel there is much disparity. I have on occasion witnessed gender bias, with certain words and phrases used that wouldn’t have been said to a man. However, the industry overall is very understanding of equality and diversity. I don’t feel that being a woman has created any barriers or hindrances in my career. You just need to find your voice and have confidence in your abilities, back yourself!

Have you been given any advice that has helped shape your career?

One piece of advice I received regarding recruitment specifically is “ride the wave.” With the nature of recruitment there are highs and lows, but I was taught to just persevere and keep going. When things are going well it’s incredibly rewarding, so you’ve got to remind yourself of that when going through a low point.

Do you have any female role models that have encouraged you in your career?

A lot of the candidates I work with are very inspiring. I’ve supported a lot of women in getting a new opportunity, some in quite senior positions. When you’ve heard their story, their background and helped them through the process, it’s so rewarding to see them succeed. The dedication that some of these women have to their career and sector is amazing, and I feel so proud when they secure their next job.

Based on your experience, what advice would you give to women considering a career in your sector?

For a woman considering a career in the recruitment industry, be confident and don’t be afraid to speak up! Be your biggest supporter. In recruitment, you do have to be quite driven and versatile but have courage in your work. As the saying goes “She believed she could so she did.”

Why Advance TRS?

At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The diversity of our workforce is an essential part of our success. As such, we are committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all.

We are a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly skilled technical professionals for the built environment. We provide permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions to both candidates and clients across several key technical sectors including rail, construction and water & environment services.

Since establishing in 2011, the company has shown remarkable growth, delivering MSPs and RPOs for some of the biggest businesses in the built environment. The team continue to work closely together to deliver honest, reliable solutions to clients and candidates.

Celebrating the achievements of women across the built environment industry

Tuesday 8th March 2022 marks International Women’s Day, a day that celebrates the achievements of women and marks a call to action to accelerate women’s equality. International Women’s Day has been marked for over a century, with the first gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. Today, it belongs to all groups everywhere, not country, group, or organisation specific.

This year’s theme is #BreakTheBias, advocating a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equal, and inclusive.

Today we sit down with two of our successfully placed female candidates. Both have found placements within the rail sector as Specialist Consultants and Safety Assurance Engineers. They’ve spoken to us about their experiences and achievements in their chosen fields.

When did you first consider pursuing this career?

Nicky – Well I didn’t really plan on doing this career. A friend sent through a short-term opportunity which was so interesting. I found I met most of the criteria they were looking for, apart from sector knowledge/experience. Using an agency like Advance TRS helped me see that I had transferrable skills that I could use across sectors. Their knowledge gave me the confidence in my capabilities when I couldn’t see them myself, which was really encouraging.

Ria – I’ve actually been in the rail sector for 12+ years now. Originally, I was working in the aviation and maritime industry, but then offered a new opportunity when my company moved offices. I felt this was quite a good move to make, I had skills that could be transferred across, just had to learn more about the rail industry and technical aspects.

What was your experience of entering the industry?

Nicky – It was good. I found the industry and people very welcoming and didn’t feel like there were any barriers holding me back.

Ria – Generally very smooth sailing. Early on in my career as a junior it could get a bit intimidating being the only woman and have your voice heard, but on the whole, there were never any hindrances.

What made you want to pursue/continue with this career choice?

Nicky – I enjoyed the prospect of being challenged by something new, it was a good opportunity. The scale of projects is interesting; you’re involved in something that is there for years to come. I feel rewarded knowing that I’m making a difference to people’s lives, or making their journeys easier. I also get to work with world class engineers, highly specialised in their roles and incredibly knowledgeable, it’s very fulfilling work.

How important is diversity and inclusivity when you are job searching?

Nicky – This is always at the top of my list. We all have different circumstances, situations, backgrounds etc and the industry needs to be, and generally is, very understanding of that. It’s so important to feel part of a diverse workplace, where you can be heard, no matter what your experiences, or where you are with your life or career.

Ria – At the start of my career it wasn’t something I really thought about, however I was aware that I was one of very few women, and the only woman of colour. In recent job searches I am more aware of it and have noticed a lot of progress, lots more inclusion/diversity. However, I have still seen instances where for example a job description is written in the male pronoun, using “he”.

STEM Women have compiled an in-depth Whitepaper that explored students’ and graduates’ attitudes towards gender issues that are prevalent within STEM.

The report found that from 2019 to 2021, the percentage of respondents that see diversity initiatives as extremely or very important when accepting job offers rose from 74% in 2019, to 83% in 2020 and 89% in 2021.

From 2019 to 2021, the number of respondents who said that the gender balance of a company would influence whether they would accept a job offer rose from 54% to 67%, that’s an increase of 13%.

What would you say is your greatest professional achievement so far?

Nicky – I’ve been very fortunate to work on several ground-breaking campaigns, introducing new technologies, working with amazing teams and clients. Even though I might have played a small part in the project, it’s so rewarding to see the result and know you’ve been a part of that. Balancing work and family life is also something I feel proud of.

Ria – Completing my master’s degree in Railway Systems Engineering & Integration. I completed this whilst working full time, studying part-time and expecting my first child. It was a lot to take on but brought a lot of value and additional knowledge that I didn’t have before.

How would you describe your experience of being a woman in your industry?

Nicky – While diversity and gender balance are improving, engineering is still a male dominated sector and you’re sometimes aware that you are working in an environment where you are the minority. However, I’ve never had any negative experiences or felt like being a woman is an issue. I’ve seen a big improvement in equality and more women are coming into the industry. There are many opportunities for women to enter and it’s good to see a greater variety of roles beyond engineering. This includes senior roles, management roles and apprenticeships.

Ria – It’s never felt like a barrier. You have to find your voice and fight for what you believe in, not afraid to say how you feel. I do feel like my degree has helped empower me and prove to people that I do know what I’m talking about.

STEM’s report also found that in 2021, 57% of respondents said they had suffered from or experienced imposter syndrome. Many highlighted that this arose from feeling like the ‘odd one out.’ To read the full article click here.

Have you been given any advice that has helped shape your career?

Nicky – As early as possible, find your niche. If you can find something you enjoy doing, get really good at doing it. It took me a while to understand what that means/what that is but try anything! Don’t be afraid to try different things to narrow down what it is that you’re looking for. Also, take opportunities when they present themselves, until you try – you don’t know.

Ria – I don’t think there has been any specific advice, but I did have a mentor that really supported me. She helped me navigate and overcome challenges that I was having and encouraged me in recognising my achievements. Sometimes it’s hard to recognise these in yourself but she really saw the best in me. It’s hard to explain the value and impact this had on my career.

Do you have any female role models that have encouraged you in your career?

Nicky – Yes, I have a strong network of men and women and I’ve received some great advice from them throughout my life and career. I always listen carefully and learn from them – to take on board their suggestions and advice and carry it forward in what I do. It’s important to welcome and consider any feedback you receive – from everyone.

Ria – I’ve got a good friend who’s a chartered engineer in a senior role. She’s also a mum of 2 so it’s really inspiring to see someone else managing both career and motherhood. It helps me recognise what I can achieve myself. I also think having a female support network around you is so important. Having people looking out for you and wanting the best for you is really encouraging.

Based on your experience, what advice would you give to women considering a career in your sector?

Nicky – You must find your voice, find confidence in what you do and how you do it. In this sector you’ve got to be quite versatile and be able to think on your feet. Do what you can to get as much experience behind you as possible, so you’ll feel more confident and able to succeed. Create a support network. Build your own personal brand! There are many opportunities, go for it!

Ria – It’s a globally growing industry, with many projects starting up. This sector needs female intelligence, the way we think and being able to provide a different perspective. Believe in yourself and challenge yourself, don’t be afraid to go for it – take a chance!

Why Advance TRS?

At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The diversity of our workforce is an essential part of our success. As such, we are committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all.

We are a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly skilled technical professionals for the built environment. We provide permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions to both candidates and clients across several key technical sectors including rail, construction and water & environment services.

Since its establishment in 2011, the company has shown remarkable growth, delivering MSPs and RPOs for some of the biggest businesses in the built environment. The team continue to work closely together to deliver honest, reliable solutions to clients and candidates.

Take a look at our job board for our latest vacancies.

Delivering premium quality solutions for the technical engineer sector

Tam Shahid is a Delivery Project Manager, Water Environment & Infrastructure Team. He joined Advance TRS in November 2020, specialising in the delivery process for Senior Consultants. Tam generates suitable candidates to match client requirements/expectations.

Group MD and Founder Andy Ridout explains:

“Tam is an absolute asset to the company. In his time with us, he has mastered the complexity and skill required to deliver exemplary service to both clients and candidates. Tam project manages the assignments from our clients and supports our consultants throughout the process. Having the knowledge, expertise, and skillset to source and deliver niche engineering specialists. He provides our clients with an efficient and top quality service, something Advance TRS is recognised for.”

Tam provides bespoke support to our Port Solent based Water and Environment team. The team offer an expert focus and quality recruitment service to both clients and candidates in the sector. They consistently meet and exceed expectations. As a well-respected and effective recruitment partner, the team deliver results time and time again. They offer services for a range of public and private sector clients across the UK. These include consultancies, contractors, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). They place exceptional talent in permanent, contract and interim roles.

In his time in the role, Tam has assisted in the development of a dynamic and efficient delivery function within the team. He is capable of supporting the sales function across market verticals. Tam truly understands the calibre of staff required for our business to thrive.

Today our Marketing Consultants sit down with Tam and his Director to understand more about the role Tam plays in driving the Port Solent office’s success and growth.

So, Tam, what led you to this career?

I started working from the age of 16 part-time within retail, whilst studying full-time. Once I graduated from the University of Portsmouth, I was looking for a change in direction from Retail and came across Recruitment. I saw this as an opportunity to expand on my skills in areas such as communication, time management, persuasion, multi-tasking etc. It also meant I could learn new skills, and learn about the specified markets.

What made you take the job at Advance TRS?

Advance TRS are a growing company and has a clear vision for the future. The company and colleagues I work with have specialist knowledge that enables you to progress in this role. Having previously worked with Rob Kelly at another company, I was managed and trained by him to a high level, so this also drew me to the role. I was excited to be contributing and be part of it all!

How has your role developed since you joined the company?

Initially, I was asked to carry out a Senior Delivery role where I would generate candidates, working on live jobs, advertising roles, writing adverts etc. My role has since developed, and my responsibilities now include supporting internal recruitment. I also project manage the growth of the delivery team, train and develop new staff and provide regular reports on the delivery output. The managing director has approved training to gain my APMP qualification, to become a qualified project manager and progress my role even further.

In what way does your role assist your colleagues and the company?

My role helps support the Senior Sales team workload, allowing them to focus on other key areas and ease some of their work pressures. The process involved contributes to increasing our company’s reputation. We provide a more thorough and polished search, ensuring we are covering all markets and sourcing that ideal candidate for our clients. My experience within the role means I’ve developed a good understanding of the candidates I’ve spoken to, their skills, qualifications, responsibilities etc.

When a client presents us with a role, I’m able to deliver someone suitable and who meets the requirements. Unlike other consultants, I don’t specialise in one area, or one job role. I’ve worked on a broad range of different roles and built a knowledge and understanding based on the job specification and the candidates. Each time we successfully fill a role, it increases our reputation and generates a flow of further work from the clients.

What complexities do you find with this role?

As with the nature of recruitment, it’s always tough when you lose out on a candidate. There may be a number of reasons why they may have rejected a job offer but through experience, you learn when to be persuasive with someone, when you need to be persistent and when you need to be patient. It can sometimes be challenging trying to juggle multiple job roles, so the ability to multitask and be organised is key. You have to learn to prioritise the most important task.

What have been some of your biggest successes?

Since joining the team in November 2020 I have helped contribute to 31 placements for the business. I continually support the business with the growth of the delivery team.

If you are interested in learning from Tam and finding out how you can pursue a career in Delivery, we are always hiring. Find out more about our current opportunities here (https://www.advance-trs.com/about/careers-at-advance/)

Rob Kelly, our Water & Infrastructure Director works closely with Tam throughout the recruitment process. He explains the vital role Tam plays in supporting the candidates and meeting our clients’ requirements.

How would you describe the benefits of having Tam in his role?

Tam co-ordinates between our sales function and candidate delivery function. His role ensures an excellent experience for the candidates, developing a rapport with them throughout the entire hiring process. He has likely pre-interviewed and pre-referenced a volume of candidates and assessed their suitability prior to jobs being advertised by our clients. This provides clients with a more efficient, pro-active service and means we are able to quickly source appropriate candidates. This gives us and our clients an edge over competitors and puts us at the forefront of recruitment.

If you’re interested in joining our team, or viewing our latest sector vacancies, please visit our website https://www.advance-trs.com/jobs. Alternatively, you can speak to one of our dedicated team on 01483 361 061.


Why Advance TRS?

Advance TRS is a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly skilled technical professionals for the built environment. We provide permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions to both candidates and clients across several key technical sectors including rail, construction and water & environment services.

Since its establishment in 2011, the company has shown remarkable growth, delivering MSPs and RPOs for some of the biggest businesses in the built environment. The team continue to work closely together to deliver honest, reliable solutions to clients and candidates.

As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and map out potential routes of progression within the company.

As 2021 draws to a close, the Advance TRS team have been reflecting on what has been another memorable year. Whilst Covid-19 has still created challenges, the markets have continued to flourish, and the team remained motivated in providing an excellent service to clients and candidates.

Celebrating our 10 year anniversary has allowed the team to look back on our incredible growth and look forward to exciting times ahead. In the final part of our 3-part blog series, we discuss this with Founder and Managing Director Andy Ridout.

Where do you want the company to be in the next few months/years?

Andy: In the immediate future we just want to re-engage with clients face to face, rather than via zoom or teams. Whilst these tools have been a saving grace in the last 2 years, there’s nothing better than sitting down together and sharing thoughts, ambitions etc. Personal interaction has always been a key driver for the business, so we can’t wait to get back out there.

In the next 12-18 months we’re hoping to see things improve even further with the pandemic. We’ll remain understanding of our clients wants and needs to help them stabilise in a post-pandemic world. Understandably our clients are catching up on project that had been delayed during Covid. However, we’re on hand to help deliver suitable candidates and provide support.

Longer term, we want to expand on what we’re already doing. We’ve got a great team, with expertise and knowledge in their sectors, and an established client base. We plan on improving the communication we have with our clients and keeping them up to date with what we’re doing, the services we’re providing etc. It would also be nice to see us expanding into other markets such as renewables, power and nuclear.

What are the plans for South Coast (& other locations)?

Andy: The south coast have been smashing their targets, outperforming in every area. They are doing such a fantastic job, that we can speed up our plans of growth for the office. We hope to enter the new year with additional staff there, and in the rest of the business. Bringing with them a host of knowledge and experience to expand and strengthen the teams.

We’re also looking to open a new office in London and aiming for a greater presence in the area. The opportunity to attract a different portfolio of recruitment consultants and clients will help take the company to new heights!

So, why join Advance TRS?

Since establishing, our team have managed to deliver year-on-year growth and organic expansion of services, sectors, staff and offices. This is a track record we are very proud of and are keen to continue.

Looking forward to 2022 it’s looking to be an exciting and challenging year. Our team are motivated and driven to support the growth of the business. All whilst maintaining our values and delivering exceptional service to our clients and candidates.

To join our team, just click the link below and apply today!

https://www.advance-trs.com/about/careers-at-advance/

Despite the challenges of 2021, the Advance TRS team have had some big celebrations as the company reached an incredible 10-year milestone. From its humble beginnings in 2011, Advance TRS has shown remarkable growth. It has gone from a £0 to a £25m turnover business, delivering MSPs and RPOs for some of the biggest businesses in the built environment. To this day the team work closely with clients and candidates to provide honest, reliable, and top-quality recruitment solutions.

In the second part of our blog series, we sit down with Andy, Founder and Group Managing Director, to discuss the company today and what makes Advance TRS different.

Where is the business currently?

Andy: Right now, we are very established. Each sector has developed a strong client base and recognised recruiters that have a deep understanding of their sectors, from both the client and candidates. They have learnt what the clients expectations and requirements are, plus what a candidate wants, and needs. We offer a professional service and expert advice to our clients. With this critical client base, we can operate fantastic recruitment solutions.

The pandemic, the general election and Brexit have all had a knock-on effect to the recruitment market. This has been challenging at times, however, we have not let this slow us down. We stayed motivated and worked hard, no matter what the circumstances. The markets are recovering well and now picking up pace on projects or programmes that had been delayed during the challenging period. This creates a greater need for us to deliver suitable candidates and help catch up on any delays.

The future is looking very exciting for Advance TRS! We’re expanding geographically and aiming for a greater presence in London. This would give us the opportunity to attract a different portfolio of recruitment consultants. We can offer a greater service, with even more experience and knowledgeable people.

What makes Advance TRS different?

Andy: Despite being a SME business we are running two successful offices and looking to open a third. We are committed to delivering our service in a responsible, safe, and sustainable way. From our environmental footprint to site-based health and safety, and from legal compliance to giving back to local communities, our attention to detail and dedication to delivering a quality service rings true throughout everything we do.

From the beginning, staff wellbeing and company values have been highly important to me. I’ve tried to nurture a close office culture, where colleagues work together and look out for each other. It is a culture we work hard to protect and continue, so finding the right people for the company is just as important as finding the right people for the job. By collaborating in a friendly, open office, we work together to deliver the best possible service for our customers.

Advancing those less fortunate has also been a central motivator for me and the Advance TRS team. To date, our staff have raised over £65,000 for charities, completing an incredible array of personal challenges to raise money and awareness for those less fortunate.

So, why join Advance?

As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

Working with our experienced training and development team, you’ll develop your skills and abilities even further to ensure you reach your maximum potential in your role. We also have a company intranet, with online training courses available for your own progress.

As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. Check out our website to find out more and contact us today!

https://www.advance-trs.com/about/careers-at-advance/

Do you need an up-to-date CV? Remember your CV represents you to your future employer. Your employer wants to know why they should hire you and not any of the other applicants. So, how do you make your CV and experience stand out? Here are some top tips from our team that you need to think about when writing your CV.

Register on our website to get access to free CV template downloads, and other helpful resources. 

Presentation

When structuring your CV, remember employers see lots of applications for each role, so if yours doesn’t make the right information easily accessible it will go straight to the bottom of the pile. The simpler it looks, the easier it is to read.

  • Invest time to tailor your personal summary specifically for the job you are applying for. This is your primary opportunity to highlight your strengths and previous successes
  • Follow on from this with your qualifications
  • Keep the font to one standard type and size
  • Don’t begin each sentence with ‘I’. Unfortunately, it is not the way to create a compelling CV
  • Keep your education and job history in chronological order. It makes sense to put the most recent achievement or job at the top of the list as this is what the employer is interested in

Be truthful

Noting down truthful experience is essential. If you feel that you have to add in an experience you haven’t completed, this job is not for you! Note down all experience you think is related to the job you are wanting to apply for and you will find the perfect employer who wants to invest in you.

Employment history

Keep this short and sweet. Employers don’t need to know every job you’ve had throughout your life. If you think, on average, 50 people apply for every job on the market. If those 50 people all have 8 paged CVs, the employer will quickly become disinterested in reading through all of that information. Save the long explanations of your employment for your interview. Just note the job role, the company and the dates you worked there and add a little bit more information on what you’ve done in your most recent roles.

Check, check and check again – no typos!

Checking your spelling and grammar is essential. You might want to ask someone to look over your work as well as using spell check and looking up any words you’re unsure of!

TOP TIP!
Why not check out some brilliant spelling and grammar checkers to improve your writing? We particularly like Grammarly.

Make your CV role specific

Make sure you tailor your CV to suit the job you’re applying for. It’s very tempting to try to cut corners with a generic ‘one size fits all’ CV, but it is unlikely you’ll get away with it. Always read the role’s exact requirements and re-word your CV accordingly. This will involve you doing your research so you know exactly what the employer is looking for, it may take a bit of effort, but if it puts you one step closer to your dream job so it’s well worth it!

Once you are convinced that your CV meets all the job criteria and portrays you in the best possible way you are ready to search and apply!

Take a look at our Advance Advice for more help with CVs, interview preparation, and all things relating to your job search!

This September the Advance TRS team celebrates the recruitment agency’s remarkable 10-year milestone, as they gear up for some well-deserved anniversary celebrations in London at the end of the month.

In the past decade, the business has shown incredible growth, starting as a one-man band and turning into a £25m business. Founder and Group Managing Director Andy Ridout employs some of the industry’s most knowledgeable recruitment experts who provide a 5-star service to both clients and candidates. 

In this 3-part blog series, Andy tells us what sparked the idea of setting up the business, where he sees the company going in the coming months and years and reveals some exciting plans. 

Andy, what motivated you to start your own recruitment business 10 years ago and what was your vision?

Andy: I come from a recruitment background. Prior to setting up Advance TRS, I had already spent 25 years being a leading recruitment expert in the built environment. I saw a lot of poor quality service that barely scratched the surface, so I wanted to offer a service that really focused on quality over quantity, building close relationships with clients, getting a deep technical understanding of their needs to be able to find the top-quality talent they’re looking for.

I also knew I wanted it to be a multi-sector business within the built environment to enable us to cross-sell skill sets and opportunities that would complement each other.

How has the business changed in the past decade? 

Andy: In the beginning, I knew we needed to build a good reputation, establish our presence on the market and deliver what we said we would, to the high-quality standards we had set ourselves. Being such a small team at the beginning, it wasn’t always easy but we worked hard and it paid off. 

In no time at all Advance TRS started attracting top sector experts into the business, seasoned recruiters who know their industries and who live by the same values we had set for ourselves. And there’s no end in sight! We continue to grow and recruit new team members who bring the right ethos and drive. 

These fantastic individuals have been integral in driving the business forward. Our grown Guildford and South Coast teams are stronger than ever and we’re ready to take the business to the next level.

Why Advance TRS?

As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them, mapping out potential routes of progression within the company.

Our dedication to creating a fantastic working environment was recognised at the 2018 Toast of Surrey Business Awards when we were announced as Employer of the Year and Leadership Team of the Year.

As well as a competitive salary, you’ll also be able to take advantage of our fantastic benefits package including; Discounts and Perks, Private Pension Plan, Team Building & Incentives (Climb the O2, powerboat down the Thames or enjoy a night out on the company. We ensure hard work and dedication is rightly rewarded), Break Out Room, Private Health Insurance, Uncapped Commission, Life Assurance, and Workplace Wellbeing program. 

Check out our website to find out more and contact us today!

Railtex is returning this year and will be held at the Birmingham NEC from 7th to 9th September. It is joining forces with Infrarail to form the ultimate show for the rail industry.

From 7th until 9th September, our specialist consultants will be on hand to discuss upcoming projects, career progression opportunities or resourcing frustrations. If you have something you would like to discuss, look out for the Advance TRS lanyards and say hello to our recruitment experts.

Make sure not to miss out by registering for your free ticket now. 

Stuck in the wrong role, coming to the end of a contract or simply looking for a change?

Our expert consultants will be available to discuss current and future career opportunities in signalling, electrification, telecoms, civils and much more. With huge infrastructure investments spurring thousands of new job vacancies across the rail industry, there has never been a better time to consider your career options.

Looking for highly-skilled rail staff to help take your project to the next level? Talk to the experts.

We appreciate the challenges in identifying and attracting suitable candidates with the required expertise, technical skills and leadership capabilities to help drive your projects forward.

With over 60% of our contractors working in a safety-critical environment, we specialise in the provision of highly-skilled technical professionals providing a premier recruitment service that is unrivalled throughout the industry.

Find out more about the first annual Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid

This year Railway Children and Advance TRS have teamed up to create the first annual Advance TRS Golf Day for Rail Aid, held at the prestigious Belfry Hotel & Resort. This day brings together industry leaders for some healthy competition, networking and most importantly to raise money for the Rail Aid campaign.

We still have some exciting sponsorship packages available, so if you would like to get involved and support this event in aid of vulnerable children, speak to our colleagues or contact us by emailing marketing@advance-trs.com.

We look forward to seeing you at Railtex!

During the Covid pandemic, a large proportion of the UK public lost their jobs due to businesses having to cut costs and save wherever they could. In addition to that, many young people graduate from university each year and it can be challenging to find a job.

We are a rapidly growing recruitment business always looking for motivated individuals to join our team! In this two-part blog series, we have spoken to some of our colleagues about how they got into recruitment and whether they felt that their experience of having gone to university helped them in their job.

In this week’s post, we find out more from Water & Infrastructure Director Rob and his colleague Alex, Principal Consultant on the Advance TRS water team.

If you haven’t read part 1, you can find it here.

What is your degree? 

Rob: I studied Environmental Science at the University of Southampton.

Alex: I went to the University of Portsmouth and have got a BA (Hons) in Architecture.

How did you get into recruitment? 

Rob: At the time, I went to a careers fair where I met a graduate recruiter. He was working at the business I later joined, so it all went from there. 

Alex: My first child was born the day before I started my third year at University. Whilst this focused my mind to complete the third year I decided that I needed to start earning good money to provide for my family. Staying in architecture would have meant a further one to two years in a work placement, followed by another year to complete a Masters Degree which would have meant struggling financially. My best friend’s mum was the HR Director at a big recruitment firm at the time and I had heard that there was good money to be made in recruitment. Whilst having a fairly quiet disposition and not being a typical ‘salesperson’, I did have bucket loads of drive and determination so I thought I’d give it a shot.

How has your degree and going to uni helped you in your career?

Rob: My degree included units on key water and environmental management and engineering sectors so I have a good understanding of lots of the key components which I recruit for. Having a broad understanding of the technical aspects allowed me to focus on learning the nuts and bolts of recruitment and was definitely an advantage.

Alex: The experience of university helped in my overall maturity and built my confidence in communicating with a variety of people. It also helped to instil and build various characteristics including drive, commitment, persistence, determination, work ethic, listening skills, initiative and innovation. Having good knowledge of architecture and the built environment helped me to adapt to recruiting within the civil engineering design sector as I already had an understanding of various aspects of the design & build process.

Why Advance TRS?

As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them, mapping out potential routes of progression within the company.

Our dedication to creating a fantastic working environment was recognised at the 2018 Toast of Surrey Business Awards when we were announced as Employer of the Year and Leadership Team of the Year.

As well as a competitive salary, you’ll also be able to take advantage of our fantastic benefits package including; Discounts and Perks, Private Pension Plan, Team Building & Incentives (Climb the O2, powerboat down the Thames or enjoy a night out on the company. We ensure hard work and dedication is rightly rewarded), Break Out Room, Private Health Insurance, Uncapped Commission, Life Assurance, and Workplace Wellbeing program. 

Check out our website to find out more and contact us today!

During the Covid pandemic, a large proportion of the UK public lost their jobs due to businesses having to cut costs and save wherever they could. In addition to that, many young people graduate from university each year and it can be challenging to find a job.

We are a rapidly growing recruitment business always looking for motivated individuals to join our team! In this two-part blog series, we have spoken to some of our colleagues about how they got into recruitment and whether they felt that their experience of having gone to university helped them in their job.

In this week’s article, we spoke to Client Services and Rail Signalling Director Sam and his colleague Josh, Principal Consultant on the Advance TRS rail team.

What did you study? 

Sam: I went to the University of Winchester where I studied Sports Management combined with Business Administration.

Josh: I studied BA in Law and Business Management at Keele University.

How did you get into recruitment? 

Sam: A friend of a friend knew of some recruitment vacancies at a business in Twyford, the same company Advance TRS Founder and Group MD Andy Ridout and Operations Director Paul Merton worked for at the time. I didn’t hesitate and applied; there was high earnings potential and great opportunities for career progression. I also enjoy working with people which, as a recruiter, you do on a daily basis.

Josh: A friend of mine ran a recruitment company and I did some work for him while I was at uni. I liked the work and the fast-paced, competitive environment that comes with recruitment and it all went from there.

How has the experience of going to uni helped you in your career? 

Sam: It has certainly taught me discipline and what it means to work hard, which have been really valuable traits working in recruitment. 

Josh: Yes, to the extent it helps with being thorough in what you do and not take things at face value, which in recruitment can lead to issues down the line. It helps with discipline in terms of covering things off and not letting issues stay live.

Why Advance TRS?

As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them, mapping out potential routes of progression within the company.

Our dedication to creating a fantastic working environment was recognised at the 2018 Toast of Surrey Business Awards when we were announced as Employer of the Year and Leadership Team of the Year.

As well as a competitive salary, you’ll also be able to take advantage of our fantastic benefits package including; Discounts and Perks, Private Pension Plan, Team Building & Incentives (Climb the O2, powerboat down the Thames or enjoy a night out on the company. We ensure hard work and dedication is rightly rewarded), Break Out Room, Private Health Insurance, Uncapped Commission, Life Assurance, and Workplace Wellbeing program. 

Check out our website to find out more or contact us!

Created by The Women’s Engineering Society (WES), 23rd June 2021 marks International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), the only day in the calendar that celebrates women in engineering and similar professions.

According to WES, latest figures show that just under 13% of the engineering workforce is female. INWED gives women engineers around the world a profile when they are still hugely under-represented in their professions. It plays a vital role in encouraging more girls and young women to take up engineering careers.

In 2020 the International Women in Engineering Day Twitter campaign recorded a potential impact of 103 million, with the official #INWED hashtag trending at number one in the UK on the day. The website was viewed 56,000 times during the month of June, with hundreds of events registered and taking place in countries all across the world.

In a blog we published recently, we spoke about a BBC article on the topic of youth unemployment and women between 15 to 24 being most affected in the UK. After reading the article, Advance TRS Group Managing Director Andy Ridout decided to offer three fast-track positions to young women wanting to start a career in recruitment.

We’re hiring

At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The diversity of our workforce is an essential part of our success. As such, we are committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all.

We are currently recruiting for a number of positions across our Guildford and South Coast teams in recruitment, payroll and sales administration. Check out our latest opportunities.

Why Advance TRS?

As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

As recruiters we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them, mapping out potential routes of progression within the company.

Our dedication to creating a fantastic working environment was recognised at the 2018 Toast of Surrey Business Awards when we were announced as Employer of the Year and Leadership Team of the Year.

As well as a competitive salary, you’ll also be able to take advantage of our fantastic benefits package including; Discounts and Perks, Private Pension Plan, Team Building & Incentives

(Climb the O2, powerboat down the Thames or enjoy a night out on the company. We ensure hard work and dedication is rightly rewarded), Break Out Room, Private Health Insurance, Uncapped Commission, Life Assurance, and Workplace Wellbeing program. 

Check out our website to find out more!

Read our blog on what support different organisations in the built environment offer women already working in or looking to pursue a career in engineering.

The BBC recently reported that during the Covid pandemic, a large proportion of the UK public lost their jobs due to businesses having to cut costs and save wherever they could. Young people were more affected by this, with young women aged 15 to 24 being hit the hardest. 

That is partly because women are more likely than men to work in some of the hardest-hit industries such as hospitality. The International Labour Office (ILO) estimated that around the world, about 55% of workers in hotel, catering and tourism were women.

Some have been looking for a new role for almost two years with no luck. Businesses are still struggling, and while recruitment in some areas is on the rise, other industries are still very cautious or simply can’t afford to employ again yet.

Advance TRS creating opportunities for young people

“I was really moved by this, no young person should have to struggle so much to find a job or start a career.” explained Andy Ridout, Founder and Group MD of Advance TRS. As a father of teenagers who will soon be job hunting themselves, he understands why being rejected for roles time and time again can knock applicants’ confidence.

We are hiring

In order to help combat the issue, especially when it comes to young women being unable to find employment, Andy came up with the idea of opening three fast-track recruitment trainee jobs in the company’s Guildford head office. This will provide ambitious young women with an opportunity to start a career in recruitment and, depending on their drive and motivation, quickly move up the career ladder with nearly unlimited earning potential.

If you are under the age of 30 and currently looking for a new job, contact us to find out more about the programme! 

We also have several other exciting opportunities available across the business. Take a look at those here and apply today! 

We look forward to hearing from you! 

About Advance TRS

As a rapidly growing recruitment business, we have fantastic opportunities for career development. We pride ourselves on rewarding success and promoting from within. However, we are always looking for new talent to further strengthen and expand our teams.

As recruiters, we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them, mapping out potential routes of progression within the company.

Our dedication to creating a fantastic working environment was recognised at the 2018 Toast of Surrey Business Awards when we were announced as Employer of the Year and Leadership Team of the Year.

Find out more about what it’s like to work at Advance TRS

World Environment Day has become a platform to raise awareness on the dangers to our environment such as air and plastic pollution, illegal wildlife trade, sea-level increase and food security to name just a few. 

The theme this year is Ecosystem Restoration, which means assisting the recovery of destroyed ecosystems and conserving those that are still intact. It can take many forms, from growing trees, to rewilding gardens, changing diets, making cities greener or cleaning up rivers and coasts. Healthier ecosystems with richer biodiversity yield greater benefits such as more fertile soils, bigger yields of timber and fish, and larger stores of greenhouse gases.

The official World Environment Day website holds a wealth of information on how this awareness day came about, what we can all do to help the environment and much more. Take a look to see what you might be able to do, as even the smallest changes can have a big impact. 

There are many things businesses can do to become more environmentally friendly too, from cutting down on paper to turning off computers when not in use and switching off the lights when leaving the office in the evening. We previously published a blog with some suggestions.

At Advance TRS, we care about the environment and we are making more and more changes to make sure that we minimise our impact on it. If you want to work for a business that places the environment as a priority, send your CV to info@advance-trs.com or take a look at our latest vacancies.

As a rapidly growing recruitment business, continuing to improve equality, diversity and inclusion is vital to us at Advance TRS. We always strive to create a working environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all, and we work with our clients to help them do the same. 

In a series of interviews we have spoken to some of the talented women working at Advance TRS and asked them what challenges they might have faced in their careers so far and what advice they would give other women wanting to start working in their sectors.

In this part of the blog series we spoke to Senior Resourcer Emily and Client Services Delivery Manager Louise.

What made you want to start a career in your sector? 

Louise: I have always worked in a sales environment ever since finishing college, and I thrive on working towards a target and being driven by earning commission. The last 10 years have been in the recruitment sector and I would never look back. It can be a rollercoaster ride, the highs are high but the lows can be really low. However for me, I wouldn’t change it as being rewarded for working hard is what motivates me every day. I have always been competitive whether that be in sports or work and enjoy the challenge of constantly pushing myself to be better.

Emily: I’ve always been interested in a career in recruitment, it’s always seemed like a job I wanted to do. The role itself is rewarding in so many ways; you’re given great career development opportunities, you get to help people reach their career goals, you have the incentive of earning additional income by working hard. Working in rail wasn’t something I initially ever saw myself being capable of doing, but it’s been great learning about an interesting sector that was brand new to me. I think the best and honest way to describe being in recruitment is that it’s a feast and famine environment but the good massively outweighs the bad because there is so much reward in doing well. 

Is there anyone that inspires you in your career? 

Louise: You always look up to the “top billers” within the company and strive to get closer to them. Obviously our MD Andy is a huge inspiration as he has taken Advance TRS from nothing to where we are today. I also admire our Finance Director Carolyn, as she has made her way to a Board Director position through her hard work and commitment to the company and as the only female Director she of course is also inspiring to me!

Emily: Everyone at Advance TRS inspires me. Everyone has achieved something and it’s great to see others doing well as it’s a great insight into the potential your career has.

If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why? 

Louise: My nan, Marilyn Monroe, Beyonce

Emily: Princess Diana, Kim Kardashian, my Auntie 

Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to women considering a career in your sector? 

Louise: You have to be thick skinned to work in recruitment, strong willed and persistent. Never give up and even if you get knocked back pick yourself up and try again

Emily: Stay positive, trust in yourself and be confident in your work, always be willing to pick yourself back up after a setback and not let it affect you and don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd.

How important is it for women to lift each other up and what does that mean to you? 

Louise: I think it’s very important for women to support other women, we should embrace each other’s strengths and not feel threatened or jealous but be proud of each other.

Emily: It is extremely important for women to feel empowered and to empower other women in return, It’s the greatest gift we can give each other and it doesn’t cost a penny.

How do you find being a woman working in your sector? 

Louise: Being in recruitment, it is quite a male-driven environment, particularly with the sectors we work in, so it can be tough as you do find you are the minority but the key is to stand strong and don’t be a pushover. Also it’s nice giving the boys a run for their money too!! (Nothing like a bit of healthy competition)

At Advance TRS we are always looking for talented and driven new team members. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

As a rapidly growing recruitment business, continuing to improve equality, diversity and inclusion is vital to us at Advance TRS. We always strive to create a working environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all, and we work with our clients to help them do the same. 

In a series of interviews we have spoken to some of the talented women working at Advance TRS and asked them what challenges they might have faced in their careers so far and what advice they would give other women wanting to start working in their sectors.

We are starting this short blog series with our Accounts Manager Michelle, and Katie, who is our Compliance & Administration Manager.

What made you want to start a career in your sector?

Michelle: I always wanted to start a career in accounting as it has been my lifelong goal. It wasn’t until my school friend passed away that gave me the push to start up a course in accounting at college and then apply to be a junior accounts assistant at Advance TRS. I haven’t looked back since.

Katie: To be honest I fell into my career at Advance TRS. I was going away travelling around Asia when a now-colleague found my CV online and persuaded me to come for a coffee before I left. When I returned from my adventure I started my new job! 

Is there anyone that inspires you in your career? 

Michelle: I don’t have anyone in particular who has inspired me but I always look up to people who do their best every day.

Katie: I find seeing the success of my colleagues inspires me daily, especially the strong successful women at Advance TRS. 

If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why? 

Michelle: Tina Turner – after years of domestic abuse, physical and mental, she rose above to become one of the most powerful female black artists in the world. 

Caitlyn Jenner – the strength she has to publicly become the woman she wants to be.

Katie Piper – the confidence to tell her story and reclaim her life after such a horrific ordeal. She’s done a lot of campaigning and documentaries getting people talking about mental health, domestic abuse etc.

Katie: Michelle Obama (who wouldn’t want dinner with Michelle!), Rhianna because I think her success is inspiring, and my mum.

Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to women considering a career in your sector?

Michelle: I don’t believe there is any specific advice depending on gender. If you work to your best potential everyday that’s all that matters.

How important is it for women to lift each other up and what does that mean to you? 

Katie: Support, empowerment and positivity amongst women is so important, there is no end to what can be achieved when you look out for one another and lift each other up.

What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?

Michelle: If you believe you can do something, you can. It does not matter who you are or where you are from, you just need to believe.

How do you find being a woman working in your sector? 

Katie: It is a very male dominated environment, but I think that only makes you stand up more, be confident and strive to succeed. 

Why do you think diversity in the workplace is so important?

Michelle: I think that having diversity in the workplace is very important. Having a diverse team means we have a variety of ideas and perspectives. Everyone is being valued and accepted regardless of age, gender, religious beliefs, etc.

At Advance TRS we are always looking for talented and driven new team members. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

Once again, the team at Advance TRS got involved in fundraising activities, this time to help the amazing children’s charity Railway Children, which we have been involved with numerous times in the past. 

At Advance TRS, helping charities by fundraising regularly is at the heart of what we do. We care about others and we want to help make a difference.

The charity

Railway Children has been fighting for children alone and at risk on the streets for over 22 years. During that time, they’ve reached more than 275,000 children in India, the UK and East Africa.

Children run away or are forced to leave home where they suffer poverty, violence, abuse and neglect. They find themselves living on the streets because there is nowhere else to go and no one left to turn to. The problems they face on the streets are often even worse than those they endured at home. 

Railway Children’s pioneering work enables them to get to street children before the streets get to them. You can read more about this brilliant charity on their website.

Last year, the charity’s ‘Sleepout’ was very popular, however, for obvious reasons it wasn’t possible to repeat the event this year, and therefore, the equally successful ‘Sleep In’ was launched. 

Help us make a difference

Changing the format of the event meant the whole family was able to join in and give up the comfort of their usual beds for one night, by sleeping in whatever temporary camp they set up at home. Many of our colleagues built dens in their living rooms which you can see on our Instagram page.  

We set ourselves an ambitious target of £500 to raise for Railway Children. We recognise the impact the past year has had on everyone, including charities, and we would love to be able to help them make a difference! 

We haven’t reached our target yet and are grateful for every single donation, no matter how big or small! Our JustGiving page is still live and if you would like to donate, you can do so here.

Thank you to everyone for your generosity!

Advance TRS recently celebrated Emily Hajek’s promotion to Senior Resourcer within the Rail team. Having first joined the business in August 2019, Emily quickly proved to be a driven and dedicated member of the team and has earned the promotion through her hard work.

Emily swiftly settled into her role at Advance TRS has built a strong network of contacts. She is always keen to gain an in-depth understanding of what her clients and candidates are looking for, to ensure that she finds the perfect solution to suit all requirements. 

“It is a real pleasure having Emily on the Rail Recruitment team. Despite the changes in working conditions during the pandemic, he has proven her value by putting in the effort and going above and beyond.” explains Advance TRS Managing Director and Founder, Andy Ridout.

Emily assumed her new role of Senior Resourcer in March 2021 and is responsible for dealing with permanent, contract and temporary placements, sourcing suitable candidates and dealing with everyday queries. 

Rail recruitment at our core

We have more than 100 combined years’ experience recruiting within the rail sector at Advance TRS, with each of our expert recruitment consultants specialising in a particular discipline within the industry. This ensures we have the capability to meet the precise needs of our clients and candidates. 

We work with some of the world’s biggest engineering organisations, creating bespoke recruitment solutions for some of the UK’s biggest rail projects. If you’re currently looking for an exciting new opportunity, take a look at our jobs page and apply today! (insert link to rail jobs page)

We’re hiring

At Advance TRS we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them.

We are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. As a rapidly growing recruitment agency, we have fantastic opportunities available across the business. Head over to our careers page to find out more about our culture, vision and mission and to find the latest internal vacancies.

For a discrete conversation contact Advance TRS CEO Paul Metcalfe on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

We would love to hear from you!

Josh Hill first joined the Advance TRS Rail team as a Recruitment Consultant in January 2016 and has been progressing within his career and the company ever since.

Now a Principal Consultant, Josh specialises in Civils & Permanent Way. He provides effective and efficient delivery and support to candidates and clients alike, using his knowledge of the rail sector and project delivery to lead our Civils & PWay team.

Prior to this, Josh built his experience running the business’ 4 Lines Modernisation (4LM) project delivery, placing white and blue collar signalling professionals in both permanent and contract roles across the London Underground upgrades.

“Josh was instrumental in placing over 200 candidates on the 4LM project, the largest signalling works of its kind in the world.”

explains Advance TRS Managing Director and Founder, Andy Ridout.

“He builds strong relationships with his clients to make sure he understands their requirements, which means he manages to quickly source the right candidates for the roles. I am excited to see what the future holds for Josh’s career here at Advance TRS.” 

Josh specialises in civil and permanent way engineering for the UK rail & metro network and has developed a strong understanding of the industry and key client businesses. 

Rail recruitment at our core

We have more than 100 combined years’ experience recruiting within the rail sector at Advance TRS, with each of our expert recruitment consultants specialising in a particular discipline within the industry. This ensures we have the capability to meet the precise needs of our clients and candidates. 

We work with some of the world’s biggest engineering organisations, creating bespoke recruitment solutions for some of the UK’s biggest rail projects. If you’re currently looking for an exciting new opportunity, take a look at our jobs page and apply today! (insert link to rail jobs page)

We’re hiring

At Advance TRS we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them.

We are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. As a rapidly growing recruitment agency, we have fantastic opportunities available across the business. Head over to our careers page to find out more about our culture, vision and mission and to find the latest internal vacancies.

For a discrete conversation contact Advance TRS CEO Paul Metcalfe on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

We would love to hear from you!

During the week of International Women’s Day, some of our team members attended a webinar hosted by APSCo and Women in Recruitment, who had invited inspirational guest speaker Yetunde Hofmann to talk about the importance of recognising who you are and how to really value what you bring to an organisation.

Yetunde, who has a professional background in HR, is a thought leader on culture and behaviour. She is the author of the book Beyond Engagement and founder of a pioneering new leadership development programme for black women called Solaris.

While this thought-provoking webinar was geared towards women, it provided us with great food for thought that we believe everyone can benefit from and we wanted to share this with you in this blog.

Take time for yourself

Do you take any time out of your busy schedule to do something for yourself? And by that we don’t mean exercising, but taking some time for selfcare. That could be reading a book, having a relaxing bath or listening to a podcast. 

This is really important as it will help you to recharge your batteries and feel more energised again. After all you can’t drink from an empty cup!

Value yourself

Who hasn’t been in a situation when you doubted yourself and feel that you need others’ approval or confirmation. Start acknowledging and believing in yourself. Think about what your strengths truly are and remember that everyone is unique and has their own skills and talents. 

When you are content with who you are you will notice the way you work with and support others shift and see extraordinary results. 

To help you become more content within yourself, try to give the following questions some thought: 

  • What gets you motivated?
  • When are you at your best?
  • When are you at your worst?

These are just some of the questions that will help you find out more about yourself. 

Find your joy

This can be and mean so many different things. For some it might mean finding a hobby they love, others find joy in simply being outside in nature and practicing mindfulness. 

Ultimately, finding your joy will help you build your resilience from within. Take some time to dig deep and find out what really makes you feel that joy.

These are only some of the core takeaways from Yetunde’s webinar. If you would like to find out more about Yetunde and read some more of her thought-provoking blogs on a variety of topics you can find her website here.

At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The diversity of our workforce is an essential part of our success. As such, we are committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all.

If you would like to find out more about us and view current opportunities, please view our careers page. Or contact Advance TRS CEO Paul Metcalfe on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com for a discrete conversation.

Advance TRS celebrated a number of promotions in the past few months. Amongst those was Jake Rodger’s promotion to Recruitment Consultant. Jake has been with the business since May 2019, when he joined the Rail team as a Resource Specialist and he has since become a valued member of the team.

Within his role of Recruitment Consultant at Advance TRS, Jake has built a strong network of contacts and is always focused on sourcing talented candidates for his clients’ roles. While working mostly remotely, Jake didn’t let any of the events during the past year slow him down. 

“Jake’s drive and dedication to the business and his work are admirable. He takes time to understand his clients’ requirements and continuously manages to swiftly source the right talent to fill the roles. I am excited to see Jake continue to grow in his role and excel in his career.” explains Advance TRS Managing Director and Founder, Andy Ridout.

Jake took on his new role of Recruitment Consultant within the Rail Team in October 2020. His responsibilities now include using his extensive and established candidate network to work closely with client companies to find the best talent matches. 

Jake specialises in the railway signalling sector and uses his strong understanding of the industry and key client businesses to source the best candidates for each requirement, in addition to offering advice to clients and candidates on rates, training and career progression, and supporting salary negotiations between candidates and clients.

Rail recruitment at our core

We have more than 100 combined years’ experience recruiting within the rail sector at Advance TRS, with each of our expert recruitment consultants specialising in a particular discipline within the industry. This ensures we have the capability to meet the precise needs of our clients and candidates. 

We work with some of the world’s biggest engineering organisations, creating bespoke recruitment solutions for some of the UK’s biggest rail projects. If you’re currently looking for an exciting new opportunity, take a look at our jobs page and apply today!

We’re hiring

At Advance TRS we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business. To help us develop our team into the best they can be, all staff receive invaluable mentorship from our experienced senior leaders and are able to shape a clear career path bespoke to them.

We are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. As a rapidly growing recruitment agency, we have fantastic opportunities available across the business. Head over to our careers page to find out more about our culture, vision and mission and to find the latest internal vacancies.

For a discrete conversation contact Advance TRS CEO Paul Metcalfe on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

We would love to hear from you!

When it comes to IR35 legislation ignorance is certainly not bliss, but this hasn’t stopped larger corporations from burying their heads in the sand and incorrectly leading with a blanket determination approach when it comes to implementing the amendments to the IR35 legislation.

Andy Ridout, Group Managing Director of Advance TRS, specialist recruiters for the built environment, speaks out to highlight the increasingly commonplace blanket approach being taken by many businesses in the lead up to the IR35 deadline.

The Scale of the Problem 

Many businesses are failing to adhere to the off-payroll legislation ‘reasonable care’ requirement and instead, are making blanket determinations. In the context of a contractor facing an IR35 enquiry, taking reasonable care constitutes acquiring independent legal advice or making a full assessment on an individual basis.

Role-based ‘blanket’ assessments fail to take into account the full factual detail required to assess each individual contractor’s status accurately.

“There will always be a requirement for a correctly assessed and determined contract workforce within the project-based built environment sector. Flexible, skilled and specialist contractors are particularly necessary to deliver project-specific works, where these skills are required for a certain project phase.

Opting to move this workforce to permanent staff or incorrectly inside IR35 will lose the flexibility that has required the use of contractors to date, and will see less qualified staff cost businesses more through incorrect contracts. Genuine contractors will leave companies who incorrectly push roles inside of IR35 to the detriment of project delivery. Is this a mistake you can afford to make?” Andy Ridout explains. 

These blanket determinations are an inappropriate response to the legislation, breaching the reasonable care requirement of the legislation section 61T(6)(c), insurance underwriters will not cover the tax risk unless an individual assessment has been conducted, and if investigated by HMRC, an inadequate role-based blanket assessment could trigger an extension of the enquiry window to six years due to ‘carelessness’ under Section S36(1) TMA 1970.

A Simple Solution 

Advance TRS thoroughly investigated the market and what options are out there to support contractors and clients throughout the changes, and have partnered with Kingsbridge to offer free and unlimited use of the Status Determination Tool for Advance TRS clients and contractors, conducting as many assessments as required.

“Perhaps the greatest frustration,” Ridout states “is that conducting accurate assessments and determinations is both simple and achievable, with agencies like Advance TSR offering detailed support for both clients and contractors. There are excellent insured solutions for candidates correctly determined outside of IR35 mitigating the risk to all parties throughout the supply chain. We have been working with Kingsbridge Insurance to bring their exclusive, award-winning IR35 Status Tool to our clients and contractors to support them through the determination process.” 

The Kingsbridge Status Tool asks between 29-34 carefully worded yes/no questions to ascertain an IR35 employment status. These questions – developed by Andy Vessey ATT, Head of Tax at Kingsbridge, qualified accountant, and a leading IR35 specialist who has defended over 500 tax investigations, most of which he has won – take a 360 view of both contract wording and working practices for as accurate a result as possible.

If it’s a clear-cut case, the tool then generates an instant determination, as well as a comprehensive report that pulls through the notable positives or negatives of your engagement. If it’s a borderline result, the answers given are passed over to one of Kingsbridge’s in-house IR35 specialists for further manual review.

Once an assessment has been completed using the Status Tool and determination has been confirmed, Kingsbridge Insurance offers an insurance policy, IR35 Protect, designed to help the full supply chain from contractor to client prepare for the 2021 private sector off-payroll reform.

The IR35 Protect policy:

  • Covers the potentially crippling costs that can arise from an IR35 investigation, including defence costs, unpaid tax, interest and penalties from HMRC.
  • Flexes come the reform deadline to indemnify whoever is held liable by HMRC.
  • Includes exclusive access to the award-winning Kingsbridge IR35 Status Tool (Premium Protect only), making it a one-stop-shop to get ready for the reform.
  • Costs just £199.50 plus Insurance Premium Tax at 12%.

“We’re currently the only IR35 solution provider on the market to offer this hybrid solution, and we firmly believe that it’s the best way to give you a quick, conclusive status result with all the support needed to guide you through the reform.” Andy Vessey ATT, Head of Tax at Kingsbridge

IR35 Protect and Legal Expenses add-ons are charged on a pro-rata basis to align with your existing policy term, although a minimum cost may apply. Find out more about Kingsbridge’s Legal Expenses and IR35 Protect policies on their website.

Just the beginning

Ridout explains that corporates looking to take an ‘easy route’ through the IR35 reform with blanket determinations are failing to see the longer-term impact of these decisions.

Aside from the obvious legal concerns surrounding blanket determinations, large corporations stand to lose out on industry talent to more agile SMEs that have correctly administered the legislation on a case-by-case basis. 

“SMEs correctly assessing individual determinations and using insured solutions will gain the advantage over corporate giants, as large corporate making blanket determinations leach talent and are unable to fill roles in the coming months and years. Contract flexible workforces have evolved through necessity and project-based works still require specialist contractors to deliver specific works. There is still ample time for businesses to re-assess their determination procedure and seek advice,” Ridout explains.

Advance TRS urge clients to reach out and speak to our team of experts to access support in delivering correct status determinations before the 6th April deadline and mitigate the risk of losing critical personnel unnecessarily.

Get in touch today 

If you would like a free consultation to discuss any of the content of this article, or simply wish to discuss how IR35 will impact your business, get in touch with our team.

Ensure you’re ready for April 2021. Contact our IR35 Lead Paul Merton on 01483 361061, email ir35@advance-trs.com or visit https://www.advance-trs.com/ir35/ for more information.

As the importance of closing the skill and pay gaps and bringing more equality to workplaces is being recognised more and more, many businesses adapt the way they recruit in order to attract higher numbers of female staff. Some also offer incentives or make pledges. 

According to a recent article by STEM Women, the number of women working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has increased by 216,552 since 2016. This has taken the total number over the 1 million mark for the first time ever and means that in 2019 women made up 24% of the STEM workforce in the UK.

Looking at the data trends between 2009 to 2019 it is estimated that by 2030 there could be more than 29% of women in the STEM workforce. You can read the full article here. 

At Advance TRS, we believe everyone deserves the same opportunities, regardless of age, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. The diversity of our workforce is an essential part of our success. As such, we are committed to supporting contractors and staff to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all. 

We work closely with our clients across the rail, water, property and construction sectors to support them to achieve a more diverse workforce. Search our latest opportunities or contact our consultants for a confidential conversation about your next step on 01483 361061.

Check out our latest opportunities across the built environment.

We have looked into what support different organisations in the built environment offer women already working in or looking to pursue a career in engineering and here is what we have found.

The Women’s Engineering Society

This is a great starting point for anyone. The Women’s Engineering Society (WES) was founded in June 1919 by a small committee drawn from the National Council of Women, which was created during the 1914-18 war to get women into work to release men for the armed forces.

There are numerous resources on the website, from monthly newsletters, a Climate Emergency Group to different (online) events. You can also look for a new role on their job board. 

They cover a wide range of topics and if you can’t find what you are looking for on their website, you can get in touch with them via phone or email.

Women in Rail

As the name suggests, this is more specific to women working in or looking to work in the rail sector. The organisation runs several events throughout the year, including awards ceremonies, and even offers a mentoring programme. The purpose of it is to provide a support platform for women and men in UK rail, champion diverse thinking, exchange ideas and promote diversity in the sector, starting with gender diversity as the core focus.

The programme is also designed to help participants progress in their careers and has received endorsements from several key rail companies. 

To find out more, simply head over to their website.

Women into Construction

A brilliant, not-for-profit organisation, providing bespoke support to women looking to work in construction. By assisting contractors to recruit trained, driven women, they help to reduce skills gaps and create a more gender-equal workforce.

Some of the key businesses in construction are members of Women into Construction, working actively to increase gender diversity within their organisations. You can find their latest advertised roles there or take a look at WiC’s upcoming events. 

Definitely a website worth visiting if you work in the sector or are thinking about joining it.

British Water

British Water has committed to improving gender equality in the water sector with its Women on Water Pledge. This includes increasing the number of women on its non-executive board. British Water has urged the rest of the industry to follow its lead.

As an industry leader, British Water remains committed to supporting businesses and Women on Water will help drive growth through focusing on the productivity, well-being and advancement of those working within organisations’ teams. Read more about Women on Water here.

Women in Recruitment

As a recruitment business, Women in Recruitment is close to our hearts, as it offers firms like our own practical support in attracting, developing and retaining female talent, which helps not only us but also our clients and candidates. 

The organisation gives individuals access to development tools, mentoring and networking opportunities designed to support successful and sustainable careers in recruitment.

We have certainly benefited from being members and feel that it is enabling us to help our clients achieve their goals when it comes to recruiting more female talent across their businesses.

You can find out more about Women in Rail here.

At Advance TRS we are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

Advance TRS are delighted to celebrate the promotion of Louise Oldham to Client Services Delivery Manager. Louise has been with the business for over 4 years and this promotion recognises her dedication, drive and hard work. 

Within her role of Client Services Delivery Manager at Advance TRS, Louise now manages team members and will develop the Client Services division to deliver service level agreements for select MSP and RPO clients. 

Louise’s main focus is developing a good understanding of client companies, their industry and work culture in order to build and nurture strong relationships, best understand clients’ assignments and swiftly source the best candidates for those requirements. With over 9 years’ recruitment experience, Louise has a proven track record in the sector and understands the importance of building a strong candidate and client network.

During the successive lockdowns, Louise has been an essential team member, driving the adaption of processes to ensure safety for all throughout the hiring and candidate onboarding process. Louise has successfully ensured new starters have been successfully onboarded in their new roles with clients and supported whilst starting their new jobs remotely. 

“Louise is a bubbly, friendly and very driven individual. She listens carefully to client specification and has an incredible talent for sourcing excellent, hard to find candidates for niche roles across a wide range of skillsets.”

explains Advance TRS Managing Director and Founder, Andy Ridout.

“Louise uses her talent for understanding client requirements, to lead her team in delivering high quality and effective recruitment solutions. Her promotion to Client Services Delivery Manager is well-deserved and I am excited to see her continue excel in her career.”

Louise moved into her new role of Client Services Delivery Manager within the Rail Recruitment Team in January 2021. She is now responsible for the continued growth, success and effective service delivery of the Client Services team, and will be supporting the Client Services Director. 

Having progressed to a managerial role, Louise will oversee internal training of staff members and will be in charge of setting and reviewing her team’s KPI driven objectives. She will be mentoring staff to further develop a learning culture within the Managed Accounts and Client Services divisions in addition to delivering against her own recruitment targets. 

Advance TRS are delighted to celebrate the promotion of Sam Jennings to Director, Client Services and Rail Signalling. Sam has been with the business for over 6 and a half years and this promotion recognises years of dedication, success and hard work. 

In his time at Advance TRS, Sam has managed the delivery of a series of Managed Service Programmes and Recruitment Process Outsourcing partnerships with key client accounts for the rail sector. 

Most recently, Sam has been the fundamental project lead, working closely with a major client in the railway signalling sector to deliver a Recruitment Process Outsourcing partnership that has to date placed over 100 professionals in permanent contracts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Sam and his team have worked tirelessly through lockdowns and adapted processes to ensure safety for all throughout the hiring and onboarding process and he has worked with the client to ensure new starters have been successfully onboarded and supported whilst initiating work remotely. All this has been achieved, whilst maintaining the service level agreement, KPIs, sourcing over 100 professionals and maintaining all compliance standards. 

Previously, over a period of 3 years, Sam oversaw and managed a team to deliver a contingent labour contract for the 4 Lines Modernisation project. This project to upgrade the signalling systems of four of London Underground’s most important railway lines: Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan, when complete, will boost the number of trains to 32 every hour. Sam managed a team of consultants internally in addition to an in-house delivery manager at the client, to deliver an ever-flexing workforce, from 80 up to over 200 workers at peak times that was always fully compliant to London Underground regulations. The team delivered impressive 100% fill rates for each possession and positively managed flexing demands in the workforce for a safe, compliant and successful programme of works. 

Outside of his work with key clients in Client Services, Sam is incredibly well networked within the Railway Signalling sector and has led the Advance TRS rail signalling department, following in company founder, Andy Ridout’s footsteps. Railway signalling has been the founding core business of Advance TRS since establishing in 2011, and Sam has successfully developed the department in his time with the company. 

“In his time at Advance TRS, Sam has been a key consultant to the business, leading teams to success. I am delighted to recognise his efforts with this significant promotion to Director,” 

explains Advance TRS Managing Director and Founder, Andy Ridout. 

“It has been a privilege to watch his evolution in the business and to work so closely with him over the last 6 and a half years. I am excited to see what is to come for Sam and the team as he continues to grow from strength to strength.” 

New Role

His new role as Director of Client Services and Railway Signalling is divided into two key areas of responsibility; overseeing and driving the success of the client services team and managing the railway signalling recruitment team. 

As Director of Client Services, Sam is responsible for delivering service level agreements and key performance indicators for our key client partnerships, recruitment process outsourcing and managed service contracts. He works closely with clients to create and deliver custom recruitment solutions to support business needs, from contingent recruitment to managed services and recruitment process outsourcing. For key clients Sam acts as a delivery director, offering a single point of contact for line managers, working closely with the Advance TRS recruitment delivery team to fulfil technical recruitment SLAs and KPIs. 

In addition, Sam will continue to use his extensive experience and wide network within Signalling Engineering on the mainline railway and London Underground to lead the Rail Signalling division at Advance TRS. He will continue his work to build a growing team of recruitment consultants to further build the division, recruiting for key clients across the UK and across all levels of seniority from Graduate to C-Suite hires.

Charity / Fundraising 

Sam has always played an active role in the company’s fundraising initiatives and most recently Sam led Advance TRS’s Movember efforts, raising money and awareness of health issues men face, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. 

Sam has also previously completed the London Marathon and Surrey Half Marathon in aid of Action for Children, raising over £2,500 for the charity. Of the 3 representatives from Advance TRS who completed the London Marathon, Sam completed the marathon with the fastest time, clocking in at just under 4 hours. His incredible journey started the previous year when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a game of Sunday football. After months of tireless recovery, Sam began training again and achieved his target he set to enter and complete the London Marathon.

This year has seen some major ups and downs for every business. One thing we believe at Advance TRS is that it is so important to celebrate the highs when they happen to help make the lows more manageable.

As we take some time to reflect on the year we cannot do so without celebrating the amazing new talent that has joined our business in 2020. They have dug in deep and worked hard, in many cases starting their new roles remotely.

Starting new staff from home is not desirable but has been a reality many businesses have had to face and adapt to. All new members have been amazingly flexible and professional, proving to be real assets in their short time with the business so far.

February

Harry joined our business services team to support admin and compliance back in February, just before lockdown #1. He quickly settled into the team, ensuring our systems are up-to-date with candidate and other vital information and he is usually the first person you speak to when you call our main office line.

Chloe joined our finance team a week after Harry and one month before lockdown. To say she had a baptism of fire is an understatement! Chloe had a crash course in our systems but was able to successfully draw on her own knowledge and experience to quickly get up to speed and add value to the team. Working throughout the year, often from home over webcam with the rest of the finance team, Chloe has mastered our payroll process and quickly progressed to Payroll Manager.

Growing our South Coast team

Our South Coast team was joined by Stuart and Sean in May and September respectively, while Tam was added to the team in November. All three of them have been adding value from day one, working hard whether they are based from home or in the office. Moving forward, they’ll benefit from the bigger office space secured in Port Solent, to enable working while adhering to social distancing rules with ease.

Our rail team is joined by three new recruits

More recently, Sam, Joe and Tom joined our rail team in Guildford during November and December. They quickly embedded themselves in the team and even joined in on our fundraising efforts in November, which you can read more about here.

It is safe to say that everyone who has joined us this year has been a huge asset to the team and we would like to extend a big thank you to our new team members for adapting so well to our revised onboarding process and to the whole Advance TRS team for working hard this year, keeping the business going and growing. There is a long way to go yet to weather the storm that is COVID-19, however, we feel positive about the future and we’re ready to take on whatever 2021 has in store!

At Advance TRS we are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

This time around, Advance TRS adapted to the changing times and went virtual for their Half Year Company Conference. 

The team has been working remotely during most of the pandemic, however, we didn’t want to let that stop us from having a catch-up and an update on how everything is going. So we asked everyone to join a Zoom session on Friday afternoon, drinks in hand.

We had lots of speakers, with members of each of our departments giving updates on what the last few months have been like, what their goals are going forward and what they have been up to during lockdown. We laughed and we cheered for our colleagues who, despite restrictions and unprecedented circumstances, really outdid themselves.

Since the start of the year we also welcomed seven new team members, who have all settled in incredibly well and have quickly become an integral part of the Advance TRS family.

We looked back on weekly challenges set by our Founder and Group MD Andy Ridout during the first lockdown. From writing the best poem, to the best portrait of a colleague and best fancy dress. He made sure he kept us entertained and occupied. 

Looking at teams’ achievements and how hard everyone has worked showed that the Advance TRS brand is as strong as ever and is already recovering from the impacts of the COVID pandemic.

The conference was rounded up by celebrating our amazing colleagues who managed to break records during a time that has been so uncertain. It really showed us what we can achieve with hard work and dedication and has given us the motivation to keep pushing on, whatever the next few months may bring. 

While maintaining our strong reputation as dependable, effective and honest, Advance TRS continues to grow and therefore we are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

The charity Railway Children is incredibly important to the Advance TRS team, especially to our founder and Group MD Andy Ridout, who has seen first-hand the work the charity does on the streets in Africa and Nepal. 

Rail Aid

This year Railway Children have launched the Rail Aid mission, bringing the best of the UK rail community together to raise money and to support children around the world who have been struggling with the impacts of COVID. 

The UK lockdown has forced children to stay in homes where they didn’t feel safe, without the escape and protection of school. The extra stress placed on families already at breaking point has in many cases left young people even more vulnerable to grooming, exploitation by drugs gangs and mental health trauma. 

In India, millions of families have lost jobs, income and homes due to the pandemic, often leaving people to fear starvation more than the virus itself. Desperation has forced millions of children into child labour and marriage while others are simply being abandoned, left to traffickers and exploitation.

In Tanzania, children living in abject poverty relied on the one meal a day they got at school. When schools closed many headed to the streets to beg and scrounge for food, only to be subjected to brutal police round-ups and violence without access to food, water, sanitation or safety.

Rail Aid will send money directly to the communities most in need, using the established Railway Children network to support the most vulnerable children across the world to access help, food and support. 

Advance TRS Fundraising

Since establishing in 2011, giving back to those less fortunate and advancing others has been a central motivator for Andy and the growing Advance TRS team. Having personally championed Railway Children at different industry events for several years, he doesn’t want to miss the opportunity to help the charity make a difference, especially during these difficult times.

This year, more than ever physical activity has been essential to keep mind and body strong and healthy so the team is combining physical activity with fundraising to support Railway Children’s Rail Aid Campaign. 

Andy is leading the Advance TRS team in completing a virtual ‘triathlon’ of sorts to raise money for this fantastic charity. The team aims to cover as much ground as possible by walking, running, cycling or even doing HIIT workouts, all whilst staying safe and adhering to social distancing guidelines. 

Each team member is recording themselves in their activity which will be collated for what should make for a very entertaining video at the end of the month. (Watch this space!)

Donate

Please support the team to keep on moving this November by donating to our JustGiving fundraising page which you can access here. All donations for this amazing cause are greatly appreciated.

You are probably familiar with the annual event, Movember which involves the growing of moustaches during November to raise awareness of health issues men face, such as prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Another focus of the movement is on mental health and suicide prevention.

Whilst working more remotely this year our team members have taken up the challenge and been growing tashes themselves – more or less successfully to raise money for the Movember Foundation. 

To support the Advance TRS Mo Bros, we have set up our Movember fundraising page which you can access here. We think this is a brilliant cause and all donations are greatly appreciated. 

Money raised during Movember is put towards increasing early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatments, and ultimately reducing the number of preventable deaths. The Movember Foundation highlights the need for men to be aware of family history of cancer, adopt a healthier lifestyle and it encourages annual check-ups.

Follow our fundraising activities on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter for the latest news and take a look at our Advance Advice on Mental Health for further information.

Friday 4th September 2020 marked the opening of Advance TRS’ new Port Solent office.

The business first opened an office in the South Coast in 2018, headed up by Water & Infrastructure Director Rob Kelly. Since then the team has gone from strength to strength and the new office will accommodate the growing Port Solent team. Rob added two new members during the last few months and is looking for more talented and driven recruitment professionals to join them.

The new office space has more than doubled the marina front offices of the team, including the addition of a dedicated breakout room, boardroom and meeting room. Not only does this support staff to stay socially distanced working safely throughout COVID, but also allows plenty of room for further team growth in the coming years.

Leader of the South Coast team, Rob Kelly explains:

“The new offices have given the team the right setting to deliver our planned growth trajectory. The new space is fully branded and has a really exciting atmosphere, proving just how far the team has come in 2 years.”

The pandemic has been an unprecedented and tough time, however, it has not put a stop to Advance TRS’ expansion plans. The business is looking for more seasoned recruiters to join the Guildford and South Coast offices and expand into further markets, while also being interested in mergers and acquisitions. Advance TRS provide quality recruitment solutions across the built environment and plan to further continue geographic expansion into the South West, Midlands and the North.

“We are going through an exciting process of strategic talent acquisition, looking for entrepreneurial individuals, established recruitment teams and small businesses with a shared vision to join the Advance TRS team”, explains Advance TRS Non-Executive Advisor and CEO, Paul Metcalfe.

Paul is responsible for leading the business’ strategic talent acquisition, joining the team in 2017, with a proven track record of delivering business growth for industry giants including AndersElite and Fusion People.

Contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO for a discreet conversation on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

WHAT IS IR35?

IR35 was introduced in 2000 to address concerns relating to individuals who supply their services via an intermediary (such as a Limited Company) instead of as an employee. Therefore, they avoid paying employee income tax and national insurance contributions.

Where an assignment is deemed ‘inside’ IR35, PAYE deductions must be made from the contractor’s pay. Any assignment ‘outside’ IR35 is classed as a genuine B2B service and is not subject to the same tax treatment as employees. Advance TRS are here to support you through these reforms.

We have partnered with IR35 experts Kingsbridge and Liquid Friday to guide our client and contractor communities through the changes in legislation. Browse our latest IR35 news, read our FAQs or get in contact with any questions you might have.

WHAT HAS CHANGED AND HOW DOES IT IMPACT ME?

From 6th April 2021, following changes in the public sector in 2017, the government extended the reform to the legislation to capture large parts of the private sector. The key change is that the responsibility of defining the IR35 status of the assignment switched from the individual’s Ltd company to the client, as the recipient of the services.

The legislation states that all companies must take ‘reasonable care’ when assessing if roles are inside or outside of IR35. Taking a ‘blanket approach’ to assess all roles won’t deliver this. We have spoken about the reasons in a recent blog article.

The potential financial penalties can be significant if incorrect steps are implemented, but there is support available to help.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO ENSURE THE CORRECT DETERMINATION?

We are working with clients and contractors to ensure everyone has taken the necessary steps. We’re also ensuring they have been given the correct IR35 determination for them.

  1. SPEAK TO YOUR CONSULTANT – If you are concerned about whether you have taken the necessary steps and want some guidance, the best place to start is by calling your consultant. They will be able to discuss how the reforms impact you and your method of engagement. 
  1. GET A SELF-ASSESSMENT – Next, you can use the Advance TRS free self-assessment tool to confirm your determination and which method of engagement is suitable for you going forward.
  1. CONFIRM YOUR METHOD OF ENGAGEMENT GOING FORWARD – Once you have completed your self-assessment you will need to confirm any changes with your client and agency to issue any new contracts/rate changes and agree your transition date.
  1. PURCHASE IR35 INSURANCE  – To ensure you and the supply chain are protected, we recommend purchasing IR35 Protection Insurance from our partners Kingsbridge who offer a Zurich underwritten policy

THE ADVANCE TRS APPROACH – Be prepared and proactive

Due to the scale of the impact of this legislation, we were prepared well before the Reform came into effect. This ensures our compliance and working practices facilitate confident determinations.

Listen and Learn – Our ability to gather intelligence from multiple sources allows us to learn at a faster pace and deliver the most informed approach to all parties.

Openly Communicate – Face-to-face meetings and regular bulletins provide clients and contractors with the most up-to-date information on how best to set out our working practices.

Free Self-Assessments We worked with Kingsbridge to offer free self-assessments for contracts.

An Insured Solution – We understand the importance of peace of mind, so have worked with Kingsbridge to offer a Zurich underwritten insurance product to protect the whole supply chain.

WHY ADVANCE TRS?

  • Offering free self-assessments and IR35 insurance to protect the whole supply chain
  • APSCO accredited engineering recruitment consultancy with sector specialist consultants
  • ISO18001, ISO9001, ISO27001 certificated and 5* RISQS since the inception of the scheme
  • Huge financial investment in contractual documentation reviews from recruitment expert solicitors
  • Robust contracts and terms of business that are compliant with current government legislation
  • Open book policy on working practices with contractors and clients
  • Excellent legal support from expert recruitment and financial specialists
  • IR35 guidance from FCSA accredited supply chain partners
  • Partnered with Kingsbridge Insurance, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of PSC insurance packages
  • Over 100 years collective experience of engineering recruitment
  • Dedicated business services team focused on contractual compliance and payroll excellence
  • A compliance-focused supply chain partner experienced in supporting all levels of project delivery

A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON IR35

HMRC IR35 legislation has been in place since 2000, but non-compliance is widespread.

HMRC estimate that only 10% of those who should be applying the rules do so, which will cost the Exchequer £1.3 billion in 2023/24. This deprives vital public services of important funds and is unfair to taxpayers who are complying with the rules.

Whilst the compliance of PSC workers has been a relatively mute subject for the last 20 years, HMRC have now realised there is a significant need for focus and attention on the management of this area of taxation, more specifically in relation to employers’ national insurance contributions.

With such significant growth in the number of £multi-billion engineering projects across the UK, there will always be a requirement for the engagement of a highly skilled and flexible workforce that is prepared and willing to move from project to project.

It is essential that this workforce becomes more educated on and compliant with the options that are available to them if they wish to remain off-payroll for the duration of their assignments. Advance TRS Ltd. are committed to providing the highest level of service and engagement throughout the recruitment process to ensure that workers and clients can deliver their services and their projects successfully in the knowledge that their status determination truly reflects their employment status.

It is important to learn from the public sector reform and ensure that we keep contractors fully briefed on their options whilst enabling clients to make confident and informed decisions.

It is essential to approach the private sector reform through the utilisation of all information and facilities available to each member of the supply chain. This offers the flexibility to evolve with HMRC decisions whilst retaining a common goal of providing resources to deliver projects.

It is clear that the public sector ‘blanket approach’ determinations should be replaced with the recommendation that contractor IR35 status assessments are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. This approach offers an assurance to valuable workers that their interests are treated fairly, in line with the legislation and not just for the benefit or safety of the end-user.

One of the key aspects of managing the implementation and impact of the IR35 private sector reform is to ensure that each party in the supply chain recognises their responsibility, communication is clear and processes of due diligence and compliance are auditable. Contractors must take responsibility for the management of their accounts and affairs whilst engagers must extend fair treatment or ‘reasonable care’ to their contractors by preparing diligently and not leaving off-payroll working processes and considerations to the 11th hour.

ADVANCE TRS

We have the operational capability to adequately deal with the extra administrative burdens and will work closely with all parties to manage a case-by-case approach.

As a country, we all need to do what we can to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. That is why the government has given clear guidance on self-isolation, household isolation and social distancing and maintaining educational provision.

And the most recent scientific advice on how to further limit the spread of COVID-19 is clear. If children can stay safely at home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.

That is why the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible. They have asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend.

Guidance for schools

It is important to underline that schools, all childcare settings (including early years settings, childminders and providers of childcare for school-age children), colleges and other educational establishments, remain safe places for children. But the fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

Schools, and all childcare providers, are therefore being asked to continue to provide care for a limited number of children. This includes those who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response.

Vulnerable children include children who are supported by social care, those with safeguarding and welfare needs. This includes those on child in need plans, on child protection plans, ‘looked after’ children, young carers, disabled children. Plus, those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.

We know that schools will also want to support other children facing social difficulties. Therefore, we will support headteachers to do so.

Guidance for parents

Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care. Plus, other key sectors outlined below. Many parents working in these sectors may be able to ensure their child is kept at home. And every child who can be safely cared for at home should be.

Please, therefore, follow these key principles:

  1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.
  2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational provision will be available for them.
  3. Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
  4. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
  5. Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.

If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed below, and you cannot keep your child safe at home then your children will be prioritised for education provision:

(For the full list of affected sectors visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

Public safety and national security

This includes:

  • Police and support staff
  • Ministry of Defence civilians, contractors and armed forces personnel
  • Those critical to the delivery of key defence and national security outputs (essential to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic)
  • Fire and rescue service employees (including support staff)
  • National Crime Agency staff, those maintaining border security, prison and probation staff
  • Other national security roles, including those overseas.

Transport

This includes those who will keep the air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response including those working on transport systems through which supply chains pass.

Utilities, communication and financial services

  • Staff needed for essential financial services provision
  • Workers in banks, building societies and financial market infrastructure)
  • The oil, gas, electricity and water sectors (including sewerage)
  • Information technology and data infrastructure sector and primary industry supplies to continue during the COVID-19 response
  • Key staff working in the civil nuclear, chemicals, telecommunications
  • Network operations, field engineering, call centre staff, IT and data infrastructure, 999 and 111 critical services
  • Postal services and delivery, payments providers and waste disposal sectors.

If workers think they fall within the critical categories above, they should confirm with their employer that, based on their business continuity arrangements, their specific role is necessary for the continuation of this essential public service.

If your school is closed, then please contact your local authority, who will seek to redirect you to a local school in your area that your child, or children, can attend.

We are grateful for the work of teachers and workers in educational settings for continuing to provide for the children of the other critical workers of our country. It is an essential part of our national effort to combat this disease.

Social distancing measures are steps you can take to reduce social interaction between people. This will help reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).

They are to:

  • Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough
  • Avoid non-essential use of public transport when possible
  • Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. Please refer to employer guidance for more information
  • Avoid large and small gatherings in public spaces, noting that pubs, restaurants, leisure centres, and similar venues are currently shut as infections spread easily in closed spaces where people gather
  • Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media
  • Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services

Everyone should be trying to follow these measures as much as is practicable.

We strongly advise you to follow the above measures as much as you can and to significantly limit your face-to-face interaction with friends and family if possible, particularly if you:

  • Are over 70
  • Have an underlying health condition
  • Are pregnant

This advice is likely to be in place for some weeks.

This guidance is lifted from the gov.uk website and is for everyone, including children. It advises on social distancing measures we should all be taking to reduce social interaction between people in order to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19). It is intended for use in situations where people are living in their own homes, with or without additional support from friends, family and carers. If you live in a residential care setting guidance is available.

Read more: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

Each year our team take on a 10k steps a day challenge throughout March to raise money for charity. This year we are delighted to raise money for Surrey-based Mental Health Charity, Oakleaf.

The annual challenge is a great opportunity for our team to kick-start getting out and about and moving ahead of the nicer summer months.

At Advance TRS, we prioritise the mental wellbeing of our staff. To provide the first point of contact when needed, we have appointed qualified Mental Health First Aiders. We also offer a Wellbeing Hub, where confidential support via an EAP helpline can be accessed at any time. These are only some of the steps we have taken and we continue to improve our mental health awareness.

As part of our commitment to reducing the stigma against mental ill-health, we are delighted to champion Oakleaf for this year’s 10k steps a day challenge.

You can donate to our fundraising effort here. Any contribution is much appreciated!

The charity

Oakleaf is a Surrey-based mental health charity which also works as a social enterprise to provide vocational training for those suffering from mental health issues.

Oakleaf Enterprise was registered as a charity in 1997 and has since then worked hard to benefit people in need. Their main focus is delivering vocational training and work experience in upholstery, horticulture and IT, enabling clients to gain new skills, as the first step on their return to the workplace.

Some of our team members took part in a firewalk to raise money and support Oakleaf last year. Read about it here.

About mental health

Mental health problems can present in a wide variety of ways and out of Guildford, Waverley and Woking’s 214,900 population of 18 to 64-year-olds, it is estimated that 19,242 people suffer mixed depression and anxiety.

Overall, one in four people suffers from anxiety and stress which can have a considerable impact on their work life. Recognising problems early and implementing initiatives to support staff and colleagues will be of real benefit to them.

At Advance TRS, we understand that reducing work-related stress can be hugely beneficial to all. We take our obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees seriously. Our comprehensive wellness programme and mental health awareness training have recently been recognised as Advance TRS were shortlisted as finalists in the Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing category in the Solent Business Awards 2019.

Follow our fundraising activities on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for the latest news and take a look at our Advance Advice on Mental Health in the workplace for further information.

#ATRS10KCHALLENGE

It has been another busy year for Advance TRS, from award nominations to charity fundraisers and growing the business – we feel that we have achieved a lot and want to share some of the highlights with you.

Welcoming our new MD of Construction

In April Matt Bray joined the business as Managing Director of Construction. Matt has significant experience leading recruitment teams, B2B sales and senior appointments and his experience and presence have brought a positive, professional influence to the team. He’s continuing the expansion of the company’s growing Construction division.

Awards nominations

We were shortlisted for several awards this year, including the Recruitment Company of the Year category of the Property Management Awards and the Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing Award of the Solent Business Awards.

We’re proud to be recognised for our hard work and will continue to strive for excellence throughout the new year.

Wise beyond our years

It was our 8th birthday in September and the business has come a long way since its humble origins in 2011. Starting as a one-man band, Andy, Group Managing Director quickly grew the business from strength to strength.

Whilst continuing to grow and improve the business, Advance TRS maintain committed to providing excellent customer service to both candidates and clients alike.

Presenting the new company charter

In October our new company charter was presented business-wide. It was put together by our Board of Directors and Marketing & Development Manager, who made sure that it covers values that are important to us as a business and which we believe should be reflected in our day-to-day work and interactions with clients and colleagues.

We pledge to focus on delivering a quality service, respecting one another and doing what we say we do which ties in well with our Core Values of Quality, Commitment, Integrity, Honesty and Loyalty.

Fundraising efforts

The team has been busy fundraising this year and we managed to donate more than 4k to charities including Macmillan, Railway Children and Surrey-based mental health charity Oakleaf. We baked, walked over hot coals and wore our favourite Christmas jumpers to raise money, and we’re already discussing opportunities for next year.

A big thank you to everyone who donated so generously! Keep an eye out for more Advance TRS fundraising stories in the new year!

At Advance TRS we are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

HMRC is due to announce a Reform to the IR35 off-payroll legislation in the Private Sector. The Advance TRS approach to IR35 is being exceptionally well received by clients we have recently consulted with, mitigating risk for our clients with a compliant and insured solution.

Consultation dates are still available in 2019 – book your free session now.

Lessons learned from the Public Sector

Since the Public Sector Reform last year our Group Operations Director, Paul Merton, has worked hard to create a method of engagement that facilitates the continuation of supply of professional contractors in the correct manner via a professional services company.

He has attended a large number of IR35 seminars including several HMRC consultation meetings earlier this year. As a business rooted in the engineering recruitment sector, we are fully aware of the need to sustain a skilled workforce that can move freely from one project to the next without the need to be engaged as an employee.

Whilst IR35 in its initial form afforded many contractors significant tax benefits, the more recent changes have brought about a very clear definition of controls and the manner in which these workers must engage. Advance TRS has invested a great amount of time in understanding these controls and building them into our management system.

Rather than seeking to bring an end to contracting and force contractors into employment contracts that they do not necessarily want or need, we have dedicated our time to creating a contractual solution that demonstrates very clear processes and compliance with the guidelines set out by HMRC.

Whilst the reform requires the end-user to provide a determination, it also makes provision for the responsibility to pass to the fee-payer (agency) on the basis that ‘reasonable care’ has been shown in the determination. It is our intention as a business to ensure that all contractors are engaged correctly with a clearly defined control mechanism and auditable due diligence across Umbrella, PAYE, CIS self-employed and Professional Service Company.

Responsible compliance processes

The change in responsibility that is set out in the Private Sector Reform along with the opportunity to focus on the compliance of all parties in the supply chain has prompted us to review how we supply contractors to our clients.

The Advance TRS process of compliance will allow us to administer an honest and realistic ‘outside IR35’ determination that has been professionally assessed and insured to allow our clients to demonstrate ‘reasonable care’ in the eyes of HMRC.

Advance TRS is committed to partnering with any client who engages contractors through us and will provide full support and disclosure of associated documentation where required.

Managing costs and administration

The Public Sector Reform brought about numerous blanket ‘inside IR35’ determinations which saw large numbers of contractors increase their rates by 15-25% to accommodate the rise in taxation, HMRC have been clear in their guidance that they do not expect to see this in the Private Sector Reform.

Advance TRS provide a solution that not only facilitates the correct manner of engagement for these workers but will also allow clients to remove intermediaries from the supply chain who will become a cost to the business rather than providing a viable route to market. Whilst Advance TRS are unable to remove the responsibility for the determination from the end-user, we are able to provide an auditable and insured solution that will allow us to take responsibility for administering the determination itself. As a partner supplier, we firmly believe we can deliver the administration service for a nominal charge.

Contractor engagement – documentation and legislation

The end result of this process is to facilitate seamless and compliant administration and engagement of a contractor base who will each be determined and contractually engaged in the correct manner.

Due to the current political climate, the timescales for implementing these changes will become increasingly smaller once we enter 2020. The Reform also offers clients an opportunity to review their existing supply chain and the contracts of engagement that are in place with their contractors as well as the umbrella companies they engage.

The risk of poor compliance processes in the supply chain is that it can leave clients exposed if relevant legislation updates are not addressed adequately.

Don’t leave it too late, speak to us now about any questions or concerns you might have! Contact our IR35 Lead Paul Merton on 01483 361061 or ir35@advance-trs.com to book your free consultation.

We’re delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted for the Perkbox Workplace Culture Awards, which recognise the businesses who go above and beyond to ensure employees are happy in their work-life balance. 

Please vote for us in the medium-sized category of the awards

As recruiters we really understand that talented and motivated staff is the key to any successful business and creating a fantastic working environment is one of our top priorities. 

The positive mental health and wellbeing of our colleagues are of high importance to our board and senior management team and we have therefore committed significant time as a business to ensure all employees feel supported and can access help.

We have appointed two trained Mental Health First Aiders and provide a Wellbeing Hub on our Intranet, offering impartial and confidential support via a 24-hour counselling helpline. We also run quarterly Workshops with all staff to increase general awareness, explaining what support is available and highlighting different methods of self-help or wellness techniques for everyday living.

The comprehensive benefits and rewards package we offer to our staff includes a private company pension scheme, a premium-free Group Private Medical Insurance plan and access to our exciting perks and discounts platform facilitated by Perkbox, amongst other things. 

To find out more about Advance TRS and what our colleagues think, watch this short video or take a look at our website.

If you want to take the next step in your career look no further, Advance TRS are hiring! We are always looking for talented and motivated individuals, as part of our business’s strategic talent acquisition programme. Whether you are an entrepreneurial individual, established recruitment team or small businesses with shared values, we would love to hear from you.

If you are interested in joining Advance TRS’s recruitment teams or business support staff in our Port Solent or Guildford offices, contact Paul Metcalfe for a discrete conversation on 07793 55 413 or apply online.

Our Group Managing Director Andy Ridout and Rail Director Michael Schruyers, were delighted to attend another great Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) Scottish Section Dinner at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow on 14th November.

A very big thank you goes out to everyone attending the dinner who donated so generously and raised £3,681 for children’s charity Railway Children!

Andy Ridout, Advance TRS Group MD, has been championing the charity for a number of years and is delighted with the amount raised – another substantial donation for a great cause, which will go towards helping the most vulnerable children worldwide.

“I can’t thank guests of the IRSE Scottish Section Dinner enough for their contributions” comments Andy.

“It’s incredible to see so many from the rail industry come together to change the lives of thousands of disadvantaged children each year.”

Railway Children is an international children’s charity, with outreach teams operating out of the UK, India and East Africa. Donations help to fund street teams that seek out children living in squalid conditions on the streets, where the charity’s team of experts can meet the child’s immediate needs and attempt to reintegrate them back into normality.

Since establishing in 2011, giving back to those less fortunate and advancing others has been a central motivator for founder Andy Ridout and the growing Advance TRS team, with new challenges, including the Oakleaf Firewalk, being completed every year.

Read more about our fundraising activities.

Last Thursday everyone at Advance TRS got together at our Guildford office for an update on how the business is performing and the presentation of our new company charter.

We were very pleased to hear how well both offices had done over the past six months, already outperforming the previous 12 months by some measures! Some of our colleagues broke their own performance records and many team members are well on their way to securing a ticket to Las Vegas, next year’s company incentive trip – our biggest one yet!

The second part of the conference was dedicated to our new company charter, put together by the Board of Directors and our Marketing & Development Manager. It covers values that are important to us as a business and which we believe should be reflected in our day-to-day work and interactions with clients and colleagues.

We pledge to focus on delivering a quality service, respecting one another and doing what we say we do which ties in well with our Core Values of Quality, Commitment, Integrity, Honesty and Loyalty.

While maintaining our strong reputation as dependable, effective and honest, Advance TRS continues to grow and therefore we are always looking for driven and ambitious individuals to join the team. If this is you and you would like to work for a business that values its employees’ contribution to its success then we would love to hear from you!

To find out more about our current opportunities, visit our careers page, or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

Advance TRS are delighted to be shortlisted as Finalists in the Property Management Awards 2019 for the Recruitment Company of the Year Award.

The team are delighted to be recognised for their dedication to delivering premium quality recruitment solutions to their clients and candidates alike.

Our property services recruitment experts have first-hand experience within the sector, where they gained the very best knowledge of the roles they recruit for and the challenges clients and candidates face. This first-hand experience allows us to fully qualify our candidates, ensuring they only put forward the very best calibre.

Group Founder and Managing Director, Andy Ridout explains;

“The team is committed to finding only the best candidates for our clients and ensure they are carefully qualified and suitable for the relevant role. I’m absolutely delighted to see the team’s hard work and efforts recognised in the Property Management Awards shortlist.”

The rapidly growing recruitment company, specialising in the provision of highly-skilled technical professionals for the built environment employs some of the industry’s most experienced professionals and MD Andy plans to more than double the workforce in the next couple of years and open offices in further locations.

Whilst continuing to grow and improve the business, Advance TRS maintain committed to providing excellent customer service to both candidates and clients alike. With business development plans firmly rooted in our five Core Values of Quality, Commitment, Integrity, Honesty and Loyalty, Advance TRS aims to continue this pattern of growth whilst maintaining our strong reputation as dependable, effective and honest.

“Advance TRS’ success has proven that hard work and a dedication to delivering excellent service pays off” Andy explains.

“Now, the team and I continue to be more motivated than ever and are excited for what the future brings.”

If you’re a driven individual who likes to contribute to their brand’s success then we’d love to hear from you. Advance TRS is growing quickly, so we are always looking for new people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

Today six of our colleagues braved the firewalk for World Mental Health Day 2019 and raised an amazing £559.25 for Surrey-based mental health charity Oakleaf Enterprise. A big thanks to everyone who donated so generously! 

Before the walk, the team received an hour’s training where they learned how to master the walk. It also involved snapping arrows on their necks.

Since establishing, charity work and fundraising have been a key priority for Founder Andy Ridout and the wider Advance TRS team and everyone did really well today and made it look so easy!

The charity

Oakleaf Enterprise is a Surrey-based mental health charity which also works as a social enterprise to provide vocational training for those suffering from mental health issues.

It was registered as a charity in 1997 and has since then worked hard to benefit people in need. Their main focus is delivering vocational training and work experience in upholstery, horticulture and IT, enabling clients to gain new skills, as the first step on their return to the workplace.

About mental health

Mental health issues are common and can present in a wide variety of ways. One in four people suffers from anxiety and stress which can have a considerable impact on their work life. Recognising problems early and implementing initiatives to support staff and colleagues will be of real benefit to them. 

At Advance TRS, we prioritise the mental wellbeing of our staff and understand that reducing work-related stress can be hugely beneficial to all. We take our obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees seriously. Our comprehensive wellness programme and mental health awareness training have recently been recognised as Advance TRS were shortlisted as finalists in the Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing category in the Solent Business Awards 2019. 

Follow our fundraising activities on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for the latest news and take a look at our Advance Advice on Mental Health for further information.

We have hosted another successful Macmillan Coffee Morning at the Advance TRS Guildford office this year. Everyone supported the fundraising morning by bringing in delicious bakes and generously donating for a great cause and we were able to raise £104, which is more than double last year’s sum.

With so many of our colleagues providing amazing cakes and pastries this year we will need to think about a marathon as our next fundraising challenge, to run off all the calories!

While we were really impressed with everyone’s effort, it was Leanne’s Salted Caramel Sponge Cake that took the crown this year – a well deserved Paul Hollywood handshake for you Leanne! Well done to all our bakers.

Macmillian Cancer Support

Macmillian takes the time to understand the support people need to live their lives as fully as they can. From the moment of diagnosis and whenever they’re most needed, Macmillian here to help people find their best way through. Their help is totally focused on each individual person, so everyone receives the support that’s best for them.

Every day around 1,000 people across the UK will find out that they have cancer.

It’s now estimated that half of all people will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lives. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with an average of around 150 cases diagnosed every day Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with 330,000 men living with prostate cancer in the UK.

People living with Cancer in the workforce

In 2015, there were an estimated 890,000 people of working age living with cancer in the UK. This is set to increase to 1,150,000 by 2030. An estimated 1 in 3 people living with cancer are of working age. 85% of people with cancer who were employed when diagnosed say it was important for them to continue work after diagnosis.

Follow our fundraising activities on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for the latest news.

Thursday 10th October marks World Mental Health Day and in true Advance TRS fashion, our bravest team members are taking on another challenge. In a bid to raise awareness for mental health and money for a great charity, the team will be focusing their minds over matter and walking on more than 500°C hot coals. 

Since establishing, charity fundraising and awareness-raising have been a key priority for Founder Andy Ridout and the wider Advance TRS team. This latest effort will see our firewalkers take part in an hour-long training seminar by two-time Guinness World Record holder Scott Bell before stepping onto the embers. We wish them the best of luck and will have the ambulance on speed dial.

Please click here to donate and help our team reach their goal.

The charity

The event is hosted by Oakleaf, a Surrey-based mental health charity which also works as a social enterprise to provide vocational training for those suffering from mental health issues.

Oakleaf Enterprise was registered as a charity in 1997 and has since then worked hard to benefit people in need. Their main focus is delivering vocational training and work experience in upholstery, horticulture and IT, enabling clients to gain new skills, as the first step on their return to the workplace.

About mental health

Mental health problems can present in a wide variety of ways and out of Guildford, Waverley and Woking’s 214,900 population of 18 to 64-year-olds, it is estimated that 19,242 people suffer mixed depression and anxiety. 

Overall, one in four people suffers from anxiety and stress which can have a considerable impact on their work life. Recognising problems early and implementing initiatives to support staff and colleagues will be of real benefit to them. 

At Advance TRS, we understand that reducing work-related stress can be hugely beneficial to all, and take our obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees seriously. Our comprehensive wellness programme and mental health awareness training have recently been recognised as Advance TRS were shortlisted as finalists in the Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing category in the Solent Business Awards 2019. 

Follow our fundraising activities on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for the latest news and take a look at our Advance Advice on Mental Health in the workplace for further information.

From the start, it was clear that Andy Ridout had big ambitions for his new business, and that finding likeminded individuals who would have the right drive and hunger would play a central role in making Advance TRS one of the best in its industry.

This September marks Advance TRS’s 8th birthday, and the business has come a long way since its humble origins in 2011. Starting as a one-man band, Andy, Group Managing Director quickly grew the business from strength to strength.

The technical recruitment agency has successfully attracted some of the best recruiters and business professionals to the team, bringing with them an impressive 150 years’ combined industry experience, and are not planning to stop.

Andy’s goal to more than double the workforce in the next couple of years is on track as the business continues to grow the two offices, with plans for more locations on the table. One of our latest recruits, Alex Shaw, has recently joined our South Coast team.

But not only do we boast impressive industry knowledge and experience, but the business also put a big emphasis on our colleagues’ mental health and wellbeing. Advance TRS have appointed trained mental health first aiders and have recently been shortlisted as Finalists in the Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing category in the Solent Business Awards 2019.

Whilst continuing to grow and improve the business, Advance TRS maintain committed to providing excellent customer service to both candidates and clients alike. With business development plans firmly rooted in our five Core Values of Quality, Commitment, Integrity, Honesty and Loyalty, Advance TRS aims to continue this pattern of growth whilst maintaining our strong reputation as dependable, effective and honest.

“Advance TRS’ success has been proven that hard work and a dedication to delivering excellent service pays off” Andy explains, reflecting on the last 8 years.

“Now, the team and I continue to be more motivated than ever to continue this sensational track record of growth and are excited for what the future brings.”

If you’re a driven individual who likes to contribute to their brand’s success then we’d love to hear from you. 

Advance TRS is growing quickly, so we are always looking for new people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

We are delighted to announce that Alex Shaw has recently joined Advance TRS as Principal Recruitment Consultant, focusing on permanent recruitment for the Water, Wastewater, River engineering and Flood Risk sectors.

Alex is the latest to join the company’s growing South Coast office, based in Port Solent, Portsmouth. The team is headed up by Water & Infrastructure Director, Rob Kelly. With over 8 years’ experience recruiting for the infrastructure, water and environment industries, Alex has joined the office which was established on the South Coast office in June 2018 and is now the 5th recruit to the team. 

The office, with views over the Solent, is Advance TRS’s latest addition as part of the company’s overall acquisition and expansion strategy.

“I’m excited to join Advance TRS to work with Rob and the South Coast team to build on their work over the last few years to further establish the company’s growing water business” Alex explains.

“As a CertRP qualified Recruitment Consultant and Member of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals (MIRP) I take pride in providing expert advice and guidance to Civil Engineers and Hydraulic Modellers looking to work within the UK Water engineering sector. I have built strong relationships with water industry clients and candidates over the past 8 years, and I’m looking forward to providing the same high-quality service to clients and candidates.”

Specialising in permanent recruitment, Alex has assisted hundreds of candidates in achieving their career objectives within Civil Engineering, Hydraulic Modelling and Flood Risk, whilst providing exceptional service to client organisations from SMEs to large multinational consultancy firms.

Group Managing Director, Andy Ridout, says;

“I’m delighted Advance TRS have attracted Alex to join the South Coast team and I feel we have further strengthened our impressive service offering. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience of his specialist areas. I am looking forward to seeing Alex continue his successful career with us.”

With a clear programme of both geographic and market expansion, Advance TRS has branched out into new sectors, now delivering their quality recruitment solutions across the built environment, and plan to further continue geographic expansion into the South West, Midlands and the North.

Advance TRS Non-Executive Director, Paul Metcalfe is responsible for leading the business’s strategic talent acquisition. Metcalfe joined Advance TRS in spring 2017, with a proven track record of delivering business growth.

“We are now embarking on an exciting process of strategic talent acquisition, looking for entrepreneurial individuals, like Alex, or established recruitment teams and small businesses with a shared vision to join the Advance TRS team,” explains Paul. 

Advance TRS is growing quickly, so we are always looking for new people to join the team. If you are interested to find out more about our current opportunities, visit our website www.advance-trs.com/about/careers-at-advance/ or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com

Looking for your next role? 

If you are a candidate looking for a career move, then we can offer tailored advice to help you secure your next position. At Advance TRS we pride ourselves in being able to support candidates from Graduate Engineer to Director in finding your next permanent or contract opportunity. Call 01483 361061 or visit our live jobs on www.advance-trs.com.

Looking for your next hire? 

If you are working for a client organisation and are looking to grow your team, then we can assist by offering bespoke recruitment programmes, niche headhunting, exclusive candidates and market intelligence. Call 01483 361061 to speak to one of our consultants.

Technical recruitment agency Advance TRS are delighted to be shortlisted as Finalists in the Solent Business Awards 2019 for the Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing Award. 

As a recruitment business operating within the built environment our employees, contractors and client contracts are working in, statistically, some of the most challenging and stress-inducing environments.

Group Founder and Managing Director, Andy Ridout explains;

“We take our duty of care seriously, investing heavily in building awareness of Mental Health to best support staff and contractors to spot signs of difficulty in themselves and others and ensuring they have the support they need to get help. I’m delighted to see these efforts recognised in the Solent Business Awards shortlist.”

The rapidly growing recruitment company opened offices on the South Coast in 2018, headed up by Water & Infrastructure Director Rob Kelly, formerly of Matchtech. The South Coast office, with views over the sea, is Advance TRS’s latest addition as part of the company’s overall acquisition and expansion strategy and has already grown rapidly, employing more people from the local area. 

Our Marketing & Development Manager, Ella Gardiner champions the business’s Employee Engagement and Wellbeing programme and acts as a go-to person for anyone in the business seeking advice or guidance on how to access further support, or who simply needs to speak to a listening ear. As our Mental Health First Aider, Ella is there to listen to employees, offer support and signpost to methods of self-help or professional support services.

“As we start out in our journey of promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing as a business, this acknowledgement of the work, time and money we have invested so far in our team is really exciting” explains Ella. 

To find out more about Advance TRS’s Mental Health & Wellbeing programme follow us on social media or visit the Advance Advice blog.

If you are looking for a new move in your career look no further, Advance TRS are hiring! We are always looking for talented and motivated individuals, as part of our business’s strategic talent acquisition programme. Whether you are an entrepreneurial individual, established recruitment team or small businesses with shared values, we would love to hear from you.

If you are interested in joining Advance TRS’s recruitment teams or business support staff in our Port Solent or Guildford offices, contact Paul Metcalfe for a discrete conversation on 07793 55 413 or apply online at www.advance-trs.com.

Click here to view our CV tips and Click here to download our FREE CV template.

Our Water and Infrastructure Director, Rob Kelly, visited the University of Southampton at the beginning of the month to deliver a workshop for the students.

The aim was to help students by giving advice on the essentials needed to land a job after they graduate. Covering CVs and Interview tips, Rob went into detail about:

  • CV format
  • CV content
  • Tailoring techniques
  • Personal profiles
  • Interview preparation
  • Organisation research
  • Killer questions
  • Interview approach
  • STAR technique.

The STAR technique is designed to guide you through competency-based interview questions, often questions starting with ‘Tell me about a time you did X’.

S – Situation T – Task A – Approach R – Result

Competency questions are generally used to find out how candidates would react to certain situations, by asking for real-world examples to back-up their claims.

Don’t let their open-ended nature fool you. There is a formula you can apply to keep your answers on track, which is where STAR comes in. Click here to read the full details and examples with how this technique can help you.

If you are looking for some help with writing your CV or would like tips about what you can do to prepare for an upcoming interview, our Advance Advice page is where you need to go next! We have lots of articles here to help and these have come from top, experienced recruiters who know recruitment processes like the back of their hand.

Click here to read more interview tips.

Click here to view our CV tips and Click here to download our FREE CV template

We are thrilled to announce that Matt Bray has joined Advance TRS as Managing Director of Construction. With over 25 years of experience recruiting in the construction, built environment and major infrastructure sectors, Matt has become the ‘go-to’ man in the world of construction recruitment for many of his clients. His knowledge and professional network are a huge asset to the growing recruitment firm.

“I’m thrilled to be able to join Advance TRS, bringing a new line of business to further establish the company’s growing construction sector” he explains.

Matt has a strong track record of using innovative management and business development strategies to work with clients, ranging from major blue chip organisations to successful SME’s, to place senior hires and project leaders. Comfortable and proven in developing strong business relationships, which deliver revenue in a number of sectors, building an enviable portfolio of client contacts and continues to expand his network.

For Matt, “a key skill is the ability to identify a business opportunity, listen to the need of the client and then propose an innovative solution to deliver results. This honest trustworthy approach ensures businesses and people find me easy to deal with and become an integral partner to enhance their business.”

Matt has significant experience leading recruitment teams, B2B sales and senior appointments through a credible and professional approach to the provision of recruitment solutions. His experience and presence have already brought a positive, professional influence to the team, supporting him in his new role to continue the expansion of the company’s growing Construction division.

He brings with him the experience of having previously directed experienced recruitment consultants in delivering both UK wide and International search campaigns, alongside senior level contingency recruitment to the permanent and interim contract markets.

Group Managing Director, Andy Ridout, explains;

“I’m delighted to have attracted Matt to join the Advance TRS leadership team and I feel we have further strengthened our impressive service offering. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience, this combined with an exceptional portfolio of clients, which complement those of the Advance TRS Group.”

“His proven track record and unrivalled knowledge of the Construction sector further imposes Advance TRS Group as a market leader in the Built Environment recruitment sector.”

Matt leads the Construction Division at Advance TRS, providing both permanent and contract recruitment solutions for the UK construction market. With a personal focus on senior and executive hires, his specialist team support with construction project staffing for every phase, from concept and planning through to delivery and commissioning.

See what Matt’s clients say about him:

“I’m always impressed with Matt’s network and knowledge of the construction industry. Matt takes the trouble to understand our business and teams before recommending suitable candidates. This ensures that the behaviour and personality fit is as strong as the skills match. I have no hesitation in recommending Matt and his team.”

“I’ve continued to work with Matt Bray over a number of years, as he understands the industry, and targets candidates that truly meet my requirements.”

“It’s been a pleasure doing business with Matt over a number of years – he’s become my ‘go-to’ man in the world of construction recruitment and makes it his business to understand my business.”

To find out more about Matt, the Construction division at Advance TRS or our full client service offering, call 01483 361 061. Alternatively, click here to search for the latest construction, property, rail and water jobs.

Advance TRS are delighted to partner with the UK’s largest property group Countrywide this month to host a recruitment day for Mortgage Advisors. This is being held on Saturday 19th January in Guildford, Surrey.

The leading agency have a number of opportunities for Mortgage Advisors in the Surrey area. This day provides a fantastic opportunity to meet the Mortgage Advice Team Area Manager and other representatives from the Countrywide team, alongside the Advance TRS team.

Booking an appointment is required, so don’t miss out! 

You can find out more information and book your appointment with our Property Services Recruitment Consultant, Faythe.

You can contact Faythe on fg@advance-trs.com or call 07931 866924.

We are delighted to announce that for the fourth year running, Advance TRS have successfully passed the Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS) Audit and retained the 5 star status.

Our compliance team work tirelessly all year round to ensure we follow best practice at all times and that all our processes and procedures are current. This latest accreditation recognises our ongoing commitment to excellence in all our systems and procedures.

Working in a number of safety critical engineering sectors, we have a robust compliance management system that is structured with very clear processes and procedures. This system has been developed to deliver the ongoing management of individual competencies held by external workers, as well as supporting the requirements of each industry sector’s specific standards and scheme requirements.

This compliance procedure incorporates a bespoke database that highlights renewals of qualifications, supplier certificates and competencies. The continued management of this area of our business is essential when supplying workers to industries where safety is foremost in everyone’s daily working lives.

“RISQS is the single entry point for suppliers to the rail industry and as a ‘5 Star’ RISQS accredited supplier to the rail industry, we believe that we all have a responsibility to deliver a professional service that meets continues to achieve and exceed the industry standards” explains Group Operations Director Paul Merton.

“This is a fantastic achievement and we are immensely proud of the whole team who work hard all year round to maintain our trademark top quality service.”

Advance TRS’s Rail & Infrastructure Director, Mick, and our Principal BD Consultant Andy, were pleased to attend the Welsh Transport Conference which was held at the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel & Spa on Thursday 29th November 2018.

This one day conference brought the leaders from the region together to discuss devolution, new technology and innovation, funding and investment, the skills shortage and how we are going to align apprenticeship programmes to fit the needs of the sector, electrification, smart ticketing and much more.

There were some brilliant talks and speeches, one held Brian Meechan, BBC Wales Today Business Correspondent, followed by a Keynote Address by Simon Jones, Director of Transport for the Welsh Government. He spoke about the challenges and opportunities for Transport for Wales across all transport modes.

Attendees also heard from representatives from Siemens, Network Rail, Balfour Beatty, Keltbrayn, Wifi Spark, and there were talks from many other speakers. The conference also offered technical seminars from Furrer+Frey, ABB Ltd, AD Comms, TfW, SPL Powerlines, Centregreat and Atkins.

“This event proved to be a brilliant Networking opportunity, as well as a great way to find out what is happening in the Industry and specifically, what is happening with Transport in Wales. I am always looking for new opportunities to connect with people so this was a great new event to attend” Explains our Principal BD Consultant, Andy, who specialises in recruiting for OLE and Civils.

To view the latest jobs we are recruiting for in the Rail industry, click here!

At this year’s British Water International Reception, keynote speaker Peter Simpson gave an engaging summary of successes and lessons learned in the water sector, in what has been another ‘exceptional year’ for the water network.

From the bitter weather with the ‘beast from the east’ at the start of the year, sending the UK into its coldest period for 27 years, followed by some of the hottest and driest months since records began in 1910, in addition to increasingly frequent and severe flooding the UK, water network has faced significant challenges.

Yet in the face of such extreme challenges, the Water industry is amongst one of the most trusted industries in the UK. 63% of household customers trust their water company, in comparison to 52% for the energy sector. (CCWater Water Matters Annual Tracking Survey, 5,110 total customers surveyed)

With a sector-wide focus on driving innovation and improved efficiency to ensure real benefit and cost savings can be delivered to the consumer, 2 litres of tap water is now 270 times cheaper than a 2-litre premium branded bottle of water, costing less than 1/3p. (CCWater; England and Wales, Apr 2016 – Mar 2017)

In real terms for the consumer, this means the average annual water and sewerage charges across England and Wales households stands at £405, compared to the average annual dual fuel (gas and electricity) bill of £1,066. (Source: Water UK; England and Wales, Apr 2018 – Mar 2019)

Peter also shared a brief insight into the preparatory work being done by water companies in the face of Brexit negotiations, emphasising the need for a continued focus on environmental and outcome-based measures, for success across the sector post-Brexit and touching on some of the contingency forecasting completed for all different Brexit negotiation eventualities.  

The event, hosted at the Institute of Directors in London, proved a fantastic opportunity to showcase the British Water Industry to support international trade. As proud members of British Water, Advance TRS were delighted to support the event as Silver Sponsors.

As a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly-skilled technical professionals, our specialist Water and Utilities consultants supply permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions to clients across the UK.

Operating as a trusted adviser to our clients, Advance TRS deliver an end-to-end recruitment service that provides complete peace of mind. From meter readers to senior managers on AMP6 framework projects and Thames Tideway, our specialist industry knowledge enables us to deliver expert, hard-to-find candidates for your business.

 

Get ahead of the January rush and view the latest opportunities in the Water sector here or call 01483 361 061 to speak to our expert Water & Utilities Consultants.

Advance TRS were delighted to attend the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) Scottish Section meeting again this year, held in Glasgow at the Marriott Hotel.

As leading suppliers of specialist rail signalling engineers to both the London Underground and Network Rail networks, Advance TRS have been a key partner and member of IRSE since establishing in 2011.

“The annual Glasgow meeting always proves to be a great event, which is well attended by many professionals engaged in or associated with railway signalling and telecommunications, train control and traffic management professions.” Explains Specialist Recruitment Consultant – Signalling, Josh Hill.

“The IRSE continue to play a vital role in attracting, developing and retaining skilled engineers and technicians Technical Meetings and events across the country and internationally.”

Andy Mellors, Managing Director of South Western Railway, provided a keynote address in conjunction with IMechE prior to the main event, examining the economic and wider societal benefits that the rail industry delivers, and also discussing the current challenges facing the industry, the engineering profession and the institutions.

This was followed by an evening of networking, dinner and drinks. It’s always a pleasure to be in the same room as so many industry professionals, meeting new people, seeing old faces and talking about the future of the Railway!

Each year, there is an opportunity available for everyone to be able to donate money to the charity Railway Children. This year was no exception. Again, the astounding generosity of attendees raised a total of £3,100!

Railway Children is an international children’s charity, with outreach teams operating out of the UK, India and East Africa. Donations help to fund street teams that seek out children living in squalid conditions on the streets, where the charity’s team of experts can meet the child’s immediate needs and attempt to reintegrate them back into normality.

Since establishing in 2011, giving back to those less fortunate and advancing others has been a central motivator for founder Andy Ridout and the growing Advance TRS team. In previous years, Andy has personally championed the charity at different industry events, including IRSE dinners.

With over 200 signalling professionals currently working across London Underground on Europe’s largest rail signalling project, 4 lines Modernisation, Advance TRS is a leading recruitment specialist in rail signalling partnering key organisations, to provide them with skilled candidates to deliver signalling programmes aimed at increasing safety, capacity, reliability and performance across the rail network.

Click here to view the hottest rail signalling jobs and apply! Alternatively contact our team of expert recruiters directly by calling 01483 361061.

 

As we are fast approaching the end of Autumn and going into the Winter months, it’s important to stay safe and be aware of the seasonal changes.

We want to ensure that we all stay safe and get home safely every day. Here are some top tips to help you through the winter months, accessed by Track Safety Alliance (TSA)

Staying safe consists of being prepared for the various weather conditions:

  • Correct clothing and PPE

    • Wear layers of clothing under your PPE to stay warm
    • Keep your hands warm as cold hands will affect dexterity
  • Site preparation

    • Be aware of underfoot conditions
    • Check equipment is safe
    • Does the new ballast have anti-icer?
    • Are the water pipes suitably lagged?
    • Have you spread rock salt at access points and SAC cabins wherever possible that isn’t on the rails?
  • Welfare and Fatigue

    • Make sure teams have access to hot food and drinks
    • Colder temperatures exacerbate tiredness and increase fatigue, avoid standing around whilst waiting to access the track
  • Winter Driving

    • Make sure you drive with due care and attention
    • Top up your windscreen wash
    • Pack de-icer and an ice scraper in your vehicle
    • Pack spare clothes/blanket and food/drink for emergencies
    • Make sure you have sufficient fuel for your journey and emergencies

Did you know?

  • Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern and is currently estimated to affect up to 2 million people in the UK. You can find out more and seek help through the charity Mind.

Keep up to date with our latest safety briefing online here.

Our Property Team are proud to have sponsored the IRPM Regional Seminars this year which were held all over the country. We attended all of the seminars which were held in Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Brighton and London.

The IRPM is the Institute of Residential Property Management. They are the leading professional body for residential property management professionals, providing learning and qualifications to over 4,000 members from over 1,000 organisations, who serve the private, social, build-to-rent and retirement sectors, managing estates and developments across all tenures.

The agenda for this year’s regional seminars were Cyber Security, Reinstatement Cost Assessments, Legal Update, Customer Focus & Ethics, Violence & Property Management, Health & Safety and a Workshop Session.

All of our Property Team had a chance to represent Advance TRS at the events and all took home some crucial and interesting information about the property industry. Of course, it was also a great opportunity for networking all over the country.

We look forward to next year’s seminars!

Advance TRS is a niche recruitment consultancy specialising in the provision of highly-skilled technical professionals. Since establishing, Advance TRS has grown rapidly and now provides permanent, contract and temporary recruitment solutions to both candidates and clients across a number of key technical sectors including; Rail, Water & Utilities, Property Services & Construction.

To view our latest jobs click here.

To register an account with us click here. Don’t have time to register an account? Click here for our quick send CV function.

We are delighted to announce that Advance TRS has passed the ISO 27001 audit, a certificate issued by a UKAS accredited certification body, ACS Registrars.

ISO 27001 is a certification for an information security management system (ISMS).

In line with the new GDPR guidelines, we are extremely proud to have passed this audit to show that we handle personal data on a professional level.

The benefits of ISO 27001

Implementing an information security management system provides us with a system that will help to eliminate or minimise the risk of a security breach, that could have legal or business continuity implications.

An effective ISO 27001 information security management system (ISMS) provides a management framework of policies and procedures that will keep your information secure, whatever the format.

By establishing and maintaining a documented system of controls and management, risks can be identified and reduced.

Achieving ISO 27001 certification shows that we have:

  • Protected information from getting into unauthorised hands
  • Ensured information is accurate and can only be modified by authorised users
  • Assessed the risks and mitigated the impact of a breach
  • Been independently assessed to an international standard based on industry best practices

ISO 27001 certification demonstrates that we have identified the risks, assessed the implications and put in place systemised controls to limit any damage to our organisation.

Benefits include:

  • Increased reliability and security of systems and information
  • Improved customer and business partner confidence
  • Increased business resilience
  • Alignment with customer requirements
  • Improved management processes and integration with corporate risk strategies

Achieving ISO 27001 is not a guarantee that information breaches will never occur, however by having a robust system in place, risks will be reduced and disruption and costs kept to a minimum.

We would like to say a big well done to our team for all their efforts towards being able to achieve this accreditation!

To see our latest Rail, Construction, Water, Utilities or Property jobs, click here.