Category: Advance TRS News

In light of the recent developments in the electrification sector with Network Rail agreeing £2 billion worth of framework contracts with Balfour Beatty, AmeyInabensa, CarillionPowerlines and ABC Electrification, it is reasonable to argue that the UK is beginning to establish a railway system that is faster, cleaner and much more
efficient.

These six framework contracts are just a part of around 30 different electrification projects that the government has green-lighted for the next seven years. These framework agreements seek to electrify 2,000 miles of track between 2014 and 2019, a significant investment that will create a more sustainable railway.

However, we estimate that by 2016, the electrification sector will require upwards of 2,000 skilled linesmen to carry out the works, more than 10 times the current capacity. The UK now faces an uphill struggle to recruit and train over 1,800 electrification linesmen before 2016. One of the biggest concerns that we are experiencing with regards to establishing a skilled workforce in the UK rail industry is the relatively lengthy breaks between large-scale projects. These breaks inevitably lead to a reduction in demand for specialist skilled workers, most notably within Electrification and Signalling.

Unfortunately as a result, we commonly see capacity problems arise when large-scale projects are initiated and the industry’s demand begins to far outweigh the supply. In disciplines such as Signalling and Electrification, there isn’t a direct transferability of skills that enables technicians to easily transfer between roles. Those looking to make the switch to the electrification sector are still required to complete specialist training in order to be qualified enough to work.

We are also dealing with an ageing workforce with many high-level qualified technicians expected to retire over the next few years, further threatening the sustainability of future electrification works.

One solution to the skills shortage is to source skilled linesmen from other countries such as Poland, Slovakia and The Philippines. Many European countries have a much higher ratio of electrified track to the UK and have thus created a highly skilled workforce that will soon be in big demand.

However, sourcing technicians from foreign countries doesn’t necessarily address the long-term issues that the UK rail industry has in terms of maintaining a highly skilled workforce. With youth unemployment in the UK reaching close to 20%, could there be a better solution right on our doorstep?

We should be looking at supporting organisations that aim to fill the various skills gaps that exist within the industry, most notably the partnership between Carillion and SPL Powerlines. The partnership was set up ahead of the Network Rail framework contracts agreement and aims to significantly reduce the deficit in skilled linesmen over the next 6 years by investing heavily in purpose-built electrification training centres.

Another organisation that deserves recognition is the UK Rail Industry Training Trust, a charity set up to reach out to 12-19 year-olds across the UK to promote careers in the rail industry. The trust is currently running a series of engagement and educational events around the country, promoting the types of careers available within the rail industry.

Vocational education
There also needs to be a shift in attitudes towards careers in the trades as it recently emerged that youngsters are being actively dissuaded away from vocational education in favour of more academic pursuits. According to a recent study by the Edge Foundation, 36% of students who studied a vocational qualification were advised against it by their school. Only 51% of parents encouraged their child’s choice to study a vocational qualification, compared to 74% of parents who were happy to encourage an academic pursuit. This poses another dilemma for the rail and construction industries despite evidence showing that the total income of an ex-apprentice is not too dissimilar to that of a university graduate.

As the UK commits to constructing a 21st century fast, safe and green railway, we must not ignore the continual demand for qualified and experienced technicians and engineers. It is essential that we are continually inspiring the next generation of railway engineers as these future stars will be the ones building the large-scale projects such as HS2 and Crossrail 2.

For more information on how advance Training & Recruitment Services can meet your electrification staffing needs, talk to our resident Electrification & Power expert Daniel Forth-Rumley by calling 01483 361061

News Flash…Advance Training & Recruitment Services is expanding! As a result of continued recruitment successes, Advance-TRS will soon be moving into office space more than three times the size of their current premises. Since it’s inception in 2011, Advance-TRS has been growing exponentially and has developed into one of the market leaders in Rail & Transport recruitment. This extraordinary growth has made it necessary to upgrade local facilities in order to accommodate an increase in sales and administration staff.

Andy Ridout, Managing Director of Advance Training & Recruitment Services, commented:

“This is an extremely important milestone for this company. Over the last 2 years, our whole team has worked incredibly hard in order to get Advance-TRS to where it is today and this year we are reaping the rewards. Our expansion will open the doors for the company to grow even faster in 2014 and beyond.”

From the 10th of February 2014, Advance-TRS will be residing in a new workplace, located just yards away from their current office. Advance-TRS will be moving down the road to:

Second Floor, Stamford House
91 Woodbridge Road
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 4QD

Andy continues: “Our next challenge is finding talented Recruitment Consultants to take on the growing demand that our clients are requiring. Finding the right people is no small task; we look specifically for ambitious & driven recruiters who can hit the ground running and make an instant impact.”

To deal with the ever-growing demand for recruitment services, Advance-TRS are looking to take on new Recruiters & Senior Recruiters to help grow the business in 2014 and further afield. They are looking for ambitious, driven and aspiring candidates with a strong background in recruitment to fill a warm desk benefiting a whole host of engaged clients, live vacancies and an established catalogue of extremely talented candidates. If you have a couple of years of experience in recruitment or are an experienced recruiter looking for the next step in your career, visit the team page here to find out more about who Advance-TRS are and what they’re looking for.

Advance are also offering a referral fee to anyone who refers to them an experienced recruiter that they employ. If you refer a recruiter that advance take on, you’ll be awarded £250, it’s as simple as that!

For a confidential discussion, please call Managing Director, Andy Ridout on 07786 968851 or e-mail your CV to ar@advance-trs.com

With over 450 industry professionals in regular attendance, the dinner at the Derby Roundhouse is perhaps the most prestigious networking event of the rail calendar.

As well as providing an annual opportunity for business leaders and key industry decision makers to meet, it has since 2012 become an invaluable fundraising hub for Railway Children.

Last years’ event saw Andy Ridout of rail recruitment company, advance Training and Recruitment Services (advance-TRS) announce his personal challenge, a challenge that would see him endure a freshwater swim of 2.4 miles, an agonising 110 mile bike ride, followed by a gruelling marathon across the hilly terrain of Dartmoor, all in all, an ironman. In aid of Railway Children, he aimed to raise a staggering £10,000 whilst inspiring others to step forward and support him on his journey to end child neglect. The Roundhouse provided a perfect reception for his announcement; that night Ridout raised £3,700 towards his target.

One year on and it seems that ‘Ironman Andy’ as he has become known has completed his journey in more ways than one. Since last year the dinner at the Roundhouse helped raise in excess of £85,000 for Railway Children, with Andy having personally raised a staggering £12,777 towards that total.

We recently caught up with the man himself, he spoke frankly about the race that pushed him to his limit.

‘It has been an emotional twelve months’ says Andy, who celebrated his 41st birthday two days after completing the race. The training was definitely tough with many obstacles along the way, not least the back injury that almost meant pulling out at the last minute.’

‘On the morning of the Ironman, I was filled with excitement and apprehension and was very much looking forward to the swim, my favourite of the three activities (unfortunately the shortest too). There is nothing more sobering than entering a lake as the sun rises, the sky was clear and the red glow as the sun came up was magnificent. The atmosphere on the lake side was buzzing and everyone was in high spirits. In such events, there is a feeling of unity and camaraderie amongst the contestants and everyone is really encouraging of one another.’

‘The swim was exhilarating but as I mounted my bike the excitement and fear of what lay ahead were consuming. I had a very sore back and was conscious of the impact the hilly terrain may have, it didn’t take long for my fears to be confirmed; the 3rd mile of the 110 was a mile long climb which induced exceptional muscle tightening, after that I’m not sure how I managed to persevere but somehow I kept going.’

‘The views during the ride were magnificent and I was filled with a spectrum of emotions ranging from determination to frustration, to adrenaline fuelled excitement as I descended at speeds of up to 40mph. On the 109th mile, I had a sudden sense of humour failure; the race owners having decided to put the finish at the top of a 40% hill! However, I was on the home stretch and as I pushed towards the cycling finish line I felt a combination of relief and immense satisfaction. Unfortunately, my feelings of relief lasted all of 2 minutes as my attention was turned to the moors and the marathon that lay ahead. By this point my back was in agony and I was mentally drained, but I had got so far and pulling out was not an option; even if it meant walking 26 miles I knew I had to cross that finish line.’

‘The run was spectacular, the views breathtaking. Every few miles I grew in confidence and relaxed into a routine of running for 4 or 5 miles and then eating and drinking to keep my energy levels going. At sun set I happened to be at the highest point of the moors and the view was incredibly inspiring, from this I drew encouragement and pushed on to complete the final 10 miles.’

‘Crossing the finish line was extraordinarily satisfying and emotional; it was the end of a 12-month race.’

‘I would like to say a special thank you to everyone who has helped support me on my journey to the finish line, the industry’s response to my efforts have been overwhelming and the £12,777 raised for Railway Children has been well worthwhile.’

There is still time to donate, just visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndyRidout, alternatively call 01483 361061 or go to secure.thebiggive.org.uk/project/19551 between the 5th and 6th December and double your money!

The signalling recruitment team at Advance-TRS has proposed a new mentorship programme.

Managers at Advance-TRS hope the Signalling Mentorship programme will see between 60 and 100 Testing Engineers achieve fully qualified IRSE Licence tester status within 12 months.

Says Daniel Forth-Rumley, Recruitment Consultant at Advance-TRS, ‘It struck me that a vast amount of engineers have completed the testing courses, but still struggle to get the required mentorship opportunity to step up their testing grades.’

Daniel went on, ‘When approached, the majority of engineers jumped at the opportunity to join a programme offering consistent mentorship and employment, in return for the commitment to work critical bank holiday periods.’

Whilst signalling is just one of the key areas of concern, Network Rail’s openness to invest and support possible solutions is welcome news. It is, however, essential that this message runs deeper than the senior management.

It remains a continual frustration for many of the principal contractors around the country that supply chain Testers in Charge (TIC) and Test & Commissioning Managers are reluctant to approve signal test plans that contain IRSE Licensed test engineers who are listed as working under mentorship. It is a vicious circle and without the empowerment to use the aspiring trainee testers to gain the essential mentorship required, the problem will only magnify.

Alongside the High Speed Two project, Great Western electrification and Crossrail, Europe’s biggest construction project, there will be major work taking place to implement new signalling technology as the industry progresses an ambitious programme to replace most of the current line side signals with in-cab technology.

Signalling is a critical discipline within the rail industry and with the ageing workforce signalling delivery has a daunting challenge ahead. For example, the Christmas commissioning period often shows up the critical shortfall of signal test engineers. With eight weeks to go rail chiefs remain concerned.

Andy Ridout, managing director of Advance-TRS feels it is imperative to fill this skills shortage. Network Rail and its principal contractors are to be commended and encouraged as they work towards increased graduate and skilled recruitment programmes as well as investing in training, conversion programmes and mentorship schemes.

To hear more about the testing mentorship programme or simply to share your view on the issue face within the rail recruitment sector, email Advance-TRS at info@advance-trs.com or contact Andy Ridout on 01483 361061.

“It has been an emotional twelve months,” says Andy Ridout, who will celebrate his 41st birthday two days after completing the Ironman race. “The training has definitely been tough with many obstacles along the way, but here we are with just two weeks to go and I’m starting to wind down. The next couple of weeks will be all about the tapering period; resting my muscles, rejuvenating sports massages and keeping hydrated to ensure that my body is in top condition on the day. ”

In case you haven’t heard, Andy Ridout, Managing Director of advance Training and Recruitment Services will be competing in Dartmoor’s Horseman Ironman on 14th September. The event that will see him withstand a 2.4-mile swim, a 108-mile cycle followed by a marathon across high gradients will raise around £10,000 for Railway Children, the charity that helps street children across the UK, India and Africa.

Andy explains, ‘I entered the race for two reasons; to raise money for a very worthwhile charity and for the physical challenge. I met with Dave Ellis of Railway Children who really impressed me; I wanted to do something beyond the norm to help him raise awareness as well as a decent amount of money.

Andy’s whole demeanour exudes determination and it’s clear that his main strength is his outstanding ability to keep going no matter what, a quality that has been reflected throughout his 16-year recruitment career, however, like most athletes, Andy’s journey has been awash with up’s and down’s.

‘I am really looking forward to the race, it has been a long hard road getting to this point and I’m filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension.’ ‘A lot of my dedication to training is led by fear of pain during the race, the event is won and lost in the year leading up to it, not on the day, if you don’t train hard enough it’s over before you’ve begun.’

‘My hope for the day is simply to complete the race without injury or mechanical issues!’ Said Andy, The race can take between 12 and 16 hours depending on fitness and luck on the day. Andy admits that his journey to the Ironman has been a long road, evoking many dilemmas along the way; ‘I have had to invest heavily in planning my life in order to balance family, work and training commitments, I haven’t always got it right but have learnt a great deal along the way. I am lucky enough to have an incredibly supportive family and have learned that balance is the key to a full life.’

‘I have to say I feel fantastic in my health and body, exercise gives you a clear mind and energy to approach each day and its challenges. I truly believe that with focus and dedication everyone can achieve their goals if they truly aspire to meet them.’

‘After the event, I will be looking forward to a number of things. My main priority will be the birth of my much-anticipated baby who is due 14th Nov. My partner has been a rock for twelve months and she is long overdue some attention, especially being 7 months pregnant!
Andy will be announcing his fundraising grand total on 10th October at the annual Dinner at the Roundhouse event where he will be presenting a cheque to Railway Children!

There is still time to support Andy and help him reach his £10,000 target, to do so you can visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndyRidout  or TEXT Rail99 followed by £2, £5 or £10 to 70070.

“Together we can end child exploitation.”

At a time when many businesses are struggling, it is imperative that employers are equipped to source the staff who will provide the best return on investment. However, many continue to get it wrong, costing them a small fortune.

Victoria Turner asks Andy Ridout, Managing Director of rail Recruitment Company, advance-TRS why businesses are so often failing in their selection strategies and how top talent can be retained.

“Your employees will be your most valuable asset. In most cases they will also be your greatest cost, so the first step to success is hiring the right people,” Commented Ridout.

Ridout believes that successful candidate selection requires the employer to be precise about what a role actually involves. It is important to understand exactly what will be expected of a candidate before you can ascertain the type of employee you are looking for.

Do you need an individual who others can be lead and motivated by? If so, ensure that the questions you ask during the interview allow the candidate to not only demonstrate their knowledge and qualifications but to express the personal characteristics of a successful leader.

Training specialist Monique Choudhuri, Head of Training and Development at advance-TRS has built up a 25-year portfolio of blue chip clients including British Airways, BSkyB and Fircroftand and is only too familiar with the staffing problems most companies face.

Monique explained, “For a business to flourish, every employer should understand the psychology behind interviewing, as well as the various techniques that can be applied to identify the strongest candidates in the talent pool.”
So, once you have perfected your interview methods and have applied them accordingly you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your new employee’s labour, right? Wrong!

According to Monique, it is at this stage that employers are lulled into a false sense of security, often causing the most expensive mistakes to be made.

Companies are increasingly guilty of failing to get the most from their staff. In some sectors, 43% of employees complain of lacking opportunity for growth. This not only means that their potential remains unrealised but that they are more likely to leave.

Advance Training and Recruitment Services offer their clients consistent training, personal development plans and mentoring, all part of a client retention strategy designed to develop an employee’s most valuable assets, boost company morale and maximise productivity. Surely this is an investment which no business can afford to be without?

To book a free consultation with Monique or for further information on how we can help develop your business please contact advance- TRS on 01483 361 061 or email info@advance-trs.com

“Together, we can all advance.”

Summer is on the horizon- time to dust off the sunnies and stash the winter boots, time for change, time for a new career?

With the summer months approaching there is no better time to consider your options when it comes to your employment. Whether you’re searching for a salary increase to help fund that perfect summer holiday, a role closer to home or simply a change of direction, specialist railway recruiters Advance-TRS are here to assist every step of the way.

Step 1.

Know exactly which sector you want to work in, how far you are prepared to travel, whether you want permanent or temporary employment and the salary or rate you are prepared to accept.

If you are unsure of anything such as your market value then talk to a recruitment expert in your sector.

Step 2.

Search for specialist recruiters in your industry. These specialists will have relationships with the key companies and employers; as well as live jobs that are ready to be filled.

advance-TRS are specialist railway recruiters with a combined experience of over 40 years, they are preferred suppliers to the majority of employers within the rail sector and will undoubtedly have contacts within the companies you wish to be considered by.

Big online job boards can be useful, however, many allow a multitude of agencies to have access to your CV. This can result in mass CV mailshots by inexperienced recruiters to unsuitable employers, a fact that could tarnish your professional integrity.

Step 3.

Prepare your CV in case a role becomes immediately available.

Remember, you must be able to support the statements made in your CV, avoid unnecessary exaggeration as untruths will probably come to light during reference checks.

And finally…

Ensure that your Facebook settings are set to private! Employers use social media to check up on candidates so any lurid pictures and expletives should be deleted and your LinkedIn profile kept up to date.

advance-TRS offers recruitment jobs and advice to the rail industry, to search our latest jobs click here or call 01483 361 061 to speak with a member of our team.

Specialist railway recruitment company, Advance-TRS announced this week that it has won its bid to become one of three 1st tier suppliers to the major signalling company, Signalling Solutions.

An amalgamation of the signalling systems company, Alstom and construction enterprise Balfour Beatty, Signalling Solutions was launched in 2007 to serve demands for all signalling products and services throughout the UK. With an annual turnover of over £34m it is without a doubt, a premier UK based signalling contracting organisations.

Signalling recruitment specialist and managing director of Advance-TRS, Andy Ridout commented, “This is an exceptional opportunity to partner with one of the leading signalling organisations here in the UK, I believe that winning 1st tier status is a testament to the hard work of everyone at Advance-TRS since we launched in 2011.”

Having successfully won three national signalling frameworks as well as a portfolio of further projects, it seems that Signalling Solutions along with Advance-TRS are set for a busy year ahead.

Advance-TRS are currently recruiting candidates in the following areas; signalling design, engineering management, project engineering, project services, test and commissioning and installation.

If you have experience in any of these areas please contact Advance-TRS directly on 01483 361 061 or browse live vacancies on their new website at www.advancerailwayjobs.com

“Together, we can all advance.”

The man everyone’s talking about, Andy Ridout, Managing Director of advance Training and Recruitment Services (advance-TRS), is storming towards his fundraising target of £10,000. As previously reported, the driven Recruitment guru will be embarking on his second Ironman challenge this September, in honour of the charity Railway Children. Having already raised a staggering £7,221.00 Andy looks set to make a big difference to the cause that improves the lives thousands of young people each year.

In the UK 100,000 children run away annually, their disappearance often goes unreported. William, aged 14 was one such child. Having been subjected to neglect by his mother, a drug addict, William had no bedroom, had never been to school and was surrounded by substance abusers on a daily basis.

Three weeks after he left home, he was noticed by a concierge who put him in touch with Aberlour, the young runaway service supported by Railway Children. Homeless, hungry and withdrawn William was given a place to stay and began to reveal himself as an articulate and kind young man. William began attending school and is now training as an apprentice.

There are thousands more children like William across the UK, many run away in an attempt to escape, violence, physical or sexual abuse and neglect at home. They are forced to sleep rough on the streets, unnoticed and uncared for, often ‘dropping out’ of society altogether. Railway Children helps to provide safe places for these young people.

Children’s Services Manager, Laura Irvine has been working closely with the charity for the past 10 years. She commented,

“So many young people are overlooked; children must feel safe, loved and secure in order to become the adults we need in our society. If we ignore our young people it is us who will be responsible for the adults they become. Children are our future and must be nurtured”

Clare was 14 when her mum told her she didn’t want her anymore.

“It all started to go wrong when my mum and dad split up,” she explained. “Mum was out all the time leaving me alone with me younger brother. She would arrive home drunk and play music really loud. We usually had to stay up at night to look after her.”

Despite being kept up late, Clare and her brother were expected to get up for school, her mum would get angry and hit them when they said they were tired. At school they were usually in no fit state to learn, would fight and get into trouble.

The day her mum told her to leave, Clare went to school as usual, and then to her dad’s house.

“I got a phone call from my mum saying to come and pick my clothes up. When we got to the house all my clothes were in bags outside”

Clare’s dad was supportive but worked long hours and had to leave the house early. Gradually she began associating with the wrong people, not going to school, and staying out at night.

“Sometimes I’d come home in the early hours of the morning and sometimes I wouldn’t come back at all.”

Eventually, Clare’s dad became worried and reported her missing to the police. As a result, she was referred to the local runaway project and was allocated a key worker funded by Railway Children.

The key worker built up a relationship with Clare and worked on her self-esteem and coping strategies through getting her involved with positive activities. As a result Clare’s self-esteem has increased. Her attendance at school has risen from 60% to 92%, she no longer runs away or gets into trouble with the police and she wants to work with young people as a career.

In a society that claims to offer equal opportunities, it is ironic that so many children are ignored, forgotten and allowed to slip through the net into poverty and abuse. According to Laura the economic downturn has, without a doubt, seen the situation become worse. Many families are breaking down due to financial stresses, resulting in a higher percentage of ‘at risk’ children.

A spokesperson for Railway Children commented “There are many things that can be done to ease the pressure for families. People need safe places across the country that can offer support free of judgement”

Andy is doing all he can to help the Railway Children and is training hard to ensure that his target is reached.

“I have been running 6 miles to work and home every day” he explained. “I will be entering the Reading Half Marathon in March, The London Marathon in April, The Windsor Triathlon in June, and other smaller events in between. It is my aim to get everybody involved in what I’m doing, whether it be by coming along to offer support, donating, or entering yourself!”

“All children are innocent, just like yours and mine and their vulnerability is very real. I believe that we as individuals, the rail industry and society all have a responsibility to help young people reach their potential.”

You can follow Andy’s progress in the race to beat child neglect and poverty by visiting his fundraising page at www.advance-trs.com contacting him directly on 01483 361 061 or donate to the cause at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AndyRidout

“Together we can put an end to the exploitation of innocence.”

In January last year, the government announced plans to build High Speed 2 – a high-speed railway line set to be constructed in two parts. Initially, the route will link London to Birmingham, dramatically reducing passenger journey time. The second phase of the high-speed development will then transform the route into the form of a “Y” shape- splitting the line in two directions, one continuing from Birmingham to Manchester Piccadilly via Crewe and Manchester Airport and the other from Birmingham to Leeds via East Midlands and Sheffield.

In recent years, many feel that rail industry contractors and consultancies have been apprehensive and unwilling to invest in staff training and full-time hires due to short term contracts and lack of confidence in long-term workloads. HS2 could be set to solve this.

The new line is estimated to cost around £30billion and will be completed by 2032, it’s commissioning along with substantial government investment in cross rail and other national electrification projects such as ‘The electric spine’ lay testament to the government’s continued commitment & confidence in the booming rail industry, a fact which will no doubt boost many rail companies faith when it comes to investing in permanent recruits.

According to Andy Ridout, Managing Director of railway recruitment company Advance-TRS, the employment of long-term, permanent staff should definitely be encouraged;
“Creating long-term and reliable employment will not only save rail organisations themselves money on short- term contract hires but will have a holistic benefit for the whole industry through the investment in staff training. Training will ensure that younger workers are given the opportunity to provide an in-depth, knowledgeable service, comparable with that of the facility provided by their more experienced counterparts.” Andy went on to say, “With an ageing workforce this kind of employee investment is imperative.”

Advance-TRS offer their clients extensive training in candidate attraction, staff retention and maximum employee utilisation.

If you feel your company could benefit from staff training or management training or if you simply wish to recruit with like-minded rail experts, then call Advance-TRS on 01483 361 061

This is an award for an Individual with collaboration or acumen to achieve initiatives which benefit the industry. They will have had a significant impact over the course of last year and will have demonstrated longer term success in HR, Recruitment or Training and the Rail industry as a whole which will resonate for many years.

The person could demonstrate:
•    Effective communication at all levels
•    Evidence of going that extra mile
•    Delivery of innovative  initiatives
•    Role model behaviours
•    Efficiency and effectiveness at the heart of everything they do
•    Thorough understanding of Rail today and be future focussed

Click here to nominate or view the worthy candidates.

Managing Director of Advance-TRS, Andy Ridout has so far raised almost £7,000 in sponsorship for his triathlon challenge.

Andy is taking on the 226km Horseman Ironman in aid of charity Railway Children next year.

Andy said: “I have been overwhelmed with the support. It took a while to get going but friends, candidates and clients have been very generous.

“I just want to thank everyone and ask anyone that knows me to join in and grab a space on my cycle jersey or donate what they can to help me reach my target.”

Andy, who has raised £6,999.18 to date, is trying to reach £10,000, with all proceeds going to Railway Children – a charity which helps protect and support homeless children around the world.

You can monitor Andy’s fundraising effort Facebook or visit Virgin Money Giving to donate.

This is an award for an iIndividual with collaboration or acumen to achieve initiatives which benefit the industry. They will have had a significant impact over the course of last year and will have demonstrated longer term success in HR, recruitment or training and the rail industry as a whole which will resonate for many years.

The person could demonstrate:

  • Effective communication at all levels
  • Evidence of going that extra mile
  • Delivery of innovative  initiatives
  • Role model behaviours
  • Efficiency and effectiveness at the heart of everything they do
  • Thorough understanding of Rail today and be future focussed

Click here to nominate or view the worthy candidates.

This Christmas whilst sat around the table with your family spare a thought for the Signalling Testers who will be working hard to ensure that plans to update the British railways are delivered on time, reports Victoria Turner of Advance-TRS.

Unfortunately every year, during the Christmas period, the rail industry faces a challenge mustering enough Signal Testers prepared to work the holidays. According to Andy Ridout, Managing Director of the specialist railway recruitment company Advance-TRS, this year is no exception.

With train operating companies eager to limit the disruption caused to travellers during peak times it is essential that scheduled commissionings are completed promptly over the festive season.

Says Andy, ‘Failure to deliver major commissioning work within the designated time frame could cause major interference to services. As a result, smaller projects could be cancelled and staff transferred to priority areas. For some, the Christmas bonus incentive is not enough to justify missing out on family festivities.’

According to Advance-TRS, one solution could be to consider using Functional Testers who are under mentorship for their IRSE licence. This would provide work experience and log book building whilst taking them one step closer to qualification and perhaps eradicating future staff shortages.

Another option is to outsource. James Sneller, signalling specialist at Advance-TRS believes that international workers could be the way forward. Says James, ‘Many foreign testers who already have UK experience and track certificates would find the offered rates highly appealing. All it would need is an agreement with Network Rail to approve a Certificate of Competence (CoC) prior to the work period.’

Advance-TRS is an international recruitment company, specialising in sourcing highly skilled, scarce railway candidates. For more information or to discuss your requirements with our team of industry experts call 01483 361 061.

Smart personnel are the most important element of any company. Staff represent their firm at every level and are often the face, image and brand of the business. So if employers go to all the trouble of putting time and money into selecting the most desirable candidates, it makes sense to retain them.

Investing in long-term training programmes keeps staff motivated and loyal. Better still it creates a thriving working environment that fosters the highly skilled, market leading, professionals who will take the company right to the top.

Yet in some sectors 43% of employees complain of lacking opportunity for growth, their potential remains unrealised. Increasing your staff’s skill base and job satisfaction through training makes economic as well as a professional sense. Poor customer service can damage reputation but can be put right through consistent and accessible training.

Says Andy Ridout, Managing Director of advance-Training and Recruitment (Services) Ltd, ‘At advance-TRS our training experts have developed talent retention strategies that maximise employee productivity through boosting morale and helping employees to enjoy and get the most from their jobs, thus decreasing staff turnover. This is an investment which no business can afford to be without.’

Training specialist Monique Choudhuri (Pictured), head of staff development at advance-TRS has built up a 25 year portfolio of blue chip clients including British Airways, BSkyB and Fircroft Engineering through training with a touch of humour.

‘The secret to successful training is to capture attention,’ says Monique. ‘I could tell my audience the meaning of life, but if no one is alert and paying attention it won’t go in. Delivery is the key. Teaching with a touch of wit ensures that my message is heard loud and clear.’

Monique bases her techniques on the idea that the human attention span is often quite short. Training sessions must therefore be broken up into bite-sized segments that reflect this.
‘I captivate my students with short group participation exercises, activities and games. This stimulates them and gets their thoughts flowing. The information will then be absorbed by their long-term memory,’ says Monique. ‘I work on the ‘remember and apply’ model. I use Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) to ensure that everything I teach will be remembered and applied practically in the workplace,’ she adds.

Advance-Training and Recruitment Services offers staff training at all levels, to clients throughout the railway industry, with the aim of finding you the right personnel and making sure you keep them.

To book a free consultation with Monique or for further information on how we can help develop your business please contact advance- TRS on 01483 361 061 or email info@advance-trs.com

Andy Ridout, Managing Director of Advance-TRS, has begun his training to compete in the Horseman Xtreme Triathlon in Dartmoor next September – all because of a celebration.

Andy has previously competed in the London Marathon and the Barcelona Triathlon. Says Ridout, 40, ‘My team and I were celebrating our 100th placement – we started this business just over a year ago.’ From a standing start in 2010 the new company, Advance–TRS, now supplies top quality professionals across the railway industry. ‘We were talking about growing the business and feeling pretty confident about it,’ says Andy, ‘I found myself thinking out loud about a parallel physical challenge to sit alongside expanding the company.’

The idea of the Horseman Xtreme had come to him some time ago. The race starts by jumping into the icy waters, competitors then swim 2.4 miles to the start of the cycle race, enduring 112 miles of harsh gradients. After that comes a gruelling 26.2-mile multi terrain run.

Through taking part Ridout plans to raise £10,000 for a charity very close to his heart, the Railway Children.

Andy commented, ‘In India 11 million children live on the streets and in the UK 100,000 run away from home every year, often as a result of sexual abuse, neglect and violence. As a father of three, I find this both shocking and distressing and am committed to generating as much money and awareness as physically possible to help the situation. After all, what if these were my children?’ Over the coming twelve months Andy plans to visit children in the UK and India who will hopefully benefit from his campaign.

The Horseman Xtreme is thought to be one of the toughest challenges yet devised. Already Andy is hard at work building up a core base of stamina and muscle ahead of distance endurance training next year.

‘I run to work l daily routine is a 6K cycle, 5K swim and 7K run to work.’ He commented. I did the London Marathon and really enjoyed it. That’s what drew me to triathlons. Barcelona was great but Dartmoor will be a totally different experience. At first I put the idea to the back of my mind but it shaped up as a challenge and I knew I had to do it.’

Says Paul Merton, Operations Director at Advance–TRS, ‘Anyone who knows Andy understands that he is not one to shy away from a challenge. When he sets himself a target it will be completed. £10,000 is a lot of money, but if anyone can do it, it will be Andy Ridout, I’m confident.’

To launch the fundraising campaign Ridout has been asked to speak at 2012’s Dinner at the Roundhouse on the 11th October and is currently auctioning logo advertising space across his running vest and cycle jersey – see above* To join the fun and support the cause you can secure your company logo space by contacting Andy directly on 01483 361061 or ar@advance-trs.com. Alternatively, simply donate at Andy’s Virgin Money Giving page hundred candidates in employment throughout the UK and internationally.

The niche railway recruitment consultancy is now among the fastest growing suppliers to the majority of the rail industry’s key players.

‘Like’ Advance TRS on Facebook to follow Andy’s fundraising progress.

Andy Ridout, Managing Director of niche railway recruitment company, Advance-TRS has been recognised for his services to recruitment through a nomination for RailStaff’s Recruiter of the Year awards.

Chris Darlow, Operations Director at Rail – Kelly Integrated Transport Services Ltd commented;

“It is with great pleasure that I nominate Andy Ridout for the recruiter of the year award 2012. I have known Andy for a long time and have no doubt that his commitment and dedication to the rail industry over his 16-year long career has been second to none.”

Andy started out as a young Trainee Recruitment consultant to a large agency; there, he quickly worked his way up to Director Level where he specialised in Signalling and remained the company’s top consultant for over fourteen years.

After countless recruitment campaigns for the majority of the UK’s rail organisations, Andy finally took the big decision to set up his own international railway recruitment firm and in August 2011 launched Advance-TRS.

After twelve months, a colossal amount of hard work and very long hours, Advance-TRS are now recognised as experts in supplying the complete range of permanent and contract, blue and white collar staff throughout the industry and have grown from a two man band to employing twelve full-time members of staff, this in the midst of a recession that has impacted the entire globe.

Despite a very hectic work schedule, Andy enjoys nothing more than spending time with his partner and three children who are the inspiration for his latest campaign; in August next year Andy will be attempting Dartmoor’s ‘Xtreme  Ironman’, in the hope of raise £10,000 for Railway Children. The amazing cause is very close to Andy’s heart and supports over 11 million children who are homeless and abused throughout the UK, India and East Africa. To raise as much awareness as possible, Andy is planning on attending various rail seminars, exhibitions and events throughout the UK and overseas over the coming months.

‘Over the past five years I have worked closely with Andy on many staffing projects and can only praise his conduct, attention to detail honesty and integrity,’ Chris Darlow went on to say. ‘He is someone who always goes out of his way to make himself available to anyone in need of his help or advice, a quality that he clearly expresses to his team and accounts for their outstanding performance. A quick look at the testimonials on his LinkedIn profile page.

To support Andy on his venture to help Railway Children take a look at his Virgin Money Giving page

Andy Ridout, Managing Director of Advance Training and Recruitment Ltd is hard at work training for the Horseman Ironman competition.

Andy is dedicating his efforts to the charity Railway Children. As a father of three, he aims to raise £10,000 through sponsorship. Says Andy, ‘Everyday thousands of homeless children put themselves at risk through desperation to survive on railway lines around the world. There is nothing more precious in this world than children and I hope that my efforts can make more people aware of this fantastic cause.’

Andy Ridout has welcomed the news of Network Rail’s recent agreement to create a fair pay charter. Andy, who recruits permanent and contract staff throughout the railway sector commented, ‘It is a great and positive step for the industry which will have a hugely beneficial effect on the entire supply chain.’ He went on to say, ‘I hope that small and medium enterprises adopt a similar attitude in order to sustain the fluidity of the payment structure throughout the industry. The agreement sets to open new doors for the rail sector. By reducing the risk involved in investment, smaller business will be encouraged to invest in the industry, thus adding greater competition and improving on costs.’

Advance-TRS offers discounted introductory fees in return for shorter payment terms. The new charter will hopefully pave the way for the larger contractors to take advantage of this offer, giving them the opportunity to invest even more heavily in areas such as safety.

To follow Andy’s fundraising journey or to sponsor him please visit his Virgin Money Giving page.

Paul Merton has joined specialist rail recruitment company advance-TRS as Operations Director, to work with close friend and former colleague Andy Ridout.

Paul has 12 years experience in mechanical, electrical and rail telecommunications recruitment.

He previously worked as a Business Consultant at Maple Resourcing Ltd and has worked for Resourcing Solutions and Marks and Spencer.

Says Paul, ‘It’s really inspiring to see what Advance has achieved in its first six months and I’m thrilled at the opportunity to continue building a professional and trusted recruitment consultancy. The chance to work with Andy is also what attracted me to Advance.

‘Anyone who has met Andy will know how passionate he is about recruitment and the rail industry.’

Says Andy Ridout, ‘Paul is a very welcome addition to the team. Aside from being a good friend, he brings a wealth of experience and industry knowledge.

‘We share the belief that customers want to speak to real industry experts. That way, clients can be confident we understand their requirements and candidates can be assured we will find a role that’s right for them.’

Andy Ridout has launched Advance Training and Recruitment Services, a Link Up approved recruitment company specialising in railway engineering and construction.

The move marks the high point of Andy’s fifteen-year career in the industry, including ten years as Director for a leading rail recruitment company.

He is now using his wealth of experience to place candidates into Engineering, Management and project Services roles, both contract and permanent, across all major rail disciplines.

Andy said: “I’ve always loved working in rail recruitment. I enjoy dealing with candidates directly and have developed an in-depth market knowledge, I believe an applicant’s chances of success increase dramatically if their recruiter has extensive experience and a thorough understanding of the industry.”

Andy went on to say; “At Advance-TRS our knowledge and experience isn’t promoted up and out of the candidate’s reach, but right on the front line where it’s needed most.”

The philosophy is proving a success, with the company having placed over 30 candidates into permanent positions in its first ten weeks and appearing on the preferred supply lists of seven respected rail organisations.

“We’re already seeing some cracking results,” added Andy.

“We’re looking forward to continuing our success into the New Year by growing our team and getting more candidates into the jobs they deserve.”

Andy believes, despite the nation’s gloomy employment figures, that 2012 will be an exciting year for those working in the rail industry.

“There are some huge projects coming up, including the MAFA frameworks, London Underground’s SSR project and Network Rail’s centralisation to Milton Keynes, not to mention the Olympics, these will create a host of new opportunities. The upshot is, if you’re getting bored and starting to wonder what else is out there, now could be the perfect time to do something about it.”

Starting a new company may seem like a brave move, but then Andy has never been one to shy away from a challenge.

As well as having run five marathons since 2003, Andy completed the Barcelona Ironman race in 2009 and has now begun training for an exceptionally tough challenge; The Horseman Ironman, in 2013.

Andy is inviting anyone to get in touch and find out what Advance-TRS can offer. For information on Advance-TRS services or to discuss your requirements call 01483 361 061 or email info@advance-trs.com