Agency MD Gary enlists help of his old employer for

Apr 9 2008 by Iain Laing, The Journal

THE managing director of a rapidly expanding New- castle based recruitment agency has turned to his old employer to help further his ambitious plans for growth.

Gary Watson, MD of North East Workforce (NEWgroup), based at Collingwood Street in the city centre, has enlisted the help of the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), the region’s leading business membership organisation, to roll out a staff development programme after witnessing at first hand the benefits of training.

NEWgroup is an independent recruitment agency which has been operating from its Newcastle head office for 11 years.

The company provides a range of well-resourced temporary and permanent recruitment services to a broad customer base, including the legal profession, local councils, the logistics industry, port authorities, and the region’s manufacturers and engineering firms.

Mr Watson, formerly NECC head of commercial services, said: “As a former employee of NECC, I know more than most the fantastic impact NECC training can have on a company, which is why I made it a high priority when I took over as MD of NEWgroup in October last year. Any business looking to progress and grow absolutely must train and develop its staff – it’s paramount if you want to improve your skills base and customer service, and ultimately, improve your bottom line.”

Lisa Cooper and Amy McCormack are training towards NVQs in business administration, while Pauline Williamson works towards a customer service NVQ.

The three, all from Newcastle, are the first of several of NEWgroup’s 16 staff that Mr Watson is aiming to develop with the help of NECC training.

Lynne Cope, NECC business development manager, said: “It’s a fantastic testament to NECC that an ex-member of staff has recognised that the benefits of NECC training can have a substantial positive impact on his business.”

Mr Watson, who took over the running of NEWgroup from founder Brian Sharpe, added: “Setting up the training has been simple and hassle free, and the support we have had from NECC so far has been absolutely superb.

“The staff at NEWgroup have responded in fantastic fashion and are all aware of the need to build on our already excellent levels of customer service, and we are confident NECC can help us achieve this.”