The year 1980 was marked by the launch of the iconic Ford Escort Mark III, independence for Zimbabwe and the founding date of the popular theme park Alton Towers.
It was also the year specialist railway recruiter Primat opened for business.
Instead of huge computerised databases and smart phones, the Darlington-headquartered firm used a rolodex and a rotary dial telephone.
Over the course of its near 40- year history, the railway industry has remained at the core of the business by offering dedicated rail recruitment as well as payroll and contractor assurance services.
From PTS-qualified workers, civil engineers, site managers and signalling technicians, Primat’s experienced team has used its wealth of knowledge to supply blue and white collar candidates to clients on a permanent and temporary basis across England, Scotland and Wales.
Top recruiter
In 2015, the company placed more than 2,000 candidates across various sectors in the UK and, looking ahead, it believes it’s well placed for continued growth.
Going from strength to strength, Primat was recently recognised as one of the top 50 recruiters in the UK and in the top 20 recruiters for the rail sector by trade publication Recruitment International.
Primat was pleased to be recognised among the recruitment industry’s largest companies and is now looking to give something back at the RailStaff Awards.
For 2017, Primat is the official sponsor of the Rail Engineer of the Year category, which has been inundated with nominations for some of the country’s very best.
This year’s theme is the 1980s so it’s not only an opportunity for Primat to congratulate the unsung heroes of the railway industry, but also a chance to go right back to its roots.
Head of Primat Recruitment Jenny Godden says, ‘Primat has a proud history of working with the rail industry’s leading engineering talent. Our daily interactions with candidates has cemented our belief that the rail sector possesses a depth of world- class engineering and technical expertise, and the industry itself continues to offer an attractive prospect for young engineers, and other professionals, looking to embark on a challenging and rewarding career path.
‘As a people-focused business, we are passionate about recognising and celebrating talent, and as such, we are thrilled to be associated with the Engineer of the Year award.’
Female first
Last year, ISS Labour’s Natalie Dickinson took home the Rail Engineer of the Year gong – the first time a woman has won the award in its 10-year history.
Paul O’Connor, managing director of Rail Media, said, ‘It was fantastic last year to see a woman awarded the Rail Engineer of
the Year trophy for the first time. Hopefully it will help to encourage others to follow Natalie’s successful path in the industry.
‘Railway engineering is a multifaceted discipline and that has been reflected in the breadth and depth of nominations and the projects engineers have worked on.
‘From innovative workers, high achievers and outstanding individuals, it’s going to be difficult to pick a winner this year.’
All the information about this year’s RailStaff Awards can be found at www.railstaffawards.com.
