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d) Mentoring – We acknowledge that embarking on a new We invite existing employees to refer candidates to us, As a well-respected and recognised provider of career
role with a new business is a stressful and challenging appreciating they may have peers in the industry or know opportunities, we are regularly approached by people
experience, so in order to make it as successful and of suitable candidates who are looking for work and who will seeking employment and are fortunate to have a steady
enjoyable as possible, we nominate a mentor to each new enjoy and benefit from the working environment at Comserve. access to potential trainees and apprentices. Many of our
member of staff. The role of the mentor is to be there for the We have found this referral approach to be very effective long-serving employees are second-generation apprentices
new employee, offering support and advice and generally since employees have a strong understanding of the with the company.
acting as a sounding board for any query that might occur. characteristics, skills and attitudes that we look for, enabling
We have found that mentors help new recruits to settle in and us to benefit from their insight whilst supporting the We have always embraced the opportunity to provide
become part of the Comserve ‘family’ much more quickly. community simultaneously. A win-win! apprenticeship opportunities and work with local trade
colleges to retain a steady flow of candidates. We are proud
Quality assurance remains a constant and all activities and We devote considerable time and effort into attracting the that a number of our apprentices now hold senior positions
work undertaken by new recruits is verified and assessed by right employees from our community and to subsequently within the business.
fully trained and experienced staff to ensure it achieves the ensuring they achieve their potential through training
level of quality expected by Comserve and our clients. and coaching. We clearly communicate opportunities As part of our commitment to the communities we
for advancement and set up mentoring programmes to work within, Comserve have a long-standing record of
Community Engagement: We endeavour to ensure our build close working relationships, pairing mentors and apprenticeship training and development for both technical
workforce reflects and resembles the community in which we mentees that share personal interests and to complement and administrative staff. Many of our apprentices have been
operate. All our staff has been recruited locally, supporting characteristics. recognised for national awards and accreditation. Recently,
our area and matching the demographic that we serve. and as part of our CSR commitment, we have increased the
We collaborate with organisations with local community Apprenticeships: Since our establishment more than 30 scope of the apprentice recruitment pool, thus providing
connections, including colleges and job centres to assist years ago, Comserve has been recruiting, and has gained a opportunity for less privileged youngsters. This has been a
us in attracting a diverse response to any recruitment reputation for employing quality tradesman. great success as we now have five, full time employees who
opportunities. have progressed through this process.

LOCAL EMPLOYEMENT, TRAINING AND APPRENTICESHIP 51

A Comserve employee’s perspective:
“From the interview stage I knew there was something different about Comserve. Normally interviews
are fairly tense, sweaty palmed affairs…well, in my experience anyway. My interview here felt a bit like
‘talking shop’ in someone’s home. I was comfortable, listened to, and questioned with intent to discover
my talents, not trip me up.
As a person, I’m undergoing a transformation working here – communication is open, support is absolute
and appreciation for good results delivered is unfailing. It’s made me better at my job, and a more
confident person. Every problem I solve for my client is met with recognition and appreciation, which
makes me keen to solve the next one, and the process continues in a positive spiral.
You could certainly say I’m happy here, and love what I do.”
Alex Banks, Engineer