16 WIAA 09 – Peeps09 6/7/09 2:57 pm Page 8
16 AWARD CATEGORIES
People Initiative of the Year
Sponsored by
Meet the Sponsor
Anglo Technical Recruitment has a
history of successful placements in
the water industry spanning about 14
years.
It provides high-calibre engineers
across all disciplines from technician to
director level on both a permanent and
contract basis. Anglo Technical
Recruitment is included on many PSLs
throughout the UK and worldwide,
reflecting a service regarded as one of
the best in the market.
The company chose to sponsor one
this category because it wanted to get
more involved with the water industry,
says the company’s group operations
director Frank StClair.
Southern Water’s Julie Harriott (centre) with Tina White, of Anglo, and Rhod Gilbert
evelopment of a successful modern apprentice scheme earned project that includes a programme of diversity awareness sessions for
D
Southern Water the top spot in in this category. The judging managers, and raising awareness of diversity issues.
panel felt the nature of the scheme was something that the water The Shining Star People operational strategy, is an innovative approach
industry and other market sectors would seek to emulate. to recruitment and selection and was borne out of meeting the needs of
Southern Water’s innovative Developing Our Young People initiative is a the Water Framework Directive. The strategy led to a new operational role
training programme that has resulted in staff recruitment increasing — energy process technician.
fifteen-fold. Staff retention has also risen by 42%. Impressive statistics The judges were impressed by Yorkshire Water’s efforts, saying that the
when the water sector has experienced a major skills shortage. company is clearly doing a great deal to overcome staffing issues and
Having decided the existing apprentice scheme had become outdated improve training. The panel said that had Yorkshire Water aggregated
and inefficient — it was losing half of its recruits — Southern Water their submissions, the outcome of this category could have been different.
created a programme aimed at encouraging the development of personal The panel was also impressed by the Dwy Cymru Welsh Water / Asset
learning and thinking skills, such as team working and independent Management Alliance for their BEST (Becoming Exceptional Starting
enquiry. It wanted a programme that ensured the vast majority of starters To d ay) initiative.
would complete their training. An employee recognition scheme, the BEST initiative is designed to
The judges were impressed by the fact that having taken “a long hard overcome staff retention, morale and motivation issues. WIAA 09
look” at why apprenticeships have poor long-term results, Southern Water
had been proactive in rectifying the situation.
The judges were impressed by the
Best talent fact that having taken “a long hard
Southern Water was up against strong competition in this category from
look” at why apprenticeships have
the other finalists — Yorkshire Water and Dwy Cymru Welsh Water with
its Asset Management Alliance. poor long-term results, Southern
Two initiatives from Yorkshire Water reached the finalist stages. One was
Water had been proactive in rectifying
to embed diversity within the company in order to attract, recruit and
retain the best talent available from the widest pool. It is an ongoing the situation
Review July 2009
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