Business News President’s Focus
Jason Challoner, new president of Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber of Commerce, heads his own independent recruitment agency specialising in the construction, technical and building service sectors. Here he explains why he believes that his work experience as a 15-year-old schoolboy gave him the solid foundations to achieve his career goals and objectives.
Always trains own staff: Jason Challoner
passionately believe in the positive influence work experience opportunities have on our young adults. Looking back, I now realise the importance of
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my first work experience - as a 15-year-old Saturday-boy working in the men’s department of Timpson’s Shoes. Little did I know then that the sales techniques learned would form the basis of my business career. That spanned from recruitment consultant to
regional sales manager, eventually leading to national sales manager for a number of blue chip recruitment agencies. My early work experiences provided the platform to enable me to climb the corporate sales ladder, gaining promotions and increasing my salaries year-on-year. Since launching my own business in 2005, I’ve
always developed and trained my own staff. Unlike most of my competitors, who head hunt and poach tried and tested consultants, I’ve always found it more cost effective and rewarding to pass on the knowledge that I have gained directly to my trainees and apprentices and prepare them for a lon- term recruitment career. I expect my staff to deliver the highest levels of customer service for both candidates and
12 CHAMBERLINK November 2020
s the managing director and owner of Valyou, a specialist construction and engineering recruitment agency, I
clients. Our primary focus is the retention of our existing relationships, as opposed to gaining a new client but losing two or three customers due to poor service levels. Three years ago I was introduced to the senior
leadership team of Chase Terrace Academy. I was looking re-locate Valyou to facilitate change from a lifestyle business to a multi-million pound recruitment consultancy with ambitious growth targets.
‘Valyou were instrumental in Chase Terrace Academy being awarded the Ladder for Birmingham 2019 Apprenticeship Awards’
Valyou are now an onsite employer that offers
the college students work experience opportunities in administration, IT, sales and marketing. This helps to build their confidence and prepare them for the world of work. We started this programme In 2017, initially
taking on three students. One of the students we referred to a Valyou customer and through an apprenticeship is now an IT support officer. For the second, our reference helped to secure a computer programming placement at
college and the third, Dylan, is now an integral member of our civil engineering team. I was so impressed with Dylan’s attitude and willingness to learn, I offered him an apprenticeship at 16 that lead to a permanent job with us at 17. Valyou were instrumental in Chase Terrace
Academy being awarded the Ladder for Birmingham 2019 Apprenticeship Awards, in recognition of our education and business partnership. In 2020, Valyou were appointed as an
approved agency for the Construction Gateway initiative, gained Silver Status for the Walsall Works scheme and winner of Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber Small Business of the Year Award. These accolades all relate to our passion for identifying and realising employment opportunities for young adults so that they can showcase their talents. Furthermore, the relationship with the college
has led to becoming chairman of the South Staffordshire Employment and Skills Board, a subsidiary of Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP, and taking over from James Blackman as president of the Lichfield & Tamworth Chamber. I firmly believe that my work experience as a
15-year-old schoolboy, with a Saturday job, gave me the solid foundations to achieve my career goals and objectives.
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