Our Training Academy

We sat down with our Training Academy Manager, Sharon Kenyon, to discuss the First Recruitment Group Training Academy and the opportunities it brings.

About Our Training Academy Manager…

During my 12 years at First, I have worked in recruitment, account management and team management, always seeking the next challenge. In April 2017, I was given the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience by becoming the company’s in-house Training Manager. This has allowed me to develop my career and skills whilst helping others to develop, which is very rewarding.

What does First Recruitment Group’s Training Academy entail?

We took the strategic decision to hire no more than 1 or 2 trainees at a time, so that we could provide each trainee with the attention they need to be successful in recruitment. This has really paid off. For the first 2 weeks, they shadow me, watching how I use the system, how I speak on the phone, allowing them to ask as many questions as they like to ensure they understand what I’m doing and why it needs to be done. In the meantime, we have training sessions covering all aspects of recruitment giving them tasks to complete, whilst learning on the job too.

What do you enjoy about managing the Training Academy?

I love seeing trainees who haven’t been in the business very long receive recognition at our company quarterly presentations. It was very encouraging to hear a trainee once say to me “what I really like about you is the fact that you take a minute to analyse a person and you train them differently, according to their personality and needs”. I certainly believe that not one shoe does fit all and so you have to adapt to that particular person.

“what I really like about you is the fact that you take a minute to analyse a person and you train them differently, according to their personality and needs”

Perhaps my favourite thing about this job is working with such a variety of people who are all willing to learn. We have trainees join the team and go on to be successful recruiters who have come from backgrounds in sports therapy, nursing and even breweries! To be successful in recruitment it’s often about having the right personality and attitude, rather than specific qualifications.

Further training at First

At First Recruitment Group, we care about the progression of our staff which is why we offer all of our employees the opportunity to attend courses to give them skills and knowledge to succeed. Previously, we have had employee’s complete ILM Management courses, Recruitment Management Training courses and also CIPD Level 3 qualifications.

Would you like to join our team? Take a look at our internal vacancies here.