• Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
    • Business News
    • Business Mag
  • Sport
    • Football
    • NAFC
    • Cricket
    • Durham Wildcats
    • American Football
    • Baseball
    • Rugby
    • Youth Football
  • Features
    • Blog
    • Picture Galleries
  • Community
    • A.T People
    • Services Directory
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Aycliffe Today
Aycliffe Today
  • Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
    • Business News
      Award-winners BTS are net zero heroes

      Award-winners BTS are net zero heroes

      PCP chief proud to get award recognition

      PCP chief proud to get award recognition

      Lifetime Achievement Award is ‘crowning’ moment for Brian

      Lifetime Achievement Award is ‘crowning’ moment for Brian

      Husqvarna UK a cut above the rest with Company of the Year award

      Husqvarna UK a cut above the rest with Company of the Year award

    • Business Mag
      Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 71

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 71

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 70

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 70

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 69

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 69

  • Sport
    • Football
      Aycliffe Youthy round-up

      Aycliffe Youthy round-up

      Aycliffe stay third with 4-0 away win

      Aycliffe stay third with 4-0 away win

      Aycliffe go top with four wins from first four games

      Aycliffe go top with four wins from first four games

      Unbeaten start for Sports Club

      Unbeaten start for Sports Club

    • NAFC
      Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish

      Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish

      Aycliffe’s play-off push on track – last home game Easter Monday!

      Aycliffe’s play-off push on track – last home game Easter Monday!

      Aycliffe boost play-off hopes with win in Leeds

      Aycliffe boost play-off hopes with win in Leeds

      Aycliffe’s play-off hopes boosted by back-to-back wins

      Aycliffe’s play-off hopes boosted by back-to-back wins

    • Cricket
      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

    • Durham Wildcats
      WILDCATS FIGHTBACK TO SECURE CUP WIN

      WILDCATS FIGHTBACK TO SECURE CUP WIN

      WOLVES EDGE IT AGAINST WILDCATS

      WOLVES EDGE IT AGAINST WILDCATS

      DURHAM WILDCATS 73, GLASGOW ROCKS 99

      DURHAM WILDCATS 73, GLASGOW ROCKS 99

      WILDCATS SLAY LIONS AGAIN

      WILDCATS SLAY LIONS AGAIN

    • American Football
      WARRIORS BEAT AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL

      WARRIORS BEAT AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL

      WARRIORS START SEASON IN STYLE!

      WARRIORS START SEASON IN STYLE!

      WOODHAM WARRIORS VICTORIOUS

      WOODHAM WARRIORS VICTORIOUS

      WARRIORS COACH TO TRAIN GB SQUAD

      WARRIORS COACH TO TRAIN GB SQUAD

    • Baseball
      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      COUNCILLORS 'PITCH' FOR LOCAL SPORTS CLUB!

      COUNCILLORS 'PITCH' FOR LOCAL SPORTS CLUB!

      SPARTANS UP FOR TOP AWARD

      SPARTANS UP FOR TOP AWARD

      NEWTON AYCLIFFE SPARTANS AT WOODHAM

      NEWTON AYCLIFFE SPARTANS AT WOODHAM

    • Rugby
      Aycliffe fall to heavy defeat against league leaders

      Aycliffe fall to heavy defeat against league leaders

      Aycliffe notch up another loss in local derby

      Aycliffe notch up another loss in local derby

      Rugby: Aycliffe in bottom two after Whitley Bay defeat

      Rugby: Aycliffe in bottom two after Whitley Bay defeat

      Aycliffe return to winning ways with hard-fought victory over Bishop

      Aycliffe return to winning ways with hard-fought victory over Bishop

    • Youth Football
      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Newton Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Newton Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

  • Features
    • Blog
      Covid-19 crisis update from your MP

      Covid-19 crisis update from your MP

      ‘Now we must move forward’ says MP

      ‘Now we must move forward’ says MP

      Business Advice: Cash Flow

      Business Advice: Cash Flow

      The Aycliffe Blue Blog

      The Aycliffe Blue Blog

    • Picture Galleries
      Picture Gallery: Duke of Kent visits Ebac

      Picture Gallery: Duke of Kent visits Ebac

      PICTURES: Hitachi Opening Ceremony

      PICTURES: Hitachi Opening Ceremony

      PICTURES: ROF 59 in progress

      PICTURES: ROF 59 in progress

      PICTURES: Ayclife dancers in national finals

      PICTURES: Ayclife dancers in national finals

  • Community
    • A.T People
      Spring 2015

      Spring 2015

      December 2014

      December 2014

      Aug - Sept 2014

      Aug - Sept 2014

    • Services Directory
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
Stiller recruit ex-servicemen to combat driver shortage problem
Home
Business

Stiller recruit ex-servicemen to combat driver shortage problem

July 8th, 2015 Martin Walker Business 0 comments 2159

top banner

A distribution firm has increased staff retention rates after using innovative ways to recruit drivers.

Stiller Warehousing and Distribution, based on Aycliffe Business Park, are recruiting ex-servicemen as well as young staff and people from overseas to combat the national driver shortage problem.

Now the Newton Aycliffe firm is enjoying increased retention rates, which is enabling it to grow.

Chris Bain (pictured) Stiller’s head of pallet distribution, was tasked with finding different ways of recruiting drivers.

After the introduction of the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) in September 2014, transport companies and agencies have experienced major recruitment issues.

As well as signing up five drivers from Romania, Chris has been working with the Resettlement Centre at Catterick Garrison on a new Career Transition Partnership.

Now 30% of Stiller’s 80-man driving team is made up of ex-forces, with five new drivers coming through the new scheme since the end of last year.

The firm is also offering a £200 recommend a friend bonus to employees who introduce new drivers to the company.

Former Woodham Academy student Chris, 25, who joined Stiller in 2013 originally as traffic planner, said: “Our retention has been really good as a result of that and has helped us to grow.

“We’re still looking for drivers but that’s simply because we’re expanding – not because of the general problem of driver shortages.

“We put a recommend a friend scheme in place. If employees introduce new drivers to the business, they receive a £200 bonus.

“People who are here are actually proud to say they work here.”

Chris says the Career Transition Partnership has been the most successful initiative Stiller has used to date to recruit new drivers.

He added: “We’ve used agencies in the past but we’ve needed some direction of our own and so we’re constantly looking for different ways of getting more drivers on the books.

“We’ve run three initiatives up to now – promoting young staff within the company, getting people in from overseas and now this, and it has been the most successful one up to now.

“Most men leave the forces with their heavy goods licence, so for us it’s a case of fine-tuning the skills they already have.

“We put together a programme which consists of an intense, six-week schedule where they venture into every area of our business.

“We bring them into the office, go through the health and safety, and what goes on in the background, and we then take them through all the warehouses and explain what happens in those areas.

“It means they’re getting a full appreciation of what’s going on in the background to make the business function and to keep the drivers out on the road.

“They’ll then go out with experienced drivers and learn how to make deliveries and how to do the paperwork side of things.

“We’ll move them on to the 18-tonne vehicles and then eventually the artics.

“One of the main reasons it’s been a success is because you know with servicemen they’re going to be punctual, smart and hardworking – and it has paid off for us.”

Stiller drivers Graham Bedford, John Parker and Michael McFarland – all ex-servicemen – were awarded gold certificates after taking part in driver assessor courses run by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) earlier this year.

It has enabled them to coach other Stiller drivers to help make them safer and more fuel efficient.

Stiller, which boasts a proud driver safety record, has invested in training up the three senior drivers so they can now help the business in its development of driving staff with a programmed approach to review and assess all drivers.

 

top banner

Share it!

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest
Next article Durham Council HQ move to trigger thousands of jobs
Previous article Enterprising ideas headline Future Business Magnates celebration

Related News

Award-winners BTS are net zero heroes Business
May 21st, 2025

Award-winners BTS are net zero heroes

PCP chief proud to get award recognition Business
May 20th, 2025

PCP chief proud to get award recognition

Lifetime Achievement Award is ‘crowning’ moment for Brian Business
May 15th, 2025

Lifetime Achievement Award is ‘crowning’ moment for Brian

LATEST VIDEO

This week on A.T

May 21st 6:46 PM
Sport

Aycliffe Juniors round-up

May 21st 1:52 PM
Business

Award-winners BTS are net zero heroes

May 21st 11:37 AM
News

Durham County Council appoints new leader

May 20th 8:03 PM
Business

PCP chief proud to get award recognition

May 20th 5:01 PM
Sport

Aycliffe Cricket round-up

May 15th 11:39 AM
Business

Lifetime Achievement Award is ‘crowning’ moment for Brian

May 12th 11:50 AM
Business

Husqvarna UK a cut above the rest with Company of the Year award

May 12th 8:42 AM
Business

300 guests celebrate Aycliffe Make Your Mark Awards

May 2nd 9:28 PM
News

Farage tells council diversity and climate staff to ‘find alternative careers’ after County Durham majority

May 2nd 6:44 PM
News

Four new councillors as Reform UK sweeps into Aycliffe power

Recommend
Follow @AycliffeToday
  • Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Features
  • Community
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Back to top
© Aycliffe Today 2019. All rights reserved.
Developed by Thrive