Stagecoach

Since it started recruiting from Eastern Europe two years ago, Stagecoach has benefited from a dramatic uplift in the availability of qualified drivers.

The group operates 19 regional bus companies in the UK running more than 7,000 vehicles but has suffered in recent years from the tight labour market in areas such as Aberdeen.

"It's not that local people don't want to do it, it's finding enough local people to do it," explains Bob Hall, operations manager for Stagecoach's North East of Scotland bus company. "In a city like Aberdeen which has very low unemployment, there are probably more jobs than people available to fill them. But if you go to the Continent, there are people already qualified with the skills we're looking for, so it does fill a gap in the market."

Since Stagecoach started recruiting through a Polish agency in late 2006, more than 50 Poles have joined its workforce of around 800 in the North East.  Most of these are drivers who had already gained their PCV (Passenger Carrying Vehicle) qualifications in Poland. The others work in roles including engineering, admin, shunting and cleaning.

The Polish translator and fluent English speaker Stagecoach hired to help manage this recruitment process, Julia Kowalonek, has also proved invaluable to the company.

"With such a large influx of Polish drivers into Aberdeen, we initially took Julia on as an interpreter, but she has since integrated into admin," Hall explains. "She mainly deals with Travel Shop enquiries from the public and administration on the cash office side and has now been with us for about two and a half years."

The new Polish recruits were offered a basic English language training programme through local universities and subsidised accommodation which they could repay over time. Stagecoach also helped with housekeeping issues such as opening bank accounts and registering with GPs. They also consulted Grampian Racial Equality Council on what other support they could provide. In terms of ongoing training, nearly half of Stagecoach's drivers either hold or are working towards Scottish Vocational Qualifications, which are open to all staff in-house.

Hall says having access to skilled labour in Eastern Europe has helped streamline operations.

"They're all qualified and experienced bus drivers who have come across with their PCV skills already in place," Hall says. "All that was required was a little more training to get them used to driving on British roads. It's given us a good solid base and helped stabilise our workforce. They're very loyal and reliable and have an extremely good work ethic. They're also extremely polite and very friendly and open, so have integrated well with our existing staff."

Perth-based Stagecoach Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange and has 30,000 employees and 12,000 vehicles across the UK, US and Canada. In 2007 it made an operating profit of £161.3m on turnover of more than £1.5 billion from continuing operations.

Contact

Bob Hall
Operations Manager
Stagecoach
Bus station
Guild Street
Aberdeen
AB11 6NA
T: 01224 597590
Web: www.stagecoachbus.com/bluebird/careershome.php
Email: Bob.Hall@stagecoachbus.com