First Group

When a shortage of bus drivers began to affect its service, First Group looked to Poland for inspiration.

First Group is the UK's largest surface transportation company with a turnover of nearly £2.7 billion a year and around 67,000 employees across the UK and North America.

In the UK, First Group operates passenger and freight services and is the UK's largest bus operator.

Faced with a shortage of drivers across the UK, an article about a Krakow bus company inspired Austin Birks, senior manager of strategic recruitment, to look overseas for the answer.

In May 2004, just after Poland joined the European Union (EU), First Group brought 36 drivers from Poland to the UK. Since then, 500 Polish drivers have arrived – 135 of whom are based in Scotland – with a target of 1,000 across 18 months.

Recruitment and Support

 
Birks admits that, although the recruitment process seemed complex at first, it has now developed into a streamlined operation.

As well as identifying people with relevant skills, First Group has to test English language ability and carry out passport and driving license checks. In the UK, the company arranges driving license conversions, obtains national insurance numbers and sources accommodation.

The company works with partners across Europe, including the Scottish Government, European Employment Service, recruitment companies, the Transport and General Workers Union, local councils, housing associations and colleges in Aberdeen and Glasgow.

Help with Language Skills

It also has links with a number of language schools, operating its own residential school near Warsaw in Poland. There, new recruits are immersed in English, including exposure to regional accents and dialect according to where they will be based.

"It's about culture and language induction as well as employment," says Birks. "To get the best out of people, you've got to look after them."

First Group is also looking at other Scottish Government's programmes to see which might be of benefit to the drivers.

Positive Benefits

The driver shortage has now shrunk from 700 to under 200 and the retention rate is 97 per cent, compared to an industry average of 70 per cent.

"From a commercial point of view, we’re not only filling our driver shortage, we're expanding the business," Birks explains. "We've been energised by these people coming in with a different range of enthusiasms, attitudes and a real motivation to work."

Because of its Polish success, First Group is now recruiting skilled engineers from Germany to fill another UK-wide shortage. The company is also keen to share its experiences with other businesses about the great benefits of working with the enlarged European Union.

More Information

• Find out more about First Group
• Look at jobs with First Group