Movetech UK is investing in the future by expanding its workforce from 12 to 15, a massive 25% increase in personnel. The latest to join the team are Adam Gastall, engineering apprentice, of Little Lever, Bolton, Michael Stephenson, turntable technician, from Great Harwood near Blackburn, and Matt Horrocks, marketing assistant, who hales from Wigan.
18 year old Adam has enrolled with the Bolton based company on a formal engineering apprenticeship scheme through Manchester Solutions, part of Manchester Chamber of Commerce. As part of his apprenticeship he will continue to study at Bury College for 1.5 days each week to complete his BTEC. “We’ve been very impressed with the service we received from Mike Brown at Manchester Solutions,” says Movetech UK’s MD, Tim Entwistle. “He has helped us tremendously in formalising Adam’s apprentice scheme in advanced engineering, rather than following the informal scheme we envisaged originally. Now Adam will be able to follow a structured path that will lead to formal, universally recognised qualifications, serving him, and us, better in the future.”
As turntable technician, Michael Stephenson’s role is primarily as a mechanical and pneumatic fitter, with additional responsibilities in electrical fitting and fabricating. He will work in the factory, manufacturing units, and on location, installing and servicing. Michael’s previous experience in problem-solving as a time-served engineer is an excellent fit for Movetech UK, where the main objective has always been to solve customer’s problems by providing efficient and cost-effective solutions.
Matt Horrocks, with his graphic design and internet communications background, will initially focus his efforts on promoting the company’s websites, ensuring they are visible and accessible to potential customers. He has already initiated a social media strategy, using Twitter and Facebook, to raise the profile of Movetech UK’s consumer product, the MAT motorcycle turntable. He will also provide general marketing support, including video production.
Tim Entwistle is enthusiastic about the added value the new recruits will bring to the company. “We did have an immediate need for more skilled hands to fulfil our existing order book,” he says. “However just as important was the need to invest in the future or our planned growth could not occur. There is a strong desire by the company’s management team and employees to grow the business, and to do this we must build on existing strengths and expand our capabilities.
“Our recruitment drive has focused on finding high calibre, motivated people with the intelligence and aptitude to learn combined with a positive, ‘can-do’ attitude. We take pride in the flexibility of our workforce, which is vital if we are to provide the high quality service we sell. Over the 50 years Movetech UK has been trading the skills of the workforce have evolved, such that we now have highly versatile, competent and adaptable people capable of dealing with whatever opportunities and challenges they are presented with.
“We see the move to invest in new people as the next phase in the company’s development and sustainable growth strategy. We believe that our investment in a flexible workforce has been key to our remaining in business though more than one recession, including the most recent, where we implemented a survival strategy that ensured we did not compromise on our core strategic directional goals.”
