about ganymede
Ganymede specialise in recruiting the best technical and engineering talent and providing complete workforce solutions to help build and maintain infrastructure and transportation for a wide range of UK clients.
As part of the RTC Group, an AIM-listed recruitment group, Ganymede is a market leader in providing a diverse range of people solutions to the rail, energy, construction, highways and transportation sectors.
With offices strategically located across the country, we provide our clients with the benefit of a national network of skilled personnel combined with local expertise. We currently have over 1,500 skilled staff currently deployed across the country on a daily basis.
We tailor our solutions to suit our client needs. Whether it’s recruiting permanent and temporary technical, engineering and safety-critical roles or providing fully managed workforce solutions of recruitment, training, account management, contingent labour and fleet provision, we work closely with our clients to understand their requirements, keeping their goals in mind every step of the way.
OUR SERVICES
Labour Supply
Our contingent labour services include the recruitment, training and workforce management of safety-critical personnel from our strategically located offices across the UK.
Contract Recruitment
As well as compliant contract recruitment, we provide payroll solutions and a unique IR35 assessment service designed to protect our clients and contractors.
Permanent Recruitment
Ganymede's permanent recruitment processes help you find the best talent for your business and is backed up by our market-leading two year guarantee.
Executive Search
Our executive search service is completely tailored to the needs of your business. Added extras include advanced screening processes and psychometric testing.
OUR VALUES
Ganymede’s core values define what we stand for and how we do things, helping us to provide the best possible service to our clients and candidates and maintain a healthy working environment for our employees.
Socially Responsible
We care about local communities and are committed to attracting and retaining diverse talent. We strive to support charities and good causes and take care of the environment by operating ethically and sustainably.
People Are Our Passion
People are at the heart of everything we do. Through our in-depth recruitment processes, we attract, develop and retain the best people, supporting our clients to deliver projects safely and efficiently.
Taking Pride
Every action taken by the organisation is done with skill, care and pride in mind. This ensures that every level of the organisation is accountable and provides the best possible service.
Delivering Excellence
By continually building upon our vast industry knowledge and working collaboratively with our clients, we always deliver first-class, innovative and tailored solutions with our client goals in mind.
Safety First, Safety Always
Safety is at the forefront of our business operations. Awareness and continuous improvement eliminates complacency and ensures we keep our workforce, industry colleagues and communities safe.
OUR sectors
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Rail
Supporting original equipment manufacturers, train and freight operators and national main contractors, Ganymede recruit across all stages of rail projects, including design and development, build ...
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Energy
Our energy division is a leading provider of skilled engineers in safety-critical and customer-facing environments for energy suppliers, EVCP manufacturers, utilities and maintenance companies.Fro...
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Water & Environment
Ganymede have extensive experience recruiting into the Water and Wastewater sector, we work with you to develop and deliver the solution you need. Ganymede provides recruitment expertise to multi...
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Transportation
We pride ourselves in not just supplying to, but also fully immersing ourselves in the transportation sector, and have done so for over 50 years. Ganymede work hard to identify transferable skills ...
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Highways
Ganymede play an important part in highways, ensuring our clients have the best engineers capable of delivering projects on time and to budget. We support highways projects from planning and design...
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Construction
Ganymede has worked closely with clients on some of the most impressive commercial and residential construction projects throughout the UK, hiring for every stage of the process from design to buil...
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Signalling
Ganymede Signalling offers a full range of signalling resources and project delivery support across the UK. Including Installation and Testing, New Works Tester, Projects Support/Advice and Signall...
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2 YEAR GUARANTEE
Like many other recruiters, our rebate scheme promises to provide you with a completely free replacement
within 8 weeks. However, nothing we do at Ganymede is standard, and that includes our extended recruitment
guarantee. The Ganymede guarantee enables you to hire with confidence in the knowledge that your recruitment
partner has a vested interest in your success.
BUSINESSES WE WORK WITH
Case Studies
Employer Branding, Attraction and Engagement
What message does your organisation’s recruitment and onboarding activity directly or indirectly communicate about your business?“Employees are our greatest assets”… yet if we have learned nothing else over the last 2 years, what we can clearly see is that, unlike assets, people cannot be bought. Whilst salaries are clearly important (particularly with rapidly rising costs of living), we can all understand that people look for far more than this in deciding where and who they wish to work with.The supposed shift in what people now look for in their employment; flexibility, autonomy, remote working options, outcomes vs outputs, employer concern – is less so a shift, in my opinion, rather an unveiling of the truth, supported by two years of evidence that ‘traditional’ attitudes to working arrangements were easily updated.February 24th was ‘Covid-19 Freedom Day’ in England, where all coronavirus restrictions were lifted, with pressure building for the rest of the UK to follow suit. Hopefully we will all be returning to normal!The question is, what is normal in the workplace in 2022? This is a critical question for organisations to answer and to decide which of the measures they implemented during the pandemic were temporary and which were transformative. And whatever is decided upon must consider the impact it will have on being able to attract and retain the critical talent required to capitalise on the growth opportunities ahead.An organisation’s employees are MUCH more than assets. They need to be attracted and retained with clear benefits that reflect their personal goals and values. These need to be evident in your organisation’s proposition from the very first interaction a prospective employee has with you. Cast your minds back to pre-2020 and you may recall that many sectors were reporting critical skills shortages – the Department for Education’s Skills Needs Survey estimated 210,000 skills-shortage vacancies in the UK in 2019, up 147% from 2011 – this isn’t a situation that has improved! As such, recruitment activity needs to be modernised, focussing upon the candidate (customer) experience to enable you to succeed in hiring the best people for your business.How can your recruitment partner play its part?Quite often the very first interaction a prospective employee has with you, is courtesy of your recruitment partner. How well equipped is that partner to represent your brand? How clear is that partner on the attitudes, behaviours and skills required in candidates to correctly identify who will truly be successful in the role? And how confident are you that your recruitment partner can encourage those candidates to entertain a career opportunity with you?The ONS recently reported a UK record high of 1.2million unfilled vacancies (my colleague Christian Addison’s blog references this here) – competition for talent is as fierce as ever.So, in addition to ensuring your proposition to prospective employees is clear and that your own recruitment activity reflects your organisational values and how you wish to be perceived by future employees, it is imperative that you choose the correct recruitment partner and work with them as a partner to deliver the same.To ensure your recruitment partner positively impacts your brand to your potential new recruits ask yourself whether they are….Defining / re-defining value propositions for individual roles, providing candidates with valuable information about an opportunity beyond a job descriptionAgreeing upon attraction strategy, advertising media and routes to market for target audience, to ensure our clients have the greatest reach to the highest calibre candidatesIntegrating digital solutions to inject pace and accuracy into the selection process, reducing time to hire and improving hiring effectivenessChallenging convention to ensure unique and high impact messages are communicated to the candidate market, ensuring clients remain competitive in a demanding marketStreamlining the hiring process to deliver continuity of assessment and an enhanced candidate experience, giving confidence the process is owned Reporting on candidate feedback, progress and outcomes to inform future hiring decisions and tactics.If they are not, then you may want to reconsider who you choose to partner with for your next requirement because how can you be sure that your new hires are going to be onboard with the ethos and culture of your organisation and fully ready for the task at hand?Many organisations utilise several recruitment suppliers in tandem to deliver to a recruitment need, adopting the mantra “many hands make light work”. I mean, you will have every agency dedicating all their time solely to finding you the best candidate on the market – right? Now, put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter and ask yourself; if you had two roles to work on, one - exclusively with the client where you have spent time going over all the details of the role and person you need to hire, or two – a role in competition with several others – which would you choose?Considering the challenges presented in the current climate, if like us, you feel that several suppliers culminate in too many cooks spoiling the broth, then reconsider your approach to recruitment and engage with a partner who you can be confident understands your business and will pull out all the stops to find you the right candidate!I’d be keen to hear from any client who has tried both tactics and which one works for you and why. If you have current opportunities and would like to discuss how Ganymede Solutions works hard to positively impact your brand to new recruits, then please contact me on 07796 990 418 or email chris.oconnor@ganymedesolutions.co.uk. Chris O’Connor, Operations Director - Recruitment
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Ganymede Engage
Ganymede Solutions are excited to announce the launch of our new Managed Service Provision platform, Engage.Ganymede Engage is the technology platform that drives our Managed Service Provision. It centralises all of your recruitment & workforce management functions into one, user-friendly system – minimising time wasted on recruitment processes, and maximising time spent growing your business.Paul Crompton, Managing Director explains “We invested in Ganymede Engage to provide a technology solution which naturally compliments our recruitment and workforce management offering. Ganymede Engage will provide our clients with complete visibility and control of their recruitment activities and temporary workforce through a cloud based platform, delivering efficiencies and maximising access to the best talent available.” Visit our Engage hub to learn more. Get in touch
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IR35: Important Information for End Hirers
Following the Chancellor's budget announcement, we must now assume that the IR35 reforms in the private sector will continue to go ahead as planned on 6th April 2021, and end hirers need to ensure they are all fully aware of how their responsibilities are changing. What is IR35? IR35 is a piece of legislation designed to tackle what the HMRC have called ‘disguised employment’. Using a number of factors, it aims to differentiate between PSC contractors who are genuinely in business on their own account and those who should be considered employees for tax purposes. What does it mean for you? As of April 2021, it will be the responsibility of the end hirer to assess the employment status for tax purposes of all PSC contractors. In line with the legislation, you are required to take reasonable care in doing so, which means you need to properly assess the status of your contractors, provide a determination, and provide an explanation behind your decision. What should you do now? Time is ticking but there is still time to make sure your business is fully compliant with the changes to the IR35 legislation using the following steps: Assess your workforce. You’ll need to know how many contractors are working through a limited company, where there are, and what they do. Consider your options. There are a number of ways in which you can make your status determinations, including using a third-party provider or utilising the HMRC’s Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool, so you’ll need to decide which one is right for you. Carry out your Status Determination Statements. To get the most accurate assessment on whether or not a contractor should be considered Inside IR35 or Outside IR35, you should be liaising with the contractor themselves and their key points of contact within your business, so communication is key. Pass the Status Determination Statement down the supply chain. Your responsibilities under the legislation require you to pass your decision and the reasoning behind it to all interested parties, namely the contractor and the agency who engages them. Communicate with your supply chain. It’s important to protect yourself by ensuring any recruitment agencies within your supply chain are complying with the decisions you have made and are deducting PAYE Tax and National Insurance Contributions as required. Reassess when needed. You need to assess the IR35 status of PSC contractors any time any element of the worker’s contract or their working practices change. Depending on the nature of their engagement, you will also want to reassess every six to twelve months to ensure you and they are still compliant with the legislation. If you're unsure about any of the above, or require some advice and support on how to assess your contractors, get in touch with our specialist team as soon as possible to ensure you're IR35 compliant.
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How to Effectively Work from Home
The Government has recently announced that people should work from home where possible during the current Coronavirus outbreak. Working from home has become popular over the years but for many, it will be a new way of working. What if you have never worked from home, what if you don't have a home office set up? Don’t worry, we have compiled a list of 7 top tips to make sure you are working as effectively as possible from the comfort of your own home. 1. Try to replicate your morning routineOne of the most important things to do is to create the right mindset to work from home, and this should start as soon as you wake up. That’s right, you need to continue setting your morning alarm, getting showered and dressed, eating breakfast and anything else you would normally do before work. Use the time you would normally spend commuting to do something productive like walking the dogs, making breakfast or just catching up with the news.It may seem strange putting your work clothes on just to stay in but, it will help tell your brain that it is work time and not relaxation time. 2. Create a suitable workspace Now you’re up and ready for work it’s time to make sure your workspace is ready. Here are some dos and don'ts for creating a suitable office space whilst you work from home: DO Make sure you have a clean large enough surface. - Similar to your office, you need enough space for your cups of coffee, documents, mouse and anything else you normally have on your desk. Make sure you have a comfortable chair - the last thing you want to do is spend all day sat on an uncomfortable chair.Try and set up a second screen if you use one in the office - this could even be your TV if you don’t have anything smaller. Simply connect your laptop to a TV (usually with an HDMI) then you will have your second screen ready to go. DON’T Work in bed - this may seem like a great idea but it’s not, your brain has learnt to associate the bedroom with being relaxed. Trying to work whilst your brain wants to relax is never going to work well for your productivity. Work in front of the TV - again this sounds like a great idea but realistically you are not going to be as productive whilst trying to watch your favourite series - why not stick the radio on instead? Work on any free surface you can find – If you are not comfortable you will not be able to produce your best work and even worse it may lead to health issues. 3. Try to replicate your working routine as much as possible In order to keep yourself in the right frame of mind, it is important to try and replicate your working routine. That includes your working hours, your tea and coffee breaks and your lunch schedule. Make sure you plan regular breaks and make sure you follow the governments advice about working safely with display screen equipment. 4. Plan your time and exactly what you want to achieve each day One great way to keep productivity at a high is to plan your workflow. At the start of the day, you need to know what your priorities are, what you need to get done first and what you want to work on if you have extra time. Check out our blog about effectively managing your time here. If you are part of a team it may be worth holding daily catch ups to ensure you are all on task and achieving what you need to achieve. 5. Keep work time and personal time separate So, you have your schedule and you’re burning through tasks but it’s already the end of the day, you might be tempted to carry on working as you no longer have to commute and you’re in a good flow. Which is great, however, it is just as important to give yourself some time off when you’ve promised it. Try not to extend your workday too far over what you planned, as this might lead to burning yourself out and starting to see your home environment as a stressful place. By doing this and keeping work time and personal time separate should make you more productive at work and less stressed when you aren’t working. 6. Use the correct software and tools We are fortunate that we live in an innovative world where the likes of Microsoft Teams and Skype have made it easier than ever to keep in contact with work colleagues, whether that's instant messaging, video calls or conference calls. Choose the correct tool that works for you and your team to make sure you stay in touch with what’s going on. 7. Stay connectedMake sure you’re still picking up the phone or getting on skype and teams and having conversations where you can. There are number of benefits of having conversations out of email, firstly you get to bounce off one another and keep those creative juices flowing, secondly it’s important to stay social when you’re removed from those people at work, don’t be afraid to just have a general quick chat.Want to read more tips and advice like this? Make sure you sign up to our blog to receive them directly in your inbox.
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How to Choose the Best Engineering Recruitment Agency
If you’re a Hiring Manager that is nervous of using a recruiter, or perhaps just don’t know where to start when choosing one, this blog is for you. We address your concerns and the common misconceptions of recruitment agencies, and equip you with the tools needed to separate the good, the bad and the ugly.The recruitment industry can be a minefield. There are nearly 40,000 recruitment agencies of all sizes to choose from and you have probably been contacted by what feels like half of them. Recruiters recently appeared in a list of the 10 least trusted professions, alongside car salespeople and bailiffs. But why?We firmly believe the misconception of recruiters is down to us naturally remembering the bad experiences, more than the good. The ‘once bitten, twice shy’ approach is understandable, but it may be hampering your chances of finding a recruitment agency that could genuinely add value to you and your business.There are reputable and trustworthy engineering recruitment agencies, but you need to know how to identify them. This blog will help you to do that, so keep reading to find out the tell-tale sales of a good and trustworthy recruiter that can help your business.Do your researchWe learn not to judge a book by it’s cover, but in this case, it’s important to take a look at the recruiters’ website and social media streams. It goes beyond whether the recruitment agency look good, you should also be looking out for case studies and testimonials as well as blog posts and content that demonstrates they have a real understanding of your sector and the issues your business faces.Choose a specialistThere are a number of recruitment agencies that operate across every sector. They work in high-volumes with no particular specialism and will often use their colossal database as a selling point, but this is not always a success factor. You’re an engineering business, engage with an engineering recruitment agency – they operate in your space and they spend their days talking to engineers, developing large networks relevant to your business. As well as an understanding of the skills you’ll be looking for in candidates, technical recruiters will also know a lot about the marketplace, including average salaries and where your competition is. This will save you a lot of time during the briefing and recruitment process as you’re much more likely to receive the right match.Ask questionsWe all know to ask questions, but there are particular things to ask that will very quickly expose the quality of a recruitment agency. You will want to know their efficiencies, which essentially translates to ‘how many CVs are you going to send before there’s a candidate I’ll want to interview?’. Multiple CVs and poor matches are a waste of your time, and a high-quality recruitment business will measure themselves on these numbers and have them to hand when you ask. Other, more obvious things worth probing into are accreditation, memberships and examples of previous work.These basic steps will leave you able to make a much more confident decision on which engineering recruitment agency to work with. Whenever looking for a recruitment service, keep these three things in mind and you’re much more likely to have a better and more efficient experience.Engineering RecruitmentATA is an engineering recruitment agency with a difference – we’ve been operating within the sector for over 50 years and have a large database of relevant and engaged engineers that could be perfect for your business.We’re so confident in our recruitment services that our market-leading guarantee covers all full fee permanent placements for 2 years, substantially longer than any of our competitors. Contact us to discuss your requirements and how ATA Recruitment can help using the button below.CONTACT US
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5 Reasons to Hire Engineering Contractors
You’re a Hiring Manager who wants to minimise disruption to business and projects during the recruitment process, but how? This blog outlines several ways in which hiring a contractor could solve your problems, even if it’s just while you’re looking for a permanent employee.It’s estimated that there’s an annual shortfall of 59,000 engineers needed to fill technical roles across the UK. For employers, this means that competition for the best talent is at an all-time high – resulting in a longer time to hire, delayed projects and slower production.So where do contract engineers come in to this? How much do contractors cost? We work with several businesses that need a temporary solution to accommodate for an increase in workload or to plug the gap during their permanent recruitment drive. There are a number of benefits to doing this, read them below:1. They can hit the ground runningEngineering and civil engineering contractors are typically very skilled and experienced, with several years working as a permanent employee before changing to freelance. Hiring a contractor means you’re getting an expert that can make an instant impact to your business, with no training required. This is incredibly valuable if you’re working on a time-sensitive project or need to avoid any impact on production.2. There is no commitmentContractors can work with your business for as long, or as little, as required. Whether you need an engineer for 3 months to finish a project, or for 2 weeks to cover holiday or sickness, hiring a contract engineer is a great solution. Once the initial contract finishes, or you find the permanent employee you’ve been looking for, there’s no obligation to provide the contractor with more work. This is something seasoned contractors are comfortable with, and it provides great flexibility to your business.3. It isn’t as expensive as you may thinkIt’s impossible to determine the cost of hiring an engineering contractor – this will completely depend on the experience they have, the work required, and the sector they’ll be operating in. You may panic when you see a daily contract rate, but keep in mind that there are no other costs involved, such as holiday pay or sick pay. The contractor is only paid for the time they work, which is great value for money, considering sickness pay alone can cost up to 16% of your annual salary bill.4. They have their own insuranceContractors are required to have their own insurance in order to carry out their services. Professional Indemnity insurance covers them if they make any mistakes or result in you losing money. Public Liability covers contractors if somebody is injured or property is damaged whilst supplying services. This is a benefit to you and your business as it means that you’re not liable in the same way you would be if these mistakes were made by a permanent member of staff. The cost of insurance and cost of the claim would fall on the contractor, not your business.5. They’re a great answer to a permanent skills gapThe engineering skills gap is making it more difficult to recruit permanent engineers, but business can’t wait. When you recruit contract engineers, you’re giving your business the breathing space to take the time you need to fill a permanent position, while having somebody doing the job in the interim. It’s very likely that the amount spent on contractors would be less than the amount lost in not having somebody at least temporarily fill the role – delayed projects, low production and reduced output are avoidable.Each of these points combined should paint a great picture of the benefits of recruiting engineering or civil engineering contractors. Some businesses prefer to hire contractors, others use them as means to an end – either way, they’re a resource that your business should be considering during increased workloads and recruitment gaps.Engineering RecruitmentOur extensive contract division includes recruitment, compliance, payroll and ongoing contractor management, making the process as easy as possible for our clients. Not only can we help you to recruit engineering contractors and civil engineering contractors, we can also conduct all right to work checks, pay them, and provide you with a full end-to-end contract recruitment service.If you want to find out more about Ganymede our contract services or how we can help your business, contact us using the button below.CONTACT US
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WHAT OUR Clients SAY
It was great to work with a team who were interested with the task in hand and worked extremely hard, even in the high temperatures. I look forward to working with Ganymede again.
Engineering Supervisor
Amey
The Ganymede team went over and above to ensure we met our workloads, this type of commitment and pro-activeness goes a long way.
Business Manager
Volker Rail
Ganymede has worked collaboratively with us to provide a contingent labour service to fulfil our requirements to enhance the infrastructure on the Western Route. Ganymede continuously evolves to meet business needs and train their people to provide a high skilled workforce.
Programme Manager
Network Rail
Ganymede are an important partner within the Works Delivery organisation in Wales. They integrate closely with the local teams to ensure our delivery needs are met.
Works Delivery Director
Network Rail
Thank you once again Ganymede for providing such a high calibre of resource, the productivity noticed on site is above and beyond what we expected given our experiences with other contingent labour providers.
Works Delivery Manager
Network Rail
Contact us
To discuss our effective processes, or to find out more about what we do and how we can help your business, contact us below.
Engineering News & Insights
Project-Focused Staffing Solutions to Meet South Eastern Railwayʼs Workforce Demands
Project-Focused Staffing Solutions to Meet South Eastern Railwayʼs Workforce DemandsSouth Eastern Railway, a major train operating company in the South East of England, required a rapid recruitment solution to meet operational demands under the Service Quality Regime. The roles involved installing, maintaining and repairing train interiors including windows, seating and fittings while ensuring compliance with safety standards and passenger expectations. A specialist team of Interior Standards Operatives was provided to support the newly formed Service Quality Regime Interior Standards Team, delivering essential maintenance and repair work within train maintenance to uphold high interior standards.Our SolutionThe recruitment was completed within a short turnaround period to meet client demands and support the Service Quality Regime. Contractors were engaged on short-term rolling contracts, aligned to the client's Service Quality Regime audits and funding cycles. Initial Requirement: A team of 7 Technicians to start within 2 weeks, with ongoing talent pooling in place to support fluctuations in staffing needs throughout the project term. Additional Provision by Ganymede: Rail Standard Medical & D&A testing.Full rail depot PPE. Turnaround Time: 11 working days from client briefing to the first contractor cohort starting.Value Added Ganymede Connect - Ganymede held a briefing with the hiring manager to understand the candidate profile required and created a tailored solo interview suite on Ganymede Connect for candidates to complete video interviews. South Eastern Railway selected preferred candidates directly from the talent dashboard. This significantly reduced their usual time to hire, minimised management time spent conducting interviews, and reduced visitor numbers to a busy safety-critical site. Rail Specific Onboarding Support – Ganymede managed all onboarding tasks, including offers, right to work checks, medical and drug & alcohol testing, and PPE provision. Start dates were staggered across two weeks to support internal capacity for inductions and training at the depot. This ensured the full team was deployed compliantly and fully operational within three weeks of the initial briefing. Talent Pooling – Continuous screening and talent pooling have taken place throughout the project via the Ganymede Connect platform and project talent dashboard. This has enabled a rapid response to fluctuating needs and ensured staffing levels consistently meet project demands.Ganymede Connect makes the recruitment process so much easier. Having candidate interviews available to view remotely means the selection process becomes vastly more efficient. No longer do the interviewers have to be together in one place, reducing the need to coordinate diaries. Candidate interviews can also be tailored to answer specific questions relating to the assignment, making the selection process much quicker. Simply put, Ganymede Connect is a game changer for staff recruitment. D Paris Head of Fleet Engineering, South Eastern Railway.Looking for a flexible, project focused staffing solution tailored to the unique demands of the transportation industry?Get in touch with Ganymede today to discover how our specialist workforce solutions can help you meet operational requirements, improve service quality and maintain compliance, even at short notice.
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Ganymede Proudly Supports Young Rail Professionals and Women in Rail’s Sizzling Summer BBQ
Ganymede Proudly Supports Young Rail Professionals and Women in Rail’s Sizzling Summer BBQSupporting Early Careers and Women in RailWe recently attended the Women in Rail East Midlands and Young Rail Professionals social event and summer BBQ at the Derby Conference Centre. The event offered valuable insight into the initiatives and opportunities championed by both organisations to support and develop careers in the rail industry.During the event, we heard from both groups including how Young Rail Professionals help influence and promote employment in the rail sector for people in their first 10 years of service, discussing what opportunities there are for people who fit this criteria. Women in Rail focused on how they support women across the UK by creating more opportunities to enter and progress in the rail sector.Championing Equality and OpportunityWe got involved as many members of the company are also part of Women in Rail across the country and help by attending and organising the events, which demonstrates our proactiveness with these sorts of events. At Ganymede, we believe that everyone should have the same opportunities and chances to have a role in the rail sector.Attendees of the WIR event including Charlotte Cruise, Client Relationship Manager at GanymedeThe historical venueGanymede was proud to attend the event hosted at our Head office, Derby Conference Centre. The venue holds a long history of hosting rail events and contains a large mural which reflects the changes in transport through time and how trends have evolved. Mark Lamb, Head of Client Development at Ganymede, described it as the perfect venue, calling it “well attended and full”, which reflects the interest of the people and members of the community within these groups. He also described it as a “relaxed environment” where he could catch up with former colleagues and meet new people.Mark described his favourite part as “the networking”, where he enjoyed socialising with new people and former colleagues and gaining more knowledge on what they are doing within these sectors of rail. He also said he enjoyed the BBQ and that there was a good variety of food, a nice, warm and relaxed atmosphere around the event, and that it was a great experience to be a part of. The event was a place for people to expand their network, catch up with familiar faces, and enjoy a relaxed and friendly time.Future eventsGanymede is looking forward to taking part in similar industry events such as the Women in Rail Christmas Quiz, Rail Forum, the Institute of Water which is celebrating 80 years of running, and other events.
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Strengthening Compliance to Drive Safety and Excellence in the UK Rail Sector
Strengthening Compliance to Drive Safety and Excellence in the UK Rail SectorThe UK rail industry operates in one of the most safety-critical environments in the country. With thousands of lives and billions in infrastructure at stake every day, the sector has undergone significant change over the last decade to improve how it manages risk, competency, and supplier assurance.At Ganymede Solutions, we recognise that meeting these ever-evolving requirements means investing not just in systems, but in people. That is why the continued development of our compliance function has remained a top priority.The Role of Compliance in Supporting Railway 200Railway 200 is a UK-wide initiative celebrating 200 years of the modern railway. It aims to inspire a new generation of pioneering talent to pursue careers in rail and to highlight the diverse range of roles available within the industry.Effective compliance management is vital to the safe and successful operation of the railway. Ganymede’s compliance team ensures that all regulatory obligations are met, risks are proactively identified and mitigated, and that continuous improvement is embedded into our daily operations.At Ganymede, this is demonstrated not only through our RISQS accreditation but also through our ongoing commitment to a suite of ISO certifications, covering Quality Management, Health & Safety, Environment & Sustainability, and Information Security.In addition, our compliance approach ensures we remain committed to fair, transparent, and responsible employment practices, from how we support our people to how we manage our supply chain, upholding the highest ethical standards across all our operations.Building a Strong Compliance Team to Meet Railway 200 Standards at GanymedeSince Lauren Bradford joined Ganymede, she has played a key role in developing the compliance team to support the company’s commitment to high-quality compliance standards. The team has grown to meet increasing regulatory demands and to ensure that all aspects of Ganymede’s operations uphold the highest standards of governance.Developing a Comprehensive Compliance Function in Response to Industry ChangesWhen Lauren joined Ganymede in 2013, the HSEQ function was a small, three-person team responsible for Health & Safety, Compliance, Training, and Fleet Management. As the business has grown and the rail industry has evolved, Ganymede has developed dedicated teams for each of these areas, including a standalone Health & Safety team and a separate Fleet team, each focusing on their specialist disciplines.Over the last decade, the compliance function has expanded its focus to key areas such as regulatory adherence, risk management, and assurance. During this period, the team has successfully navigated several significant industry changes, including:The transition from the National Competence and Certification Authority (NCCA) to the Sentinel system, which marked a move from manual, paper-based Personal Track Safety (PTS) cards to a smart ID and digital platform for real-time competency verification.The transformation of the supplier assurance scheme from Link-Up to RISQS (Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme), a change led by Network Rail to enhance transparency and governance, transferring management to the Railway Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), a not-for-profit organisation owned by and serving Britain’s rail industrySignificant updates to Fatigue Management standards aimed at further mitigating fatigue risks across the industry, alongside enhanced Drug and Alcohol standards designed to better protect the safety of those working in the rail sector, in line with Network Rail’s Life Saving Rules.The compliance team remains responsible for staying up to date with these evolving requirements and ensuring Ganymede’s continued regulatory compliance in a rapidly changing industry landscape.A Collaborative Approach to Regulatory ExcellenceUnder Lauren’s leadership, the compliance team at Ganymede works closely with our internal Health & Safety and Fleet Management teams to ensure a joined-up approach to risk management and operational safety. But our collaboration doesn’t stop there.We also work proactively with industry bodies, clients, and suppliers to stay aligned with best practices and emerging standards across the rail sector. By engaging with key stakeholders and remaining actively involved in industry-wide initiatives, we are able to continuously build on our capabilities, respond to regulatory changes with agility, and help shape a safer, more sustainable rail network.This collaborative mindset supports not only our internal compliance goals but also contributes meaningfully to the broader vision of Railway 200, rising to new challenges and championing a stronger, safer rail industry for all.Read our previous blog Railway 200 blog: Mental Health Matters: 200 Years of Rail, 200 Years of People
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Supporting Communities and Building Careers: Ganymede's Approach to CSR in Construction and Rail
Supporting Communities and Building Careers: Ganymede's Approach to CSR in Construction and RailAt Ganymede, corporate social responsibility is more than a policy. It is a long-term commitment to using our business expertise to benefit local communities, support social mobility, and help address the skills shortage across rail, infrastructure and construction.One of the most effective ways we deliver this value is by engaging directly with schools, colleges and community organisations to promote career opportunities in our sector.Delivering Social Value Through Community EngagementChris James, a dedicated member of the Ganymede team, recently supported two impactful initiatives led by our client, Story Contracting. These sessions were designed to raise awareness of career pathways in construction and engineering, while helping individuals build the skills and confidence to progress.Working in partnership with People First, an organisation that provides guidance and support to people who have faced significant barriers to employment, Chris delivered an engaging and hands-on session in Carlisle. The group explored a wide range of roles available in construction, tried on PPE, and worked together on a marshmallow and spaghetti tower challenge designed to encourage teamwork and creative thinking.Feedback from the session was overwhelmingly positive:“The session was informative, engaging, fun and inclusive. Chris was kind, supportive and fun throughout, and the activity he provided was a brilliant challenge. Thank you for an awesome session, Chris.”Inspiring Future Talent in Civil EngineeringChris also delivered a CV skills workshop to a group of Year 12 students with an interest in civil engineering. This session formed part of a wider work experience programme delivered by Story Contracting and aimed to equip students with practical knowledge to support their future applications in the sector.Reflecting on the experience, Chris said:“It was great to be able to support one of our valued clients with their community engagement and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be involved. I am passionate about people of all backgrounds having equal opportunities, so it was great to find out more about People First and the fantastic work that the team carry out in the North. As an industry, despite what we may see in the media currently, there is still a huge skills shortage, so it is vital we promote construction as a career option to everyone. The session was extremely engaging, interactive and most importantly great fun.”Addressing the Skills Shortage Through OutreachThese sessions are just one example of how Ganymede supports clients with their social value goals while also addressing wider industry challenges, such as the continuing shortage of skilled workers in construction and infrastructure.By helping people from all backgrounds explore pathways into the industry, we play an active role in building a stronger and more inclusive workforce for the future.Partner With Us to Inspire the Next GenerationAs part of our continued commitment to creating social value through education and outreach, Ganymede is actively working with schools, colleges and community groups to promote careers in rail, construction and engineering.If your organisation would benefit from a careers workshop, CV session or industry insight event delivered by our team of recruitment experts, please get in touch using the form below.
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Inspiring Young People About Careers in Rail
Inspiring Young People About Careers in RailNatasha Higgins, a seasoned recruiter with over 20 years’ experience specialising in careers in the rail sector at Ganymede, recently volunteered at a Careers Day for Year 8 students at her local secondary school. Her goal was clear: to introduce children aged 12 to 13 to the diverse and rewarding career opportunities in the rail industry.Why Rail Careers Matter for Young People“Having recruited in this sector for two decades, I have witnessed first hand how people can build impressive careers, starting from apprenticeships and progressing all the way to senior management roles,” Natasha explains. “I felt it was really important to highlight rail as a viable and stable career path, especially at this stage before they choose their GCSE subjects in Year 9.”Natasha’s motivation was personal as well as professional. Her own son is in Year 8 and already has a solid understanding of the rail industry although, as she jokes, “he does not really have a choice!” But Natasha questioned whether all children have the same awareness, which inspired her to volunteer.Engaging Students with Careers in RailNatasha began by asking what the children thought of when they heard “rail sector” and which jobs they associated with it. Most immediately mentioned train drivers or ticket staff.“I also asked about their favourite school subjects,” she says. “That was a great way to connect their interests with the wide variety of roles in the rail industry.”Exploring Career Opportunities in the Rail SectorNatasha then explained that the rail sector is much more than just trains and stations. She introduced the students to many different areas involved: track maintenance, overhead line equipment (OLE), signalling, stations, bridges, and rolling stock. She emphasised that everything seen and used on the rail network is designed, built, and maintained by skilled professionals.Passion and Interests Spark Questions About Rail Sector JobsOne of the highlights was seeing some children express a genuine passion for safety on the rail network. Natasha took the opportunity to explain the critical importance of health and safety roles. Another child showed interest in caring for the environment and animals, leading Natasha to talk about the work of ecologists and environmental professionals within the sector.Questions flowed freely, particularly about how to enter the rail industry from apprenticeships to degree level roles and the kinds of companies that hire for these positions.Opening Minds to New Rail Sector Possibilities“It was fantastic to watch the children start to think of the rail sector as so much more than just trains,” Natasha reflects. “I felt I really opened their minds to the broad range of design and technical careers available.”Interactive Learning with Ganymede’s Routes in Rail SystemTo make the experience even more engaging, the children used Ganymede’s “Routes in Rail” interactive presentation, which helps young people match their interests such as computers or IT with career paths within the rail sector. Natasha noted how this tool helped children see how their favourite subjects relate directly to rail careers.The Assistant Head teacher of the school said: Thank you so much for attending our schools careers carousel on Friday. The pupils really enjoyed it and have been talking about what they have found out and some have become interested in an area for future job opportunities from this event, so thank you for inspiring our pupils. As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting local schools and inspiring young people, we look forward to running more Careers Day sessions like this one in the coming months. If you know of a school that would benefit from a visit by Ganymede and our team of recruitment experts to explore career opportunities in the rail sector and beyond, please get in touch using the form below.
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Ganymede extend partnership with Rail Safe Friendly
Ganymede continue partnership with Rail Safe Friendly for a further 12 months'Safety First, Safety Always' is at the core of everything we do. As such, we're proud to share that Ganymede are extending our partnership with the Rail Safe Friendly programme for an additional year.The Rail Safe Friendly programme is dedicated to spreading the vital message of rail safety among young individuals, educators, and parents throughout schools in the UK through their innovative Learn Live news channel, with Network Railapproved learning material.Ganymede first signed up to this initiative in March 2024. Over the course of the 12 months, we are delighted to share that we successfully sponsored 10 schools throughout the UK, ultimately resulting in over 9,000 total views of the programmes safety videos.One parent gave their feedback: "I watched the video as a parent and with my 2 children. The story conveyed a really important message about the dangers and how this resulted in a tragic loss. I was able to talk openly to prompt a discussion."Now, as we continue our relationship with the team at Rail Safe Friendly, we look forward to connecting with more schools, further spreading the essential message of safety to as many members of the public as possible.
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