AN Ipswich-based recruitment firm is going from strength to strength after proving a hit north of the border supplying foreign workers for businesses.

AN Ipswich-based recruitment firm is going from strength to strength after proving a hit north of the border supplying foreign workers for businesses.

Select Recruitment, which has offices in Westgate Street, has been helping firms in East Anglia with their recruitment needs for more than 20 years but turned to sourcing Polish workers back in 2003 because it was struggling to fill vacancies on its books.

Now four years on the move has proved such a success Select is now providing Polish workers for Ross & Bonnyman, a manufacturing firm in Forfar, Scotland.

A long-term contract is in the pipeline and word-of-mouth recommendations means Select has interested a further four business in the services it offers.

Jackie Stoneman, Select's managing director, told The Evening Star that solving the skills shortage problem in the UK with Polish workers is proving lucrative for both her company and her clients.

She said: “Ross & Bonnyman was struggling to survive because it couldn't find local people at all.

“It was losing people to oil rigs where big money is on offer but we were able to step in with our Polish operation and have been able to place 27 people with them.

“They are now going from strength to strength and have quadrupled their order book.

“On the back of that they have recommended us to several other businesses so we are growing our business on the back of that.”

As well as providing migrant workers with jobs in the UK Select also aims to ensure that they settle quickly within the area by providing them with good quality accommodation, as well as assisting with the training and translation services.

John Gill, national sales director of Select Technical Services, has overseen the recruitment campaign for Ross & Bonnyman from the start.

He said: “Select Technical Services, as well as Ross & Bonnyman, will always endeavour to source staff locally.

“But, in Forfar, as in many other British towns and cities, this is increasingly becoming a problem.

“By looking further a field, we have tapped into a source of skilled, hardworking and very willing workers, who are very keen to work and can make a big difference in British industry.”

As a result of recent successes Select is currently taking on four new employees to add to the 48-strong workforce.

Jackie Stoneman is confident the company can continue to expand by providing foreign workers for companies who would otherwise not be able to fill positions.