Restart Scheme
Cardiff Distillery started with small beginnings in 2019, in a back garden, making gin during lockdown. The business has now grown to become a fully operational Distillery. Office Manager Sian James reached out to the Restart Scheme to see if we could assist with finding suitable staff for their production warehouse.
Employer Engagement Coordinator Mike Duncan went to meet Sian and the team to tour their state-of-the-art facilities and understand what skills they needed for the job vacancies. Mike explained about how the Restart Scheme could benefit them, and they were so impressed with the service we could provide, they were keen to work with us straight away.
Several Restart Scheme Participants have had trial shifts at the distillery, with the majority of them being offered full-time positions and the chance to progress within the company.
Cardiff Distillery have now requested support with their staff Learning and Development plans. Serco have managed to source a niche Boiler Operation Accreditation Scheme (BOAS) training course for staff to manage and maintain the boilers on site and Food Hygiene certificates for each Participant to further enhance their career prospects.
The Participants are so happy to be given the opportunity to work with such a growing company and are now looking forward to the future with stable employment. Sian said:
“Since working with Serco, and in particular Mike, we have established a stream of Restart Scheme Participants coming into the business who have enhanced our business productivity and brought diversity to our small team. Using the Restart Scheme has enabled us to have flexibility as we expand our workforce with the ability to offer a work trial without impacting the individual’s benefits and financial circumstances as well as aiding our recruitment process. It has also proved invaluable in identifying those who are truly committed to finding suitable employment and also provides an introduction to working in the food and beverage manufacturing sector.
Serco has been on-hand every step of the way, providing support to us and the Participants in addressing any issues that may arise. The ongoing support is proving to be a critical element for our future growth as a small business, as well as personal development for the new employee. Providing basic needs such as PPE, help with travel to and from work, and training, helps the individual transition into their new working environment and will hopefully provide longevity within the role and company. The investment helps us as a company to look at creating new opportunities and career progression for the Restart Scheme Participants.
