One of the North-east’s oldest recruitment companies has joined forces with one of the world’s largest offshore shipping companies as it seeks to grow its Aberdeen-based operations.
Genesis Personnel – which operates from premises in Aberdeen and Peterhead – is currently working with Norwegian-based SolstadFarstad as it expands its presence in and around the North-east of Scotland.
The Genesis Personnel team has been entrusted with recruiting for various high-profile positions, including vessel manager, commercial manager and technical superintendent to assist SolstadFarstad’s Aberdeen-based operations.
In June this year, Norwegian ship owners Solstad Offshore, Farstad Shipping, Deep Sea Supply and Rem Maritime merged to become SolstadFarstad. SolstadFarstad is a global company consisting of approximately 150 vessels with more than 3,000 employees. Its activities are mainly concentrated in Europe, Brazil, Australia and Asia, and the company's head office is located in Skudeneshavn, Norway.
Founded in 1975, Genesis Personnel is a market leader in the international provision of specialised recruitment solutions to a range of sectors including marine, offshore, subsea and renewables. The company supplies permanent, temporary and contract-based personnel with particular emphasis on the UK, Norwegian and Australian markets.
Commenting on the relationship, Genesis Personnel managing director Wendy Marr said: “By working in collaboration with SolstadFarstad, we have been able to assist with their recruitment process by sourcing exceptional candidates and streamlining what can be a very lengthy and time-consuming process.”
“Our extensive marine experience, and our sound knowledge of the UK and Norwegian markets, have proved to be instrumental in the ongoing success of this relationship. As an established and well known North east company which is operating internationally, our thinking is very much in line with SolstadFarstad’s own ethos and this has enhanced our ability to deliver a bespoke and personal service to meet their requirements.”
SolstadFarstad commercial director, AHTS/PSV International Steve Brackenridge explained: “Initially we will employ an additional 5-6 people in Aberdeen to ensure we provide good, familiar faces to our clients on a daily basis. The UK is a big focus for us because there is a large client base here that we want to increase, so we need to have the correct set-up in Aberdeen which will be our UK hub.”
SolstadFarstad operations director AHTS/PSV International Bjørn-Inge Engene added: “With new investment and backing, and a serious commitment to the North east, we are driving forward as we enter a new era for our company. Part of our ambitious growth plan is to steadily increase the number of people working with us, and to expand our current fleet of 12 vessels in the UK sector of the North Sea.
“The excellence of our brand will be reflected in the quality of what we do here, and the people who do it on our behalf.”
SolstadFarstad managing director Graham Dale continued: “We need access to local people with the right skills set and experience, and Genesis Personnel’s resources and connections have facilitated that – there are very few agencies which are equally well positioned to recruit in such an exacting way. They have brought in front of us exactly the right kind of person, giving us the luxury problem of every candidate exactly meeting our needs!”