Record long service celebrations for NRL’s Sunderland team

Posted on 20 September 2022

Photo: Left to right - Emma Lowden, Rachel Fenwick, Joanne George

Engineering recruitment specialists NRL’s Sunderland team are marking a record number of
celebrations, as several members of the team jet off to enjoy long service holidays.

The team of 11, based on Quay West Business Park in Sunderland, have an average 12 years
working in recruitment at NRL – and a grand total of 130 years’ combined service.

Three colleagues in particular headed off this year to mark 20 years’ service, each taking a fully paid
trip away - provided by NRL, in recognition of their hard work and dedication.

Branch Manager Emma Lowden, Head of Compliance Joanne George, and Senior Recruitment
Consultant Rachel Fenwick each reached their impressive 20 years’ long service milestones during
the COVID-19 pandemic, so were unable to book their celebratory trips at the time - which includes a
7 night all-inclusive break to a worldwide destination to enjoy with a guest and 5 days additional
annual leave to make the trip.

With 60 years’ combined service between them, they reflect on their careers to date working in
recruitment at NRL.

For Branch Manager Emma Lowden, her role sees her help the team grow and develop their own
careers, which she finds extremely rewarding.

“It’s a fantastic part of the job. NRL have always invested heavily in entry level positions, and then
supported a career development path.

In fact it is how myself, Joanne and Rachel started our careers, fresh out of Uni all those years ago!
We have hit a lot of milestones together both personally and professionally. And to see everyone
grow and develop as the business grows and develops is one of the best bits of my role.

We have a great mix of colleagues, those at the start of their careers and those with long service, the
whole environment we have fostered here is one of curiosity and continuous learning and
development. I must say it is a two way relationship, I learn every day from the fantastic team around
me and the new ideas and initiatives they bring. Every day is a school day in here!”

Joanne George had progressed over the decades to her role as Head of Compliance, and says it was
important to be given opportunities to grow her career in a direction that best suited her.

“Starting straight out of Uni, with no experience of recruitment, NRL helped me build confidence and
find where my strengths lie. Throughout the early years in my career I was able to work a variety of
roles within the Branch. I found my focus on attention to detail and compliance naturally led to my
career progression in the Compliance arm of the Branch. In my current role I oversee the branch
compliance but it has also opened up further opportunities for me to support the wider Group which
is a great development for me. Within NRL there is no ‘one role fits all’ instead your career path will
develop according to your strengths.

With a history of long termers, NRL and the Sunderland branch has always had a wealth of
knowledge that has been passed down from top level. With encouragement and support to develop
their people.

Even after 20 years I still love to learn and share my knowledge too!”

Whilst Senior Recruitment Consultant Rachel Fenwick has found the support to allow her to progress has been
personally rewarding.

“Since the day I joined NRL the opportunities to progress were always highly supported and created
an environment to develop my career.

It all started as a Recruitment Clerk and as I worked my way up to Senior Recruitment Consultant, the
courses and opportunities I completed were very important in my progression. This has enabled me
to establish, develop and mentor junior members of the team. Even though I have been here 20 years
the learning and developing continues. I am attending a number of courses this year to continue to
develop my skills around coaching junior members of the team.

20 years may seem like a long time to some people to stay with one company, but when your role
continues to evolve, you are constantly challenged and you continue to grow. It has also been
rewarding to see how much NRL has grown and developed so much within this time.

No day is ever the same in recruitment, learning and growing is a vital part of my development.”