M and M Communications

A Treforest-based firm which helps Welsh speakers find jobs has been rewarded for its bilingual business approach.

Specialist Welsh-speaking recruitment firm, Job Trac Cymru, received top honours in the category Bilingual Business of the Year as part of the Rhondda Cynon Taf Annual Business Awards for the third year running in recognition of its efforts to promote the use of Welsh in the workplace.

Managing Director, Tracey Williams, who started the company after spotting a gap in the recruitment market, believes the secret of success lies in the company’s ability to assist employers find high-quality Welsh speaking employees.

She said: “After working as a Human Resources manager for a number of companies across Wales, I quickly realised there was a definite divide between the number of jobs which showed a preference for Welsh language speakers and those candidates who could actually speak and write fluently in Welsh.

Quick to turn this into a lucrative business opportunity, Mrs Williams who is a fluent Welsh speaker herself founded Job Trac Cymru with the idea of creating a Welsh speaking recruitment firm which would not only recruit, but fully vet Welsh speakers for business.

Within three years of setting up Job Trac Cymru and providing Welsh-speaking candidates to dozens of companies and public sector organisations across Wales, the firm was recognised by the RCT Business Awards as the winner in the Bilingual Business of the Year category 2008.

Job Trac Cymru also repeated this success in 2009 and now again in 2010.

Paul Cannon, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Housingat Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council said: “Congratulations to Job Trac Cymru on their well deserved award for Bilingual Business of the Year in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Our annual Business Club Awards were another big success this year and recognised the achievements of companies like Job Trac Cymru. The Council is pleased to continue supporting local businesses through running the Business Club and also offers a range of other services and interventions.”

Mrs Williams added: “We are incredibly proud to receive this honour for the third time. I also believe we’re the only company to have received an award three years running! It just goes to demonstrate the increasing importance of Welsh in the workplace and the number of companies wanting to ensure they have the right candidate for the job.”

This trend, Mrs Williams believes, is being fuelled by the introduction of the Welsh Language Act of 1993 which stipulates that Welsh speakers should be able to have access to all public services in Welsh. The recent Welsh Language Legislative Competence Order is also playing a role.

Since setting up Job Trac Cymru, Mrs Williams also spotted another online business opportunity resulting in the creation of safleswyddi.com.

Safle Swyddi functions as an interactive employment website for Welsh speakers and allows candidates to be informed of any vacancies in Welsh and then link up directly with the potential employer via the website.

Safle Swyddi currently attracts around 15,000 unique visitors per month and has displayed in excess of 600 vacancies ranging from temporary placements to prestigious vacancies for experienced architects and managing directors since its inception.

Mrs Williams is hopeful that her success will inspire more candidates and businesses to actively promote the use of Welsh both inside and outside of the workplace.

“Studies indicate that those who understand more than one language are able to think more flexibly and creatively and can communicate with a wider variety of people. This can only be a good thing in an increasingly competitive global marketplace and should be actively encouraged.”

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This entry was posted on Thursday, March 18th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
It is filed under Client Articles.

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