Reed Screening, based in Manchester provide employee screening services directly for clients, as well as for clients of our consultants in Reed Specialist Recruitment. 

In this blog Training Coordination Manager, Patrice Ennis talks us through some of her experiences of working for this vital part of the Reed family of companies. 

How did your journey at Reed Screening begin?

Before I joined Reed Screening I was studying performing arts at university and working full time as an administrator for a larger retailer. Reed have a really good referral scheme and I was actually referred in by my cousin, who already worked for the business.

welcome sign at the Reed Screening office in Manchester

I started 4 years ago as a Screening executive and it felt as though I was progressing or changing roles every 8-10 months. This had lead me to where I am now, as a manager. There is a lot of opportunity to progress here and its celebrated. I feel really comfortable were I am now and by that I mean I’m happy in what I’m doing.

I feel challenged every day and that gives me a great sense of comfort as I like to be kept on my toes. When I joined REED it was never my desire or ambition to be a manager, or so I thought.  I really enjoy what I’m learning now all the time. It’s important to me to feel happy in what I do and support others along the way.

What does a typical day look like for a Training Coordination Manager?

My day is really varied. I could be creating content for all our eLearning candidates, I also create content for our skills testing systems if candidates are going into administration roles etc. I manage a team a trainers who deliver all the face to face training that is delivered to our Reed Screening Co-Members, then the mandatory training that is available for our health and care candidates.

Within my department I have a team of Learning Advisors, they source the best in the business training providers for our local authority clients. My main focus is training related, we ensure that all training that is required by law is completed.

What factors have supported you in order to progress in your position?

I think what’s helped me, is me – I’ve used my initiative a lot and have been encouraged to do so. My Managers have never micro-managed, but have been there to support when I’ve needed them to. I like to have the full picture and will seek to learn how things are done, rather than just leave someone else to do it for me. My previous manager had a real mentality of “pitch in” and I’ve tried to instil that in my own management style.

“My previous manager had a real mentality of “pitch in” and I’ve tried to instil that in my own management style.”

Patrice Ennis looking at camera while in the reed screening office in Manchester

Given the current situation, what have you and your teams being doing differently and how have you been supporting them?

We do a daily video call and catch up on what’s happening at home, be it our families or what we’ve been watching on TV, for example. Then we go through what everyone is working on that day.

It’s important to me that people don’t only ever hear from me because they think I want something; I care about my team and it’s important that they know that too.

Find out more about careers with Reed Screening here.