Abby's Story

What's it like to start as an apprentice at Carrington West?

Abby, our Compliance Deputy Team Leader, started with us as an apprentice in 2019, and progression came quickly for her. In 2025, she was promoted to a Lead Compliance Coordinator, and then became Deputy Team Leader in the direct compliance team. We sat down with her to discuss her time at Carrington West so far, and her plans for the future.

How did you come across Carrington West in your job search?

After finishing college, I decided to defer university for a year and get some real work experience first. I wanted a fast-paced company where I could throw myself in, learn, and get a feel for working life. Carrington West stood out as a company that valued developing people and offering genuine career progression.

What made you decide to join Carrington West?

When Gavin interviewed me, he made me feel that Carrington West had a good culture and that I’d be supported while stepping into a fast-paced environment, and that was definitely the case!

Would you recommend others to take an apprenticeship path rather than University?

Yes, especially if you find studying on its own difficult. Having real work to do alongside learning makes a big difference; you can cross-reference what you’re studying with what you’re doing day-to-day, which really helps it sink in. Apprenticeships give you hands-on experience straight away and help you build skills.

What are the main changes you've experienced since joining?

The company has grown a lot since I joined. Compliance has got much stricter for contractors and for our audits, so we’ve had to bring in new processes and systems. For me, the main changes have been adapting to those and building confidence in my own work.

What’s been your biggest challenge in your time working here?

Taking on all the external audits for Carrington West was a huge challenge - learning all the processes and managing the workload was daunting at first. On top of that, stepping into the Deputy Team Leader role to cover Elise’s maternity meant learning the people management side of things, which is a big adjustment, but I've had a lot of support from my manager which helped a lot.

What would be your advice to anyone starting their career at Carrington West?

Throw yourself into every challenge and you’ll learn from it. If you put the effort in, there are lots of opportunities here to progress and develop, not just professionally.

What motivates you to get up in the morning to come to work?

The people! I work with a great team, and it makes me want to do well, both for myself and for the people around me.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to keep building on what I’ve learned so far and grow in my role as Deputy Team Leader. I’d like to gain more confidence in the position and really support the team.

2013 Shortlisted Best Newcomer - Global Recruiter Awards

2013 Winner Best Start-Up - Business Excellence Awards

2014 Finalist Best Small Business -Business Excellence Awards

2014 Shortlisted Best Company to Work For (under 50 people) - IRP Awards

2014 Shortlisted Best New Agency - Recruiter Awards

2015 Shortlisted Best Company to Work For (under 50 people) - IRP Awards

2016 Highly Commended - Best Temporary Consultant Blayne Cahill

2016 Winner Best Company to Work For (under 50 people) - IRP Awards

2017 Finalist Best Employer - Business Excellence Awards

2017 Finalist Best Newcomer Ryan Williamson - IRP Awards

2017 Shortlisted Best Company to Work For (under 50 people) - IRP Awards

2017 Winner Best Temporary Consultant Blayne Cahill - IRP Awards

2018 Finalist Best Company to Work For (under 50 people) - IRP Awards

2018 No. 74 in the Recruiter HOT 100

2018 Winner Best Medium/Large Business - Business News Awards

2019 No. 72 in the Recruiter HOT 100

2019 Shortlisted Best Newcomer Krishan Adams - IRP Award

2019 Shortlisted Best Office Support - IRP Awards

2019 Shortlisted Best Temporary Consultant Ilya Donets - IRP Award

2019 Winner Best Company to Work For (under 50 people) - IRP Awards

2019 Winner Employer of the Year - Business Excellence Awards

2020 Shortlisted Best Engineering Recruitment Agency - Recruiter Awards

2020 Shortlisted in Two Categories

2020 Winner Best Learning & Development Programme (under 250)

2021 - Highly Commended, Ryan Williamson

2021 - Shortlisted in 2 Categories

2021 - Shortlisted in 3 Categories

2021 - Shortlisted in 4 Categories

2021 Highly Commended Best Company to Work For (Over 50)

2021 Highly Commended Temporary Recruiter of the Year - Ilya Donets

2021 Ranked no. 78 in the top 100 recruitment agencies in the UK

2021 Shortlisted in 3 Categories

2021 Top 250 companies in the Solent

2021 Winner Best Learning & Development Programme

2022 Cameron De Wit - Temporary Consultant of the Year

2022 Employee Engagement Award

2022 Highly Commended - Best Company to Work for

2022 In-House Training Award

2022 Number 25 in the Recruiter Fast 50

2022 Oliver Gooch - Temporary Consultant of the Year

2022 Platinum Employer of the Year (50-249)

2022 Shared Services Team of the Year

2022 Shortlisted in 3 categories

2022 Shortlisted in 5 Categories

2022 Top 250 companies in the Solent

2022 Winner Large Company of the Year

2022 Winner Training Programme of the Year

2023 Emily Christmas - HR Person of the Year

2023 Highly Commended - Best Employer Brand

2023 Highly Commended Oliver Gooch - Best Temporary Consultant

2023 Liam Shea- Best Newcomer in Temporary Recruitment

2023 Number 34 in the Fast 50 List

2023 People Development Business Award

2023 Shortlisted in 3 categories

2023 Shortlisted in 4 categories

2023 Shortlisted in 8 categories

2023 Top 10 Places to Work UK (Medium)

2023 Winner Reward and Recognition Award

2024 Finalist Employer of the Year

2024 Highly Commended Luke Clifford - Temporary Recruiter of the Year

2024 Number 61 in the Hot 100 List

2024 Top 250 companies in the Solent

2025 Best Management Services Business (Medium)

2025 Number 32 in the Fast 50 List

2025 Top 10 Places to Work (Medium)

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