Oliver Kaminski, I Recruit, Smethurst Lane, Bolton

OLIVER Kaminski was doing well working as front of house manager in an hotel, but was put-off by the unsocial hours.

He decided to switch careers and went working for a recruitment company, rose through the ranks and eventually left to set up his own ad-hoc blue collar recruitment agency for temporary workers.

The clients are mainly based around the North West where we provide solutions for the manufacturers, distribution and warehousing sector.

The company ethos has been working with unemployed people looking to get back in to work and it has built relationships with Shaw Trust and other agencies which provide support to long-term unemployed.

Now in its first six months of trading, I Recruit has a register of 150 people looking for work and Mr Kaminski has employed two additional consultants.

The 29-year-old, who was in the last 15 of The Apprentice the same year as another Bolton man Alex Wotherspoon, initially worked from home but moved into the offices of a former recruitment agency in Smethurst Lane.

He said: “My experience of working in the industry and contacts has enabled me to establish the business within a short period which will further assist in growth of the company. Currently we provide temping services for companies such as Indispension, B&M Bargains and Asda.”

When he moved into recruitment he found management skills acquired in the hotel industry stood him in good stead. He added: “I have always had the enterprise spirit since the age of 14, having worked in a market stall.

“We have done really well since setting up and being nominated is a tribute to the hard work we have put in.”