How we assess welders, electricians and drivers before they get on a plane

A CV tells you almost nothing about whether a welder can lay a clean root pass or whether a driver can reverse an articulated trailer into a loading bay. Every worker we place has been assessed in person before an employer sees their name. This is what that assessment involves, and why we run it the way we do.

Walk-in sessions, not online applications

We recruit at announced walk-in sessions in the source country — most often in India, with regular sessions in Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Candidates come with original documents. A session typically sees several hundred people for a few dozen roles, and the majority are turned away on the day.

Doing it in person has one purpose: we see the person, the documents and the skill in the same room, and nothing is taken on trust.

Step one: documents

Before anyone touches a tool, we check:

• Passport validity (at least eighteen months remaining, because permit processing takes time).
• Original trade certificates, apprenticeship records or licences, checked against the issuing body where possible.
• Work history, with employer contacts we can actually call.
• For drivers, the original licence and its categories, and how long they have held the heavy-vehicle category.

Candidates with inconsistent documents do not proceed. It is the most common reason for rejection and the easiest to catch early.

Step two: the practical test

The test depends on the trade, and it is designed with the employer's actual work in mind.

Welders weld test coupons in the process and position the job requires — MIG, TIG or stick, flat through overhead. We photograph and, where the employer wants it, cut and inspect the coupons. A welder who is certified for one process is not assumed to be competent in another.

Electricians and HVAC technicians complete a wiring or fault-finding task on a rig, and are asked to talk through what they are doing. We are listening for safe isolation habits as much as for speed.

Truck and bus drivers take a supervised driving assessment on a comparable vehicle: manoeuvring, reversing, a road section, and pre-trip checks. The assessment is filmed.

Construction and factory operatives do a task relevant to the role — formwork, blockwork, a line-assembly sequence — and a basic safety walkthrough.

Step three: the interview

A short interview covers language (English, and any workplace language the employer needs), understanding of the role and the country, family situation and motivation. We are not looking for polish; we are looking for people who understand what they are signing up for and will stay.

What the employer receives

For each shortlisted candidate the employer gets a one-page profile, the document set, and the test evidence — video for drivers, photographs and inspection notes for welders, a written assessment for other trades. Employers can join sessions in person or by video call and interview finalists themselves. Many do, at least for the first intake.

Why we reject most people

At a typical session fewer than one in ten walk-ins is shortlisted. Rejecting people is not pleasant, but a worker who cannot do the job is expensive for everyone: the employer loses a seat for months, and the worker has moved his family's hopes across a continent for nothing. A hard assessment at home is the kindest thing we can do for both.

After the assessment

Shortlisted candidates move into the permit process, which we manage with the employer. Assessment records stay on file and are the starting point for onboarding: a driver's assessment video, for instance, tells the Lithuanian trainer exactly where to focus during Code 95 induction.

If you want to see what an assessment looks like before you commit to an intake, ask us for a sample profile pack from a recent session in your sector.