Conrad Consulting has hit a milestone, we are now 20 years old! To celebrate this, you may have noticed our logo design honouring our anniversary landmark (we thought it was something not to be missed). Upon reflecting on the lead up to our 20th Anniversary it has put into perspective what makes Conrad Consulting unique in the recruiter field and how we have all adapted on the journey to make Conrad Consulting what it is today, and what a journey it has been!
In 2001, Conrad’s founder Graham Ventham took a bold step at the age of 23 to branch out alone. Since then, his high standards of working practices have been ever present since starting this new bespoke company, not knowing where it would lead or how it may turn out. Starting from scratch, Graham formed strong relationships with candidates and clients earning a prestigious reputation which has continued to stay with us and will remain with us for years to come! Fed from determination and perseverance Conrad’s specialism in the Civil and Structural sector continued to grow, meeting larger demands from the ever-growing requests from our candidates and clients. This success allowed us to reach new heights, (and more so) larger demographics in new sectors. So, let’s take a look at the timeline!
To keep up with this immense growth since the founding of Conrad Consulting, the first hire was made in 2003. Implemented with Graham’s determination, each employee who comes through Conrad’s door is engaged to succeed. Jumping a few years, we saw challenges which had to be faced head on and Conrad rose to them. The 2008 recession saw many businesses decline and though the years were turbulent, Conrad survived.
The years following the recession meant we had to pick ourselves up again and start branching out to larger audiences. Thus, Conrad decided to be represented by more than the Civil and Structure sector. In 2011 the Construction desk was brought to life; this division has continued to develop over the decade it has had with Conrad, building trusted relationships with both clients and candidates. This development continued in 2013, much like the Conrad we are today, our sectors branched out further to Mechanical & Electrical, Surveying, Architecture and Geotechnical. These divisions meant we needed a larger team and more offices to continue to provide the level of infectious enthusiasm Graham started with.
In the same year, Head Office expanded into a new office in Framlingham Technology Centre, which in 2014 led to further growth with us getting our first office which would give us room for rapid expansion. To celebrate our successes so far and to finalise the financial year, Conrad took its first overseas trip as a company to the sunny destination of Barcelona!
2015 was a busy year for Conrad Consulting, we headed to Zambia to work in partnership with Soft Power Education to build a school. Four members of the team went on the trip of a lifetime to paint a classroom block and construct a new staff house at Kalebera Primary School, certainly a moment to remember! In this year we also had our annual conference in Munich, followed by the opening of our Northern Office in Leeds! A year to celebrate!
Following on from the success of the new Northern Office, 2016 saw Conrad arriving in Edinburgh! Meaning the addition of new faces to start this venture and more opportunities to grow. 2016 also followed the theme of having our conference overseas, this time Marbella!
In 2017 we had outgrown our office in Framlingham and decided to move to a larger site down the road. This prestige office is rightly called Conrad House! Still located in the beating heart of Framlingham, providing room for more employees and expansion.
To follow on from the successes Conrad had experienced over the years, it was time to treat our consultants to a first-class trip to Miami! The top billers from 2018 got to travel to Miami for a weekend of Jet Skiing and seeing the sites. Another exciting milestone was reached this year, Conrad rebranded to the logo we have today. This new modernised feel highlights each sector in the brand whilst still playing homage to how we started in Civils with that being our main colour in the C.
Following on from the triumph in 2018, our sister Company Conrad Connect was launched. Conrad Connect delivers back-office functions that the Built Environment relies on. As a division of Conrad Consulting, Conrad Connect is built on the same passion, ethic and skills needed to be a specialist in the industry.
In 2019 we all flew to The Algarve in Portugal to have our annual Company Conference. This trip not only involved celebrating our goals as a company, but also provided some much-needed relaxation involving sunbathing round the pool and kayaking through caves.
Now, 2020 – a year we all would probably rather forget. In this year we learnt how to work more dynamically, restructuring the company to facilitate working during the pandemic. Though this approach proved difficult, we came through the other side!
2021 – when things were slowly returning to normal. This year so far has seen our Leeds office relocate to a rural office in Skipton, our annual conference being held in sunny Suffolk, and the celebration of our 20th anniversary!
Looking back over these events, it’s impressive to see how much has been achieved in the last two decades. With Graham still being at the forefront of the business, lets see where the next 20 years will take us!
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