Member Article

SRS Recruitment & Employability Experts founder named North East Entrepreneur of the Year

The founder of SRS Recruitment & Employability Experts, Sophie Milliken has been named Great British Entrepreneur of the Year for the North East at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

SRS Recruitment and Employability Experts works with universities, students and employers to improve graduate employability and recruitment processes. SRS are the leading supplier of large scale assessment centre simulations in the UK, having assessed over 30,000 university students to help improve their confidence and employability.

Now in its eighth year, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in partnership with Starling Bank celebrate the hard work and inspiring stories of entrepreneurs in the UK, rather than the business’ balance sheet.

This is the top award given in each region and is given to someone who truly encapsulates what it means to be a Great British entrepreneur. They exhibit all of the hard work, determination, creativity and resilience required to rise above the rest.

It was the second award of the evening for Sophie, who was also named Service Industries Entrepreneur of the Year for the North East.

With Covid-19 restrictions preventing the regional finals taking place at a live event, Sophie won the award during a virtual award ceremony joined by finalists across every region. She is now in the running to be named Great British Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 at the National Final of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, with a date yet to be confirmed with uncertainty over large events due to Covid-19 restrictions.

In a video message to finalists, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Entrepreneurs [have shown they] stay strong, even during a global pandemic. Coronavirus hasn’t stifled enterprise.

“Entrepreneurs are creating new businesses and adapting to the crisis, as seen in this year’s entries. And that’s what we need to happen if we want our economy to bounce back. We need all of you to keep inventing, keep taking risks, keep creating new businesses.

“It’s my job as Chancellor to celebrate, champion and support you.

“Congratulations to all the winners. Thank you to all of you for everything you’ve done.”

Francesca James, founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, said: “I’m thrilled for Sophie. She was the outstanding candidate to become Entrepreneur of the Year in the north east. She exhibits everything that it means to be a Great British entrepreneur. She has a wonderful story and I can’t wait to watch SRS Recruitment & Employability Experts flourish for many years to come.”

Anne Boden, founder and CEO of Starling Bank, said: “We’re entrepreneurs and we have spirit. We fight back and we’re very good at dealing with adversity. And Sophie is an example to us all, of entrepreneurs that are creative, innovative, and changing the world.

“I’m so excited that Starling, a business I founded in 2014 and now the Best British Bank, is sponsoring such an important Awards. And as one entrepreneur to another, congratulations to getting where you are this evening and best of luck for the future.”

Award winner Sophie Milliken said: “This year has been challenging for many and Team SRS have been superb in rising to the challenges presented. Particular highlights have been the pivot to move all of our in person assessment centres to a digital format, the launch of our own assessment software and the delivery of a free employability webinar series to thousands of students which has encouraged them to remain resilient in their search for graduate placements and jobs.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Zoe Wilson .