118 trades launches Apprentice Style Programme to discover the next MD

“Get Fired Up or Get Fired!” says The 118 Group to ‘Apprentice’ Styled Candidates
But they will still have a place in one of Europe’s fastest growing directories and telecoms businesses

Chelmsford, Essex (24 Feb. 07) – One of Europe’s fastest growing directory businesses, The 118 Group, announced today that it is launching its own “apprentice” styled programme at its new 300 seat call centre. The winning candidate will have a chance to prove themselves as Managing Director of one of The 118 Group of companies with a salary of £100,000 a year and the perks to go along with the role.

Currently undergoing a massive recruitment drive for its new call centres that will place the company as one of the biggest employers in the area, The 118 Group is looking to attract bright new talent to the business and to give current staff an opportunity to shine. The programme started on 19th February 2007 with 24 candidates and has already been ‘whittled’ down to 12 people who will be tasked with gruelling and demanding challenges each week and a tough session in the boardroom, where one candidate will be fired.

Daniel Corby, CEO of The 118 Group comments, “I was amazed at the amount of time my sales staff spent talking about the hit BBC2 series, The Apprentice, which stars Alan Sugar. With the massive growth plans and the recent opening of a new call centre we thought that this would be a great opportunity to find enthusiastic and entrepreneurial minded people. The 118 Apprentice programme will follow the same theme of the hit BBC 2 TV Series with Alan Sugar, each week the teams will get a challenge to complete, and each week, somebody will be fired. Fired back into the business that is, and not from it!”

Those unlucky enough to be fired will still have a chance to grow within the business and Daniel Corby is keen to stress that the 118 Apprentice programme is a way to nurture tomorrow’s business leaders. “I think Sir Alan saw some very talented people walk out of that boardroom and I’m determined not to lose anybody that I think has a role within our business. We are a fast growing company and though one candidate may not be suitable this time round for the role of Managing Director, there are plenty of other opportunities within the 118 Group.”

The winning candidate, to be chosen in December, will have a BMW 118 as a company car, a £10,000 bonus and earn themselves a £100,000 a year salary as Managing Director of one of The 118 Group’s businesses.

Each week in the boardroom the remaining candidates will face industry veterans Chairman Richard Allan, whose previous experience includes CEO of Perry Motor Group plc and non executive roles with Northumbrian Water plc and Essex and Suffolk Water plc; Hugh Craen, who founded and floated Potential Finance Group plc on AIM in 2002, Jaynie Vincent, Group HR Director, who joined 118 Group plc from a similar role within Deutche Bank and of course CEO Daniel Corby who brings a wealth of experience in the telecoms marketplace from his role as Sales Director of phones4u.

Notes to editors

118 Group Holdings plc has interests in Advertising, Directories, Media, Mobile, Publishing and Telecoms

The group was founded in 2005 with the launch of an internet directory 118trades and has now grown to cover 6 industries

Additional call centres are being planned to open in late 2007 and 2008 in Wales and another UK location yet to be finalised bringing headcount to over 1,000 people
The group successfully raised private equity during Quarter 3 of 2006 to allow the group to grow significantly during 2007 and in Quarter 4 of 2006 opened a 300 seat call centre operation in Chelmsford. The group has other offices in Chelmsford, Harlow and the Asia Pacific Regions

118 Group welcomes media coverage in this programme and interested Newspapers, TV and other Media should contact the group initially via e-mail to executiveoffice@118trades.com

The winner of the 2007 Apprentice style programme will be announced at the 118 Group Annual Awards being held in late March

You can read more about 118 Group at the following websites

www.the118group.com
www.118trades.com
www.118gethitched.com
www.118telecoms.com
www.tastyphones.com
www.fidolocal.com

Interested job applicants for 118 Group can visit www.telesalesjobsinchelmsford.com for more information on the current vacancies and career opportunities available

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Contact Information

bright spark PR

Daniel Corby

118 group plc

Contact via E-mail