ALMOST 200 driving jobs have been created across the West Midlands thanks to the growth of a recruitment provider – with hundreds more drivers to be placed into work in the next 12 months.

Dudley-based Workforce Staffing established its driving division a year ago and has found jobs for more than 180 people, working with over 120 of the region’s businesses who were in need of skilled drivers.

The firm’s driving division, which employs seven staff at its branch in Dudley, Birmingham and Redditch, has found jobs for workers in the Black Country, Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

Joe Alekna, managing director of Workforce Staffing, said: “This has been an outstanding first year for our driving division and it is great that we have been able to place so many local people into local jobs.

“This is really only the beginning. We intend to double our current staff count over the next year and get 350 drivers out working across the region.

“Our focus is on connecting the right people with opportunities and our network of branches across the Midlands makes us ideally placed to fill vacancies – especially with the country’s haulage industry facing a shortage of 45,000 drivers.”

In 2015 Workforce was voted as one of the UK’s top 100 businesses to work for in the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies survey.

They specialise in supplying staff for sectors including logistics, transport, professional services, office, food manufacturing and manufacturing.