Matt Celebrates 20 Years with Nicholas Associates!
We recently marked an incredible milestone as Matt Wainwright, our Head of Construction Recruitment, celebrated 20 years with Nicholas Associates. Over the past two decades, Matt has been instrumental in building and shaping our construction division, helping countless people into work and forming long-standing partnerships across the industry. His drive, industry knowledge, and people-first approach have had a lasting impact not just on the business, but on the wider sector. To celebrate his anniversary, we sat down with Matt to reflect on his journey, proudest achievements, and what continues to motivate him after two decades with us..
What first brought you to Nicholas Associates?
After working for a PLC for 10 years, the opportunity to start something from scratch and see how far I could take it was really appealing.
What’s kept you here all this time?
The business has provided me with a platform to do what I do best – getting people into work, improving their lives, empowering them, and enabling them to be their best. Importantly for me, it’s also allowed me to promote my CSR partner, The Lighthouse Club, which I’ve now been associated with for 30 years. The business ethos is a strong blend of profit and purpose. And definitely, the people – I’m inspired and energised by my colleagues at Nicholas Associates.
What are some of the proudest moments or standout achievements in your time with Nicholas Associates?
I’ve won Top Perm Consultant four times and secured the Biggest Perm Fee once. Getting up on stage at the seminar and being celebrated by such a talented group of people is humbling. But ultimately, every person I’ve placed into work, where that opportunity has significantly improved their life and their families, is an achievement. Improvements come in many forms: increased income, promotions, working closer to home, job security, or better opportunities. All of these empower people and enable them to be their best.
How has the construction recruitment landscape changed over the past 30 years?
Recruitment is no longer a “dark art”! Our biggest competitor now is often our clients, as they have access to the same tech we do. Back in the ’90s, clients rarely did their own recruitment – those were the golden years, and we were all making great money. The 2000s brought in PSLs, where companies tightened their supply chains. The 2010s added internal recruiters, further reducing agency dependency and spend. Now, we’re seeing tech-savvy HR functions embracing digitalisation and automation to identify, recruit, onboard, orientate, and mobilise teams.
How have you adapted to those changes?
While PSLs, internal recruiters, and automation have changed the climate, they haven’t, and never will, change the culture, which is built on activity and relationships. So in many ways, I’m still doing what my previous employer taught me 30 years ago.
What do you enjoy most about working in this sector?
The built environment welcomes everyone – school leavers, A-level students, graduates, older workers. We regularly place people in their 50s and 60s, from both UK and international backgrounds. It’s a diverse demographic with varying knowledge, experience, capability, and expectations, and I get to engage with all of them daily. I love recruiting high-performing teams who go on to deliver the innovative and iconic buildings we see around us.
What continues to motivate you after three decades?
As an industry professional, I want to help my clients’ businesses become more efficient, sustainable, profitable, and simply better. I aim to be their exclusive recruitment partner of choice. I’m driven by building high-performing teams that add real value, along with money and the recognition of my peers.
What are your hopes for the future, both for the construction division and for your own career with Nicholas Associates?
My hope is that we continue to invest in our people and innovate to stay competitive in what is a tough, fast-moving environment. I’ve really enjoyed my journey with Nicholas Associates so far. With the right time, resources, motivation, and momentum, I aim to lead Nicholas Associates Construction with a clear strategy for risk management, cost control, and the effective use of all the tools available to us. Ultimately, I want to drive both staff and GP growth and then focus on succession planning – passing on everything I’ve learned over the past 30 years to the next generation.
Congratulations once again to Matt for reaching this remarkable 20-year milestone. Thank you for everything you’ve built, contributed, and continue to bring to the business. Here’s to the next chapter—filled with fresh opportunities, continued growth, and even more lives changed for the better.
