"Greater investment in the training and development of staff will help ensure a vibrant and progressive future for the pig industry, both at home and abroad." That is the view of JSR Chairman, Tim Rymer, who as head of the UK's leading pig genetics company JSR, has demonstrated the company's commitment to such investment by appointing two new sales trainees.

Laura Russell and Mark Woodall

Laura Russell will assist JSR's International Sales Director Paul Anderson in his role of driving global sales whilst Mark Woodall will support Giles Christie, JSR's UK Sales Director.

Commenting on the appointments, Mr Rymer said: "Bringing new members into the JSR team is always exciting and we are delighted to be able to invest in young candidates of such high calibre. Their energy, enthusiasm and new ideas will prove to be highly beneficial for our customers."

Ms Russell, who started work in September, is a graduate of Bishop Burton College whose work placement on a 1,000-sow commercial unit confirmed her lifelong enthusiasm for the livestock industry.

She said: "Gaining practical pig production experience enabled me to really understand the requirements of producers on farm. I then went on to work for a genetics company, working on a commercial boar stud and Head of Farrowing House on nucleus, multiplication and commercial units, before coming to JSR."

Paul Anderson is keen to further develop Ms Russell's international experience by concentrating on developing JSR sales throughout the EU and into Asia and Latin America.

He explained: "Laura has already shown her skill at working closely with overseas customers, selecting gilts and boars, showing them round show farms, organising exports and helping to demonstrate production techniques. Her ready rapport is vital in an industry where success is not only based on having a strong product portfolio but building relationships and providing on-going technical support."

For Ms Russell, the first few weeks as JSR's International Sales Trainee have already lived up to expectations.

She said: "The pig industry offers tremendous challenges. Joining a forward thinking company such as JSR is a great opportunity as I will be working with some of the more prolific global producers. I consider a vital part of my role is to help producers develop their businesses through optimum performance of JSR breeding stock and semen."

For Mark Woodall, a graduate of Harper Adams University College, a career in the pig industry may have seemed inevitable: both parents are closely involved in the industry.

He explained: "My placement at an auctioneer and surveyors in Lancaster, where my experience was put to use in the pig salesroom, confirmed my interest in livestock. Now, becoming JSR's UK Sales Trainee, supporting Giles Christie with his UK wide portfolio, is a real opportunity. Over the next 18 months I will be visiting all of JSR's different facilities in turn – from nucleus and multiplication units to AI studs and commercial farms - so I understand every aspect of the business."

UK Sales Director, Giles Christie, believes that, for trainees, retaining product information and technical knowledge, is a tough but necessary challenge:

He commented: "I'm delighted to welcome Mark to my team. His ongoing development will include an intense, on-farm practical programme enabling him to sell from a position of confidence, matching enthusiasm with expertise. I am looking forward to his support with our existing UK portfolio but Mark's role will also be to generate awareness, and ultimately sales, amongst non-customers who as yet don't realise how the benefits of the Genepacker and Geneconverter ranges can positively impact their businesses."

"We believe in a team-based approach at JSR," concluded Mr Rymer. "Both Mark and Laura will benefit from the support of our close knit sales team and I believe they will prove a real asset to our customers, the company – and the future of the industry at large."