Make UK has welcomed the latest new cohort of 170 engineering apprentices to its Technology Hub in Aston, Birmingham – a 41% year-on-year increase in its intake. The apprentices, who will be studying a range of courses from Level 2 Welding Operator to Level 3 Engineering Technician, will spend the
A retrofit service that helps people in Greater Manchester to eco-refurbish their homes is planning to train 3,500 builders, joiners, electricians and plumbers in green skills over the next five years with money raised via a £550,000 community share offer. The not-for-profit ‘People Powered Retrofit’ service is seeking investment from
The largest ever intake of apprentices taken on by engineering specialist Spencer Group have all now secured full-time positions with the company. Hull-based Spencer Group hired 14 apprentices two years ago, with the full cohort of 18-year-olds coming from the city’s employer-led school, Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC). Now,
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, and its longstanding client, IM Properties, has welcomed the first learners inside its new ‘Future of Construction’ Training Centre. The Centre is located at Mercia Park, Leicestershire and its
Civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale has promoted David Lally to the position of operations director. David originally joined Barhale in 2011 becoming senior general foreman after his work on the London Olympics projects and his leadership of the Optimise teams in the Thames Water, AMP5 programme. He was promoted
Construction technology provider Causeway Technologies has appointed Richard Longdon as non-executive chairman. One of Britain’s most respected ‘Silicon Fen’ entrepreneurs, Richard Longdon was the chief executive and subsequently president of AVEVA plc for 17 years before stepping down at the end of 2017. Under his leadership, AVEVA grew into a
Are you a construction business who’s struggling to hire the best talent? In this article, Kelly Friel from industry tools and equipment supplier Zoro shares her tips for attracting more applicants to construction roles — and keeping them on, too. It’s been an interesting few years for the construction industry,
Lincolnshire-based architects and urban designers, PolkeyCollins, has welcomed two new members to its architecture team as part of its planned growth strategy. Jason Hall and Connor Horgan have joined the practice as senior architect and architectural technologist respectively. The hires come as part of PolkeyCollins’ five-year growth strategy to further
Premier Forecourts and Construction, a specialist in forecourts and diverse construction projects, has appointed a new finance director as the company experiences a period of substantial growth after pivoting its business towards the electric vehicle charging market. Rebecca Cook has been promoted to director after serving as a finance controller
Upon completing his second-year NVQ Diploma in Carpentry at Leeds College of Building, 22-year-old Ronan Richardson from Rothwell in Leeds, has opted to pursue an additional year of studying his craft with Harron Homes and Leeds College of Building. After enjoying the practical subjects at school and college such as
Make UK has welcomed the latest new cohort of 170 engineering apprentices to its Technology Hub in Aston, Birmingham – a 41% year-on-year increase in its intake. The apprentices, who will be studying a range of courses from Level 2 Welding Operator to Level 3 Engineering Technician, will spend the next 12 months with Make UK, learning the technical side of their chosen specialism, as well as other areas like health and safety and time management, before returning to their employers, who include companies such as Severn Trent, Jaguar Land Rover, Ibsock, Forterra and Ishida. Stephen Mitchell, Director of Apprentices and Technical Training at Make UK said: “It’s fantastic to accept the latest intake of apprentices and see a full return to face to face teaching; the increase in numbers shows that there is a great appetite for apprenticeships amongst both young people and employers alike. It’s vital that we work together to help bridge the skills gap which manufacturing currently faces.” Make UK recently announced it is backing a new initiative by support platform Next Gen Makers to help manufacturing and engineering employers retain apprenticeship talent and maximise their investment in young people. As leading training provider sponsor, Make UK will help promote the Engineering Apprenticeships: Best Practice Programme – an initiative designed to support firms to overcome skills challenges and build talent for future success. For more information on apprenticeships with Make UK, call 0121 344 7900 or email asrecruitment@makeuk.org
A retrofit service that helps people in Greater Manchester to eco-refurbish their homes is planning to train 3,500 builders, joiners, electricians and plumbers in green skills over the next five years with money raised via a £550,000 community share offer. The not-for-profit ‘People Powered Retrofit’ service is seeking investment from individual investors so it can scale up its specialist eco-renovation training and help the city region hit its 2038 net-zero carbon target. Although there is demand from householders to green their properties, there is a shortage of skilled, local contractors who can deliver the work. People Powered Retrofit is already a member of Mayor Andy Burnham’s Greater Manchester Retrofitting Task Force which aims to tackle this problem. In addition to developing new green jobs and skills, People Powered Retrofit plans to use the money raised to make 1,150 homes in the region more energy efficient by 2026, saving 2,700 tonnes of carbon. From as little as £250, anyone can become a part-owner of People Powered Retrofit which already works with hundreds of householders in Greater Manchester, giving them independent advice on finding trusted ‘green’ contractors and choosing the right eco-upgrades: from wall, floor or roof insulation to high performance windows and doors or draught-proofing works. Funds raised through the community share offer will also help the not-for-profit service to recruit extra retrofit advisors, co-ordinators and assessors and reach thousands more householders, supporting them to improve the energy performance of their homes. Jonathan Atkinson, People Powered Retrofit programme manager said: “Our homes are responsible for about 20% of the UK’s carbon emissions but to make properties more energy efficient, at scale, we need thousands more builders, installers and tradespeople with specialist green skills. Money raised through the community share offer will go towards skilling up this ‘green’ workforce.” Floor insulation contractor, Boris Afinogenov said: “The training I got through People Powered Retrofit convinced me to turn my woodwork hobby into work. They gave me access to information and to people connected with floor insulation. I also learnt about whole house insulation. They helped me to realise my ambitions, so I didn’t have to go back to my sales job.” Ethex CEO, Lisa Ashford said: “We’re very pleased to welcome People Powered Retrofit to the Ethex platform. Our investors love to use their money to fund impactful organisations like this to scale and grow, and this organisation is a great example of grassroots action to tackle climate change.” The People Powered Retrofit community share offer is open for investment until 30 November 2021. Investments start at £250 and go up to £55,000. Investments in the share offer target a 5% return. Visit https://www.ethex.org.uk/invest/people-powered-retrofit for more details. Investors should read the Community Share Offer document carefully, including the Terms and Conditions section, before making a decision to invest.
The largest ever intake of apprentices taken on by engineering specialist Spencer Group have all now secured full-time positions with the company. Hull-based Spencer Group hired 14 apprentices two years ago, with the full cohort of 18-year-olds coming from the city’s employer-led school, Ron Dearing University Technical College (UTC). Now, having completed their two-year apprenticeships, all 14 have started permanent, full-time trainee positions with Spencer Group across a range of different departments of the business. Spencer Group has also just taken on another nine apprentices, in addition to the five that were recruited last year, meaning it has hired a total of 28 under its apprenticeship programme in just two years – all coming from Ron Dearing UTC. Spencer Group, which is one of Ron Dearing UTC’s Founding Partners, is committed to taking on a new group of apprentices from the pioneering school each year as part of its succession planning and growth. Charlie Spencer OBE, Executive Chairman and founder of Spencer Group, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have taken on every single one of the apprentices we recruited two years ago in a permanent, full-time position. “Each of them has been selected by the specific team they are going to be working within and I think that speaks volumes about the quality of the apprentices we are hiring from Ron Dearing UTC. “They are all at the required academic level, have excellent technical and employability skills and, perhaps most importantly, have a brilliant attitude. “We will be taking on a new group of apprentices from Ron Dearing UTC each year as this is a proven pipeline of future talent for us as our business continues to grow.” Based at Humber Quays on Hull Marina, Spencer Group is one of the UK’s leading privately owned, multi-disciplinary engineering businesses, with a directly-employed workforce of over 250. Every apprentice that secures a permanent position with Spencer Group continues their academic development by studying up to degree level with one of the company’s education partners. They are also given the option of studying for a master’s degree. Yvonne Moir, HR Director at Spencer Group, said: “The appointment of this full cohort of apprentices to permanent positions in the company is proof that this recruitment model works. “It is crucial for us to have a talent stream that fits the specific needs of our business and Ron Dearing UTC provides exactly that. “The apprentices are all prepared for the world of work when they join us and it has been amazing how quickly they have adapted to the business. It’s as though they have been working here for years.” Sarah Pashley, Principal of Ofsted Outstanding-rated Ron Dearing UTC, said: “It’s very rewarding to see that each of our students who joined Spencer Group as an apprentice two years ago has now secured a permanent position. “It’s also really pleasing to see our latest cohort begin their apprenticeships and embark on what will undoubtedly be an exciting journey for them all. “We’re extremely grateful for the support of Spencer Group and all our employer partners, who provide our students with incredible opportunities like this.” Each Engineering Apprentice who joins Spencer Group spends time working in different areas of the business to gain a comprehensive understanding of how it operates and identify the area they are most suited to. Matthew Hunter, 21, has just begun his new role as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor after joining Spencer Group as an Engineering Apprentice two years ago. He said: “I planned to specialise in design but, having had the opportunity to experience different departments of the business, I now know this is the best fit for me. “I’m absolutely delighted to have been given this opportunity and I just want to keep developing and help Spencer Group as a business as much as I can, because everyone here has been so supportive.” Alex Burr, 18, has joined Spencer Group as an Engineering Apprentice as part of the latest intake from Ron Dearing UTC. She said: “Spencer Group were my number one choice company to work for when I was at Ron Dearing, so I’m really excited to be here. Now that I’ve started, I just can’t wait to get stuck in.” Spencer Group delivers innovative engineering and construction solutions in the rail, bridges, transport, infrastructure, materials handling, energy and industrial sectors.
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, and its longstanding client, IM Properties, has welcomed the first learners inside its new ‘Future of Construction’ Training Centre. The Centre is located at Mercia Park, Leicestershire and its opening celebrates the two companies’ joint intention to make a difference to local people’s lives through social value initiatives, which includes a focus on bringing forward training and employment opportunities. The Mercia Park ‘Future of Construction’ Training Centre comprises an onsite construction training facility with practical outdoor space, which is not only available for Winvic and its breadth of subcontractors to use, but also colleges, universities and specialist training providers in the construction industry are being invited to make use of the facilities. All seven participants on the inaugural traffic management training course impressed, so much so that they were offered employment with various traffic management contractors at the end of the course. Developer IM Properties has provided the land at its Mercia Park site while Winvic has funded the on-site Training Centre as part of their social value commitments, ensuring the development has a positive impact on surrounding communities. The first vocational course to launch the Training Centre was facilitated by traffic management training specialist Vocation Training Ltd with support to deliver technical qualifications from Up To Speed Training and Assessment, and practical assessments from TSM, who is one of Winvic’s traffic management subcontractors. The participants were trained over a four-week period and one of the job roles offered – a Trainee Operative position accepted by Anthony Land – is with TSM at Mercia Park. The construction training facility comprises classroom, kitchen and bathroom facilities in addition to a significant, flexible outside space where a wide range of practical training can be undertaken. The area is securely fenced and dedicated parking spaces means the Centre can be used safely and independently of the construction works. Nevertheless, due to it being adjacent to the site, access can be granted to enhance training course learnings. The outdoor space enables contractors and training providers to set up practical training scenarios as opposed to relying on models and videos to teach – from traffic management to health and safety, from groundworks to steelworks – while the classroom environment can accommodate approximately 10 people for theoretical training. Danny Nelson, Winvic’s Director for Industrial, Distribution & Logistics, commented: “As part of our social value commitment for Mercia Park we are delighted to be able to work in partnership with IM Properties and our supply chain to bring benefits the local community by facilitating training and skills development for local people through our bespoke, on-site facility. It’s a real celebration that we have been able to welcome the first learners to Mercia Park, but what makes the launch of the ‘Future of Construction’ Training Centre even more special is that all seven trainees have been given traffic management jobs, illustrating that the outcomes can be quantifiable and local people can benefit from the construction work happening nearby to their homes. “We’re currently speaking to local and regional education and training providers about making use of the Centre and we have a number of our subcontractors lined up, excited to have a significant and flexible space at their disposal to deliver practical and theoretical training. Construction and vocational training go hand-in-hand – as we know through the apprenticeship and Year In Industry placements we offer – and we believe this Centre is a glimpse into the future how the industry will gain the skilled people it needs.” Kerry Amory, IM Properties’ social value manager, said: “We’re really pleased to see the training centre finally in action after a long wait during the pandemic for onsite training to return. We know the difference a bespoke facility will make, having witnessed the positive results on our other Leicestershire scheme, Hinckley Park. We’ve drawn on our experience from Hinckley to enhance the employment and skills opportunities at Mercia, which is crucial to us as a business and industry and integral to the delivery of Mercia Park. “Our values are shared not only by our supply chain but Winvic Construction’s too, with TSM, its Traffic Safety Management company, hiring the trainee operative now on site. We are currently in discussions with local FE colleges and third-party training providers to encourage them to use the new facility and have two further courses booked later in September. We would urge anyone interested in booking the facility to get in touch.” Helen Madden, at Vocation Training, said: “The Mercia Park ‘Future of Construction’ Training Centre that Winvic has created is a much needed, flexible space that is perfect for a wide range of hands-on and classroom based training courses. It’s an amazing facility and the best that we’ve ever had access to in relation to outdoor space, as its size allows for real-life working conditions to be assembled and practical scenarios carried out, and also because candidates get to experience the feel of a live construction site environment. It was clear that this hugely benefitted the traffic management training participants over the course of the training and it’s great news that all seven of them gained employment.” Richard Turbill, Operations Director at TSM, added: “We have been working as one of Winvic’s subcontractor partners for seven years and we feel honoured to have been part of the launch of the Mercia Park ‘Future of Construction’ Training Centre. Delivering the training was straightforward and efficient because the outdoor area is so spacious, and all the participants were able to get hands-on and therefore learn more quickly. All proved themselves to be worthy of job offers and Anthony who is now on site with TSM as a Trainee Operative at Mercia Park has shown great promise and is enjoying his new job.” Winvic delivered vast civils and infrastructure works to facilitate the 238-acre employment park and is now constructing 2.94 million sq ft global parts
Civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale has promoted David Lally to the position of operations director. David originally joined Barhale in 2011 becoming senior general foreman after his work on the London Olympics projects and his leadership of the Optimise teams in the Thames Water, AMP5 programme. He was promoted to Southern Region operations manager in 2015 and supervised the delivery of the Thames Water, AMP6 framework for eight2O. David will report directly to the new Barhale CEO, Martin Brown, who joins the business in September. Barhale director, Andy Flowerday said that David would be a great fit for the role, “With more than 20 years in civil engineering, including 10 years at Barhale, he fully understands the delivery challenges we face and the core values that the company pursues in all of its projects. “David’s role will focus on providing direct engagement between frontline operational teams and senior management throughout all business units. His primary responsibilities will be maximising productivity and resource utilisation, programme achievement and “Right First Time” delivery, together with supporting and responding to operational needs to mitigate issues and maximise opportunities.”
Construction technology provider Causeway Technologies has appointed Richard Longdon as non-executive chairman. One of Britain’s most respected ‘Silicon Fen’ entrepreneurs, Richard Longdon was the chief executive and subsequently president of AVEVA plc for 17 years before stepping down at the end of 2017. Under his leadership, AVEVA grew into a FTSE 250 technology company with a market capitalisation of £1.4bn at the time of his retirement from the board of AVEVA. Richard’s prior positions include chairman at Ideagen plc and senior independent non-executive board positions at Alfa Financial plc and Fidessa plc before it was taken private in 2018. He has also worked successfully with private equity-backed businesses, serving as a non-executive chairman at Process Systems Enterprise Ltd and non-executive director at Prometheus Inc. Richard’s appointment at Causeway follows the recent announcement of a £120m investment in Causeway by Five Arrows Principal Investments, the European corporate private equity arm of Rothschild & Co, to fund strategic acquisitions and accelerate the company’s organic growth strategy to provide a seamless digital connection across the entire construction supply chain. Phil Brown, chief executive of Causeway, said: “Richard’s addition to our board brings complimentary expertise in software business management and financial performance. This appointment is also indicative of the level of excitement about our market opportunity, and the strength of our ambitions as a business. Our core purpose at Causeway is to enable the digitisation of the construction industry to best-in-class standards, and Richard’s arrival will help us scale our capability so that we can enable our customers to best leverage technology to be distinctly impactful in their respective markets.” Richard Longdon added: “This is a very important time for Causeway. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work with Phil and his team as well as Five Arrows — together we will accelerate the extension of Causeway’s cloud platform across multiple sub-segments of the construction supply chain. It is clear that the construction industry urgently needs and wants good technology solutions. With its recent acquisitions and the investment from Five Arrows, I see Causeway as exceptionally well placed to play a leading role in this market, especially given Causeway’s fantastic product set and deep customer relationships.” Causeway Technologies was established in 1999. Headquartered in Buckinghamshire in the United Kingdom, it serves over 2,500 customers and has over 350 employees. Causeway provides enterprise and cloud software solutions to the construction and infrastructure maintenance industries and spans the full value and supply chain. www.causeway.com
Are you a construction business who’s struggling to hire the best talent? In this article, Kelly Friel from industry tools and equipment supplier Zoro shares her tips for attracting more applicants to construction roles — and keeping them on, too. It’s been an interesting few years for the construction industry, and while we’re certainly recovering from the pandemic quicker than anyone anticipated, the boom has exacerbated pre-existing issues — such as recruitment and employee retention. It’s predicted that the industry will need to recruit an additional 216,800 new workers by 2025 just to meet demand (CITB), but with an ongoing labour shortage and an ageing workforce, you might be wondering how your construction business can pull this off. Below, I’ll suggest some of the ways you can attract, recruit, and retain the best possible talent to your construction business to prepare for the future of construction. Redefine perceptions When the average jobseeker considers jobs in this sector, it’s likely that they think of hard hats, heavy labour, and gruelling building work. While these roles are important and suit a particular type of candidate, it’s crucial that we highlight the varied roles available within the industry to ensure that every position is filled by people with the right skills. From logistics to software engineering to administrative roles, try to demonstrate that construction is a multi-faceted industry with a variety of roles to suit all skill sets. It’s also important to showcase the opportunities for professional development available within the industry. People will want to know that they can progress within a company, whether that’s through traditional vertical promotion or lateral moves. So, particularly when recruiting for entry-level roles, be sure to include information about what your employees can do after two, five, or even ten years working at your company. If you can’t promise they’ll have access to senior roles, you should explain how they can eventually choose to work in different departments elsewhere within the company. Promote diversity In addition to not being aware of the sheer scope of jobs available in construction, many jobseekers may not realise how diverse the sector can be. For example, men still outnumber women in construction roles by a significant amount, and many construction companies believe that is because they are put off applying for traditionally masculine positions, or have never considered roles in construction as being ‘for them’. While attitudes like these are changing, the construction industry needs to be at the forefront of this change to encourage women, other minorities, and non-traditional construction applicants to apply. You can help jobseekers perceive your company as a safe, inclusive space to work at by appointing mentors and role models with diverse industry backgrounds to assist in the recruitment process. Meanwhile, you should also be working on developing non-discriminatory job profiles by using inclusive language, creating comfortable and accessible workspaces with facilities to suit all needs, and offering incentives that employees of all backgrounds can benefit from. Improve company culture Company culture is more important than ever when it comes to attracting and retaining employees. In fact, many workers now believe that enjoying the culture where they work is more important than how much they get paid (Glassdoor). Company culture extends beyond social events — you need to make sure your workforces’ quality of life is being protected, including their work/life balance. A positive work/life balance doesn’t necessarily mean your staff work less hours or do less work either. Flexible working options, such as optional start-times, break formats, and remote working (where applicable), are mutually beneficial and you may even find that productivity increases as a result. Other aspects to focus on include the provision of a clean, tidy workspace to reduce stress and increase efficiency. Tools, equipment, and PPE that is high-quality and fully operational can also make a difference, as well as access to mental health and wellbeing services and valuable educational resources for continued learning and development. All these elements can help your employees to feel valued and invested in your company. Preserve future talent If you aren’t already, you need to make sure your construction company is making efforts to recruit school leavers and graduates. Having a presence in schools and colleges is more than just a great way to find new apprentices and interns — it is also playing a crucial role in preserving the future talent pipeline. It does this by encouraging children and teenagers to have an interest in STEM subjects as early as possible, so they can accrue the necessary skills to do well in construction. You should have a look into what your company can provide to schools outside of recruitment fairs so that your name and what you do is visible to students. For example, you could offer to do talks on your area of expertise, facilitate school trips to your site or places of interest, donate resources, or fund events. Embrace technology So many aspects of modern construction have been supported, improved, and made possible by the implementation of new technology, from robotics and smart tools to project management software. And, a variety of construction roles can be made more appealing to people who don’t have manual labour skills by embracing this tech. For example, automation can help address concerns about heavy lifting among the physically disabled or unfit. What’s more, much of the UK’s talent pool is comprised of IT, software, digital design, and other technology graduates, who can be tempted over to construction companies if they are modernised, digitised, and open to new innovations. As well as supporting construction skillsets, tech in this industry has opened up a new need for people who can use, troubleshoot, and even improve these technologies. The construction industry is booming, but unless you have enough talent to fill your positions, you could miss out on the opportunities this presents. Hopefully, these tips will help you attract and retain talent to your company going forward.
Lincolnshire-based architects and urban designers, PolkeyCollins, has welcomed two new members to its architecture team as part of its planned growth strategy. Jason Hall and Connor Horgan have joined the practice as senior architect and architectural technologist respectively. The hires come as part of PolkeyCollins’ five-year growth strategy to further propel the thriving business forward. Two years into the strategy, the firm is ahead of its projections – achieving its expected year third year results in year two. Jason joins the senior team and brings with him over 23 years of experience including six years working in Asia. In his new role, Jason will be working alongside directors Daniel Collins and Clive Polkey and the studio team, to continue the practice’s standard of delivering outstanding projects. Member of the Architects Registration Board (ARB), Jason completed his diploma in Architecture at The Bartlett, University College London before achieving his Part 3 qualification at Westminster University. On joining the PolkeyCollins architecture team, Jason said: “This is a vibrant practice with a fresh approach to design and client service, and a rigorous focus on quality which is what attracted me to the company. I’m joining a skilled team and I’m pleased to be bringing my global experience and to be part of the studio’s continued success and growth.” As an architectural technologist, Connor will be assisting the architectural team and supporting them to drive projects forward, while finding appropriate and buildable solutions to any challenges that may arise. With two years of industry experience undertaken alongside his studies, Connor brings plenty of energy and ideas after graduating with a degree in Architecture from Nottingham Trent University this year. “I’m really pleased to be a part of the PolkeyCollins team, I have always admired the way the practice approaches its projects and the team environment was appealing. I’m grateful for the opportunity to develop my skills and to be able to work my way towards achieving my chartership in Architectural Technology (MCIAT) while working with the great team here,” said Connor. PolkeyCollins provides architectural design services across multiple sectors including education, retail, urban design and leisure. The team are currently working on projects in London, Ipswich, Lincoln, Reading and Southampton, but cover all areas of England. “Two years ago my co-director Clive and I wrote a strategic five-year growth plan. The practice had been performing well and we wanted to harness that whilst being ambitious with our plans for growth over the next few years. We have ambitious plans for the practice, and we are proud to be ahead of our targets enabling us to recruit talented individuals, such as Jason and Connor,” commented Director of PolkeyCollins, Daniel Collins. “It’s a pleasure to welcome Jason and Connor to the PolkeyCollins team. They both bring a unique and valuable set of skills that will be most beneficial to the practice as we move forward with a number of high profile and significant projects. We have a great culture in the team and Jason and Connor will be a big part of that. They are joining at an exciting time.” PolkeyCollins has a strong pipeline of work lined up throughout 2021 and into 2022 with plans to continue hiring in the future as part of the practice’s strategic five-year growth plan.
Premier Forecourts and Construction, a specialist in forecourts and diverse construction projects, has appointed a new finance director as the company experiences a period of substantial growth after pivoting its business towards the electric vehicle charging market. Rebecca Cook has been promoted to director after serving as a finance controller with the company for over two years. Cook has a total of 27 years’ experience in finance and accounts, having previously held finance roles within well known organisations, including Bevan & Buckland and South Wales Police. Cook’s career has also included teaching AAT and ACCA accountancy qualifications, as well as A Level business and Finance/Business to degree level, at several educational institutions in the South Wales region: Neath College, Coleg Sir Gar and Swansea Metropolitan University. Cook’s own academic achievements include BTEC National and BTEC Higher Diplomas in Business and Finance, AAT Qualification, CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountant – ACMA, CGMA) and also a teaching PGCE/PCE. The new role will see her taking overall responsibility and accountability for finance, procurement and commercial activities with the Swansea-based construction company. Rebecca Cook, newly appointed finance director at Premier Forecourts and Construction, said: “My career goal was to become a finance director, and it’s very exciting to take on the role at a time of growth and positive change with Premier Forecourts and Construction. The company is now at the forefront of launching electric vehicle charging points for clients like MFG, BP and Shell, and we very much see this as the future of the business. “I feel very honoured to be recognised by the board of directors and given this opportunity. Premier is a very hard-working company which upholds its values, especially that of putting people first. I’m thankful for all the support I’ve had from the board, my fellow managers and the office staff. I plan on learning more about the different processes that happen on site and start working on preparing commercial and financial strategies that align to the overall aim of the company.” Steve Evans, Premier Forecourts and Construction managing director, said: “We are delighted to be able to promote Rebecca to the role of finance director during this exciting period for the business. Rebecca’s hard work and dedication over the two years she has been with us, coupled with her impressive working background and vast experience in finance, means she has become a highly-valued member of the team. Her passion for accounts and confidence in making decisions has meant she was the ideal choice to lead the finance department.”
Upon completing his second-year NVQ Diploma in Carpentry at Leeds College of Building, 22-year-old Ronan Richardson from Rothwell in Leeds, has opted to pursue an additional year of studying his craft with Harron Homes and Leeds College of Building. After enjoying the practical subjects at school and college such as woodwork and benchwork, Ronan decided he wanted to pursue a career in housebuilding and joinery, and knew he wanted to get stuck into a role on site. The NVQ Diploma which Ronan has just completed involved one day at college, or learning from home, with the rest of the week spent working on site at Harron’s York Vale Gardens development. “After studying for three years full-time at college, I knew I wanted to be out on site and be a part of a team” said Ronan. “I initially really struggled to find somewhere that would be willing to take me on after having limited practical experience, so for Harron to take me on as an apprentice was amazing.” “I’ve really enjoyed the practical side to my course” Ronan said. “To be able to learn in a real-life environment and to work for and make a contribution with a respected housebuilder like Harron Homes has been a highlight.” Ronan has big hopes for his future and is hoping to move into the management side of things in the future: “I want to continue my apprenticeship to broaden my knowledge and skillset. A Level 3 qualification will hopefully lead to more opportunities in the future, and I’m so pleased that Harron is supporting my journey.” Tony Lee, Managing Director at Harron Homes Yorkshire said: “At Harron we are always looking at ways we can develop our team and provide opportunities, whether through apprenticeships or additional qualifications. I am thrilled that Ronan has decided to gain further experience whilst working on our developments.” For more information about Harron Homes and career opportunities, please visit https://www.harronhomes.com/careers/.
