Business : Training & Skills News

SPRINGBOURNE HOMES LAUNCH SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP

Award-winning developer Springbourne Homes has announced it is linking up with a leading Leicestershire school to launch an exciting, pioneering partnership. The Market Bosworth-based business is teaming up with the town’s Dixie Grammar School to offer pupils the chance to gain work experience and enjoy lessons in a workplace setting.

Read More »

New appointment strengthens Clifford Devlin’s Board

Declan Sherry joins as a Non-Executive Director Civil engineering Director, Declan Sherry, has been appointed to Clifford Devlin’s newly established Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) Board. He joins the London-based contractor as a Non-Executive Director with a remit to provide independent governance and oversight of its ownership restructure. “I look forward

Read More »
Women in Property Announces New North West Chair

Women in Property Announces New North West Chair

Women in Property has announced its incoming North West Chair for 2021/22. Eleanor takes the role as regional head of the property and construction industry influencer and networking organisation from 1 March, for one year. Eleanor who has been a member of Women in Property for five years, is a

Read More »
Keepmoat Homes Makes New Appointment

Keepmoat Homes Makes New Appointment

John Maddams has been appointed as Senior Land & Partnerships Manager by Keepmoat to bolster its South Midlands region. John is bringing with him 16 years’ experience in the property industry, having previously headed a FTSE 250 residential developer where he contracted upon £300m (GDV) of new land opportunities. His

Read More »

GODWIN DEVELOPMENTS APPOINTS HEAD OF RESIDENTIAL CAPITAL MARKETS

UK residential and commercial property developer Godwin Developments has announced the promotion of James Mulcare to the position of head of residential capital markets. In his new senior role, James will support the company’s strategy on acquisitions, development and funding for all its residential schemes – including urban and suburban

Read More »

Meet the Site Manager Building His Career with Harron Homes

Yorkshire housebuilder Harron Homes has welcomed Matt Bradwell, 31, to its Highfield Manor development in Fixby as Site Manager. Matt, from Chesterfield, is well established in the construction industry having started as an apprentice bricklayer at the age of 16. He joined Harron five years ago, following a former colleague who

Read More »
LSBU Celebrates Apprenticeship Week

LSBU Celebrates Apprenticeship Week

London South Bank University (LSBU) is marking National Apprenticeship Week 2021 by celebrating coming second out of all leading higher education apprenticeship providers in England. LSBU has retained second place overall for the past three years as one of the leading higher education apprenticeship providers in England according to apprenticeship

Read More »
Harron Homes Welcomes Sales and Marketing Director

Harron Homes Welcomes Sales and Marketing Director

Luxury housebuilder Harron Homes has welcomed a new Sales and Marketing Director, Alison Taylor-Shaw, to its Yorkshire division based in Leeds. Alison, who lives in Wakefield and is originally from Barnsley, joined the company in November 2020. The appointment marks the conclusion of a successful year for Harron Homes despite

Read More »

GRAHAM welcomes new intake of civil engineering graduates

GRAHAM has welcomed the “next generation of talent” to its Civil Engineering Graduate Programme. An official launch day, hosted virtually at the end of last year, signalled the start of the structured two-year programme for 22 new recruits who recently graduated from a variety of leading universities spread across the

Read More »
Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

Business : Training & Skills News

SPRINGBOURNE HOMES LAUNCH SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP

Award-winning developer Springbourne Homes has announced it is linking up with a leading Leicestershire school to launch an exciting, pioneering partnership. The Market Bosworth-based business is teaming up with the town’s Dixie Grammar School to offer pupils the chance to gain work experience and enjoy lessons in a workplace setting. Springbourne Homes chairman Adrian Burr says it’s an important new initiative in the heart of the local community where they’re currently building their luxury Hornsey Rise development. Adrian said: “I’m very excited about forging this relationship with Dixie Grammar School and further establishing Springbourne Homes as a part of the community. “It’s a perfect fit. The Junior School and Nursery is located only a short walk from our flagship Hornsey Rise development while the Senior School is just down the road from our headquarters at Market Bosworth Marina. “We’re all looking forward to welcoming Dixie pupils to our Hornsey Rise development and to our eco-friendly offices at the Marina as we give them the opportunity to broaden their education within a real-life working environment. “The Market Bosworth area is the heartland of our business. It’s where we are based and where we have developed a number of sites, with successful builds in Sheepy Magna, Sheepy Parva, Carlton, Sibson, Norton Juxta and Barwell. “Some of the children may even live in a Springbourne Home so it’s really important for us to stay involved and stay in touch.” Dixie Grammar School Headmaster Richard Lynn welcomed the new partnership, which has been agreed in time for the return of pupils next week, Monday March 8th. He said: “We are delighted to have been in touch with Springbourne Homes, whose fabulous new development, Hornsey Rise, is within a stone’s throw of our Junior School and Nursery. “Local companies such as Springbourne offer real opportunities for our school and its students.  “Plans for Dixie pupils to take a leading role in the re-consecration of the war memorial on the Hornsey Rise site are already being discussed as well as the numerous possibilities for Dixie pupils to apply their education in the real world. “These include a home design competition for DT students, our scientists exploring the environmental benefits of these ultra-modern homes and historians delving into the fascinating past of the surrounding landscape and features, which date back to Lady Godiva.  “With these openings and potential work experience on the horizon, this is a local partnership with a bright future.” Dixie Grammar School is one of Leicestershire’s top schools. It has been rated “excellent” across the board by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, and enjoys a fantastic reputation for the excellent education it offers to pupils aged 3-18.  Hornsey Rise a select development of 3,4 and 5 bedroom homes ranging in price from £570,000 to £1,450,000 with completion anticipated this summer. For more information on the Hornsey Rise development and Springbourne Homes visit: www.springbournehomes.co.uk For more details about Dixie Grammar School visit: www.dixie.org.uk

Read More »

New appointment strengthens Clifford Devlin’s Board

Declan Sherry joins as a Non-Executive Director Civil engineering Director, Declan Sherry, has been appointed to Clifford Devlin’s newly established Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) Board. He joins the London-based contractor as a Non-Executive Director with a remit to provide independent governance and oversight of its ownership restructure. “I look forward to using my experience at Board level of various construction and civil engineering businesses to help Clifford Devlin transition to the EOT,” says Declan, “The company has an excellent reputation in the industry and I am convinced the new ownership structure will allow continued stability and help facilitate its further potential.” In February Clifford Devlin announced it was transitioning its ownership structure to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). The restructuring, which saw members of the company’s management team appointed as Board Directors of Clifford Devlin Ltd, with one, Ian O’Connor, also being appointed to the EOT Board of Directors, is designed to provide the company with stability and continuity while existing members of the Clifford family gradually reduce their influence and handover more responsibility over time. “Declan’s experience of managing major infrastructure projects across a wide range of sectors will help develop and enhance our ability to deliver complex, multi-disciplined schemes which has been Clifford Devlin’s forte for many years,” said Managing Director Tim Clifford, “His presence on our new board will provide the additional knowledge and expertise we need to manage our ownership transition.” The company, which specialises in inner-city, enabling works projects featuring demolition, asbestos removal, structural alterations and groundworks packages, recently completed a £7.5m project to facilitate the development of the Euston hub of HS2. Declan Sherry has over 30 years’ experience in the construction and civil engineering industries having specialised in delivering projects across a wide range of sectors from infrastructure to defence, energy, commercial and residential both in the UK and Europe. Most recently he was part of the governance team at the £9 billion project to redevelop the iconic Battersea Power Station. Declan has been a Chartered Civil Engineer since 2000 and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors since 2016. Declan career began in 1989 and spans three family run businesses: O’Rourke Civil Engineering Ltd, Lancsville Construction & Henry Underground & Rail Services Ltd and McGee Group. Declan founded Red Key Ltd in 2016 as a management consultancy. In addition to his work at Battersea Power Station Declan has been involved in the successful delivery of a number of other major infrastructure and nationally strategic projects including Hinkley Point C, Kings Cross, Urenco’s Tails Management Facility, a number of London Underground station and infrastructure upgrades, iconic headquarter projects including BAA Riverside and Bloomberg London as well as several Hospital PFI developments. Declan is a keen advocate of behavioural safety improvement and is passionate about mentoring staff, passing on knowledge and experience to aid staff progression. “I am looking forward to working with the new Board, the greater Clifford Devlin team and of course our clients.” says Declan.

Read More »
Women in Property Announces New North West Chair

Women in Property Announces New North West Chair

Women in Property has announced its incoming North West Chair for 2021/22. Eleanor takes the role as regional head of the property and construction industry influencer and networking organisation from 1 March, for one year. Eleanor who has been a member of Women in Property for five years, is a Senior Land & Partnerships Manager at MCI Developments, based in Wigan where she specialises in acquiring land opportunities for affordable housing developments with Registered Providers across the North West. The organisation sees the year ahead as presenting a great opportunity for individuals and businesses to build on the understanding, compassion and support evidenced in the industry over the past twelve tumultuous months. “As I take up the role of North West Chair of Women in Property for 2021 it seems likely that, with the vaccine rollout, our industry and our organisation will start to emerge from the lockdown we were in for most of 2020” said Eleanor. “Property and construction will be at the forefront of the economic recovery and there will be tremendous opportunities for our members to contribute to that revival. I look forward to Women in Property returning to in-person meetings and events and continuing to promote the importance of inclusion and diversity in our sector, with more women taking active roles and participating as we rebuild, post-pandemic. My five years as a member of Women in Property has allowed me to grow my network, and the organisation has increased its influence both locally and nationally. I look forward to working with my Committee in growing our membership as more women join the industry, looking to build their contacts with friendly support from fellow North West professionals.” “It’s great to see Eleanor take on the position as North West Chair at Women in Property. As a company, we’re keen to support more women into the industry and Eleanor’s new role is a testament to the crucial work she plays at MCI Developments. I wish Eleanor the best of luck for the coming year and I’m positive she will instigate change in the industry and will be an inspiration for other women looking for a career in construction,” commented Alex Wood, Regional Managing Director at MCI Developments. Since the pandemic started early in 2020, Women in Property has continued to support members, transferring CPD, informal events and mentoring online. The North West branch has run over 30 webinars, ranging from industry related subjects, personal development, CPD and social and wellbeing events, all of which are available across the national platform. Eleanor will hold the role of North West Chair until 28th February 2022.

Read More »
Keepmoat Homes Makes New Appointment

Keepmoat Homes Makes New Appointment

John Maddams has been appointed as Senior Land & Partnerships Manager by Keepmoat to bolster its South Midlands region. John is bringing with him 16 years’ experience in the property industry, having previously headed a FTSE 250 residential developer where he contracted upon £300m (GDV) of new land opportunities. His primary focus at Keepmoat Homes will be to bring forward new land opportunities and forge strategies to create the best possible scenario for the available sites across the South Midlands region. “We’re delighted to welcome John to our team. John’s proven track record of success and proactive approach to land acquisitions will stand him in good stead to enhance the region to secure more development opportunities and establish new beginnings and partnerships that benefits all parties, to create flourishing communities in the South Midlands,” said Mick O’Farrell, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Homes. “As a homebuilder, we are always looking for ways to strengthen our presence in the area and with John’s experience and knowledge, we’re confident he will be an asset to the team and contribute to the regions ambitious growth plans.” The appointment comes after the relocation of the regional office from their current premises in Luton to Northampton. The move marks another positive step for the developer’s ambitious growth plans in the South Midlands which will complete in Spring 2021. “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Keepmoat Homes during this important period of growth. I can already see we have an excellent team in place, and I am looking forward enhance the region and bring forward a number of key opportunities across our area of operation,” added John Maddams, Senior Land & Partnerships Manager at Keepmoat Homes.

Read More »

Green skills gap threatens to derail drive to net zero warn construction industry leaders

With 750,000 construction workers due to retire in the next 15 years, the UK may be unable to meet net zero targets, according to IPPR A letter has been sent by a group of leading construction industry figures and organisations calling on the Chancellor to support the sector to get the green skills it needs to play a leading role in the green recovery and the drive to net zero. From building major infrastructure projects that stem the tide of carbon emissions to improving the energy efficiency of homes, the sector is essential to this vital national project to tackle the climate crisis and restore nature, the group’s letter says. The letter warns that the UK’s failing skills system, that isn’t even meeting existing skills needs, threatens to delay the ability of the UK to deliver a zero-carbon economy. The group of industry leaders call on the government to consider proposals developed independently by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank. In a new report, the think tank warns that up to 750,000 construction workers could retire or be on the verge of retiring over the next 15 years and not enough is being done to replace those workers, with just 20 per cent of construction workers currently aged under 30. The letter is signed by leading industry figures including Mark Reynolds, the CEO of Mace Group, along with industry bodies including The Federation of Master Builders, The Chartered Institute of Builders, British Property Federation and the Construction Industry Training Board. The letter signatories are listed in the notes below. Together the group argues that initiatives to boost the number of workers with green skills in the infrastructure sector are hamstrung by a lack of coordination among firms, and a lack of leadership in government. They argue that investment in a green recovery can create thousands of new construction jobs on projects essential for ‘building back better’. However, to seize this opportunity, the government must bring forward legislation and regulatory powers to ensure skills gaps can be filled. The IPPR proposals recommended by the industry leaders in the letter include: Increasing funding for further education and expanding apprenticeships, as well creating a new National Infrastructure and Construction Skills Demand Pipeline at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. Ensuring investment in skills is accounted for in budgets for government-funded infrastructure projects. Legislating to improve pay and conditions for workers in the sector, to make construction careers more attractive to jobseekers. The letter also recognises that the construction sector must itself make substantial changes to achieve the shared ambition of transforming the economy and reaching net zero by 2050. Previous research by the IPPR think tank’s Environmental Justice Commission found that government investment to meet net zero and restore nature could create up to 1.6 million green and clean jobs. Mark Farmer, letter signatory and author of the 2016 government commissioned Farmer Review of the construction labour model, said: “We need to start moving from rhetoric to action in the pursuit of net zero. This has to be about building a legacy that can deliver not just a strong economic recovery, but also a fundamental shift in climate change trajectory and the societal benefits generated from green infrastructure. “I was commissioned by the government in 2016 to explain the skills crisis facing the construction sector, and how we can solve it. Over the past five years we have made progress on the recommendations of the Farmer Review. However, it is clear from the findings of IPPR’s research, that action is still needed. We need to invest in the skills system, and to go even further in making the rules of the game clear to firms in our industry. “How the Treasury Green Book and Construction Playbook is operationalised in central government will determine whether we can really ‘build back better’ and maximise the opportunities of green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.” Oscar Watkins, IPPR construction sector lead, said: “We cannot build back better without the builders. As this letter from industry leaders and organisations demonstrates, the construction sector wants to be at the heart of the UK’s drive to net zero emissions and a low carbon economy but recognises it does not yet have the skills it will need to do this. “In addition to the steps the industry says it will take to meet this challenge, departments across government need to come together and direct investment where it is needed most, to unlock the full potential of businesses in the sector. The government’s procurement system also needs to be made more adept at recognising and meeting skills needs. “It is essential that the construction sector has a pipeline of skilled and motivated people coming through the system into the sector to make the green transition possible.”

Read More »

GODWIN DEVELOPMENTS APPOINTS HEAD OF RESIDENTIAL CAPITAL MARKETS

UK residential and commercial property developer Godwin Developments has announced the promotion of James Mulcare to the position of head of residential capital markets. In his new senior role, James will support the company’s strategy on acquisitions, development and funding for all its residential schemes – including urban and suburban Build to Rent (BTR), purpose-built student accommodation, affordable homes, and senior living developments. The promotion follows a period of rapid expansion for Godwin, which saw the appointment of the industry heavyweights Owen Michaelson and Lindsay McCombe, to the positions of London regional chairman and senior development director respectively, within the past ten months. Stephen Pratt, board director at Godwin Developments, said: “We are really pleased to have James heading our residential capital markets function. This promotion recognises his achievements and increased involvement with institutional investors and capital markets in the past 12 months. It also complements his continued focus on the BTR market and the delivery of property development projects that align with investors’ requirements.” In his national position, James will work with the firm’s land and development teams, as well as investors and BTR operators to grow Godwin Development’s residential portfolio and secure additional funding and investment sales across the UK. Commenting on his new appointment, James said: “I am delighted to take on this new and important senior role at Godwin Developments at a time when the appetite for residential assets across the sector is on the rise. Residential investment – and particularly BTR – is a key focus for us as we seek to deliver individual assets and portfolio opportunities for domestic and international institutional investors. “While the PBSA sector is a more mature market in the UK, the BTR – and especially single-family BTR sector – continues to grow rapidly and is at a very exciting stage. Moving forward, we will continue to follow the evolving demands of both occupiers and investors – providing a pipeline of secure long term investment opportunities for investors as well as high-quality homes and attractive communities for residents across a spectrum of tenures.”   As a qualified member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, James joined Godwin Developments three years ago from MCR Property Group, where he focused on acquisitions and disposals, particularly developing their emerging PRS strategy. Prior to this, James worked in investment and asset management with the likes of LaSalle Investment Management and JLL. Stephen added: “Thanks to our in-house expertise and national coverage, we are well-positioned to provide both urban and suburban schemes in and around key UK towns and cities with strong economies and good social infrastructure, to support the ambitions of our institutional partners. “James has been an invaluable member of the team since joining us, contributing significantly to the growth of the business. We wish him every success in his new role and look forward to continuing to work closely with him in the future.” Godwin Developments is currently progressing a number of residential schemes across the country, including suburban BTR schemes in Doncaster, Nottingham and Ely which will see the creation of 269 single family BTR homes, as well as further urban BTR, PBSA and mixed-use projects in Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby, Worcester, and Bolton. For further information on Godwin Developments, visit https://www.godwingroup.co.uk/developments/.

Read More »

Meet the Site Manager Building His Career with Harron Homes

Yorkshire housebuilder Harron Homes has welcomed Matt Bradwell, 31, to its Highfield Manor development in Fixby as Site Manager. Matt, from Chesterfield, is well established in the construction industry having started as an apprentice bricklayer at the age of 16. He joined Harron five years ago, following a former colleague who recommended the company and from there he quickly progressed to a Site Manager role at Amberwood Chase in Dewsbury. “I was offered an Assistant Site Manager position at my previous company when I was 22, and while it was great to have that potential recognised in me, I’m glad I waited to make that jump. Having extensive experience on both sides of the building site means I’m a lot more confident in my abilities than I was in my twenties,” Matt said. Highfield Manor is the third Harron site Matt has worked on. “It’s been great working with the same team across Yorkshire, I’ve had the same assistant site manager and labourers come with me from Amberwood Chase to Highfield Manor, so knowing how we all work best mean we’ve been able to get stuck straight in.” Matt’s hard work is reflected in the numerous positive reviews he’s received on Trustpilot. “I am proud of the reviews, it’s really good to see the effort we put in paying off. A home is one of the biggest purchases people make, it’s important to me that we go the extra mile to make sure everything is the best quality it can be,” he added. “Matt is a credit to the company, and we’re incredibly pleased to see him receiving those well-earned reviews,” Alison Taylor-Shaw, Sales and Marketing Director for Harron Homes Yorkshire said.  The stunning homes at Highfield Manor are found at Gernhill Avenue, Fixby, West Yorkshire, HD2 2HR, where the showhome and marketing suite are available to visit by appointment only to ensure the safety of both employees and customers.

Read More »
LSBU Celebrates Apprenticeship Week

LSBU Celebrates Apprenticeship Week

London South Bank University (LSBU) is marking National Apprenticeship Week 2021 by celebrating coming second out of all leading higher education apprenticeship providers in England. LSBU has retained second place overall for the past three years as one of the leading higher education apprenticeship providers in England according to apprenticeship provider data collated by the Department for Education. The University is expanding its apprenticeship offering further this year. South Bank Colleges, part of the LSBU Group of local educational institutions, will offer apprenticeships in engineering and healthcare, from September 2021. These apprenticeships will focus on delivering levels 2 and 3 to young applicants. As the sponsor University, LSBU’s role will be to ensure these apprenticeships are high quality and meet the needs of both employers and apprentices; LSBU currently offers a variety of apprenticeships with employer sponsors, across a range of sectors – from building services, engineering and chartered planning to nursing, screen skills, rail engineering, technical acoustics and digital marketing. The University’s top six apprenticeship categories in 2020 were: Surveying (Building and Quantity Surveying) – 543 apprentices; Health and Social Care – 484 apprentices (including 200 Nursing Associates); Building Services- 314 apprentices; Planning- 139 apprentices; Architecture – 116 apprentices; Digital Marketing – 49 apprentices. In 2020 LSBU introduced six construction standards at levels 4 and 6. LSBU became the first English university to launch levels 5 and 6 apprenticeships in Rail and Rail Systems Engineering, working with employers such as Network Rail, Transport for London, WSP and Siemens. Lauren Smithers, 22 years-old, currently a second-year (BA) Digital Marketing trainee in LSBU’s Business School, on a Digital Marketer apprenticeship with Pearson Plc, said: “I was searching for jobs online and came across an apprenticeship. Once I started to look into it further, I knew it was the route for me as I struggled with being in education full-time.. “I needed more hands-on experience, as I tend to learn best while doing something practical. I applied for the job online, then had a phone and face to face interview with a recruitment company, before an assessment day with the hiring company. “During lockdown LSBU made themselves available to help out at all hours, which has been fantastic for me due to an increased workload. They work really closely with my employer to make sure I have everything I need to complete this apprenticeship successfully.” Sammy Shummo, Group Director of Apprenticeships at LSBU, said: “In spite of immense challenges posed to UK employers by the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, LSBU has succeeded in holding onto a position in the top three higher education apprenticeship providers in England. The University is also on track to have over 2000 apprentices enrolled by early 2021. “As LSBU Group embarks on its strategy for next year we look forward to working with employers, local communities and stakeholders to have 10,000 apprentices enrolled with the Group by 2025. “LSBU is proud to be supporting apprentices from all backgrounds with over half identifying as BAME, 11% having declared a disability and around 10% from the most deprived parts of the country. Our apprentices distinguished themselves last year by winning numerous awards in the fields of Civil Engineering, Construction and Architecture.”

Read More »
Harron Homes Welcomes Sales and Marketing Director

Harron Homes Welcomes Sales and Marketing Director

Luxury housebuilder Harron Homes has welcomed a new Sales and Marketing Director, Alison Taylor-Shaw, to its Yorkshire division based in Leeds. Alison, who lives in Wakefield and is originally from Barnsley, joined the company in November 2020. The appointment marks the conclusion of a successful year for Harron Homes despite the challenging backdrop of the pandemic, having launched a new website, several new developments, secured new land opportunities, moved offices and become a member of the National House Building Council (NHBC). Having started out as a Sales Executive, Alison climbed through the ranks, becoming Area Sales Manager then Head of Sales for other leading housebuilders. During her accomplished career, Alison was even involved in the creation of a brand new development company, Derbyshire-based Cameron Homes. In 2017, Alison joined Harron Homes as Sales Director for the North Midlands business, helping to set up the then new region. “Helping to establish the new region for Harron Homes was definitely a career highlight. It was an exciting challenge, a new team with new directors and team. We started on day one in an empty office and we grew the business into the success it is today,” said Alison. Her return to the company sees her take over sales and marketing for the Yorkshire division from its base in Morley, Leeds. In her spare time Alison likes to explore her local area with her fiancé and three dogs. “Yorkshire is a fantastic county to live in,” she said. “Harron Homes is actively buying land in beautiful locations here in Yorkshire, which are perfect for people to live and bring up their families.” “I am very pleased to be back with Harron Homes,” she concludes. “I think we’re one of the most aspirational yet traditional housebuilders – the homes are stylish, they have plenty of space for flexible living for the ideal life in the current climate and beyond. We build in exceptional locations and I really do believe they’re the perfect balance of luxury and practicality.” “We’re delighted to welcome Alison back to Harron Homes,” said Tony Lee, Managing Director for Harron Homes Yorkshire. “The team is gelling together as a driving force, building on the foundations that are already there.” “We’re a successful luxury housebuilder and we’re looking forward to seeing more growth – our aim is 500 homes a year by 2022. There’s a strong indication that the property market will continue to be robust and I don’t see why we should see anything to the contrary.” Harron Homes works closely with local stakeholders to develop thoughtfully planned sites that really give something back, helping to support the local economy and its people.

Read More »

GRAHAM welcomes new intake of civil engineering graduates

GRAHAM has welcomed the “next generation of talent” to its Civil Engineering Graduate Programme. An official launch day, hosted virtually at the end of last year, signalled the start of the structured two-year programme for 22 new recruits who recently graduated from a variety of leading universities spread across the UK. They were selected from a strong pool of over 300 applicants. Due to the lockdown restrictions, this year’s event was hosted online, with the interactive session providing the graduates with an insight into how they can fast track their careers with one of the UK’s leading civil engineering contractors. The graduate scheme is a mix of technical, personal, and management style development. Each of the participants will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained from their degree courses on a range of GRAHAM’s most high-profile civil engineering projects, including Crossrail station upgrades for Network Rail, Northern Ireland Water, the Port of Dundee, and major improvement works for Highways England. GRAHAM Managing Director – Civil Engineering, Leo Martin, believes nurturing talent has been key to GRAHAM’s strong growth. He said: “Every year, it is a privilege for me to introduce the next generation of talent to our civil engineering division and to equip them with the tools to grow and become future leaders at GRAHAM. “Of course, we have faced considerable challenges presented by the pandemic over the past year, but I was more determined than ever to recruit a similar number of graduates as we normally do. And Covid-19 has not knocked us off course in this regard. That also goes for the content and delivery of the programme, which will be as engaging, practically-based, and interactive as always. “As one of the first companies in the UK to be accredited Platinum by Investors in People, we believe that nurturing and investing in the next generation of talent is crucial for the long-term success and sustainability of GRAHAM. That is why I am committed to giving young people opportunities, especially when so many avenues to employment are being closed to them. I am looking forward to working with, and learning from, this talented batch of graduates now and into the future.” The Civil Engineering Graduate Programme is part of the GRAHAM Academy, which is an in-house world-class training and development centre. It offers a range of graduate programmes, industrial and undergraduate placements, part-time university study, apprenticeships, work experience, and trainee opportunities. Since 2015, the GRAHAM Academy has seen more than 120 graduates successfully through its programme. GRAHAM are proud members of the Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) Programme, an industry –wide initiative that aims to make workplaces better for everyone. For more information, please visit: www.graham.co.uk/careers

Read More »