Now in its eighth year, National Apprentice Week is designed to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the economy.

Willmott Dixon looks to boost apprentice numbers

One of the UK’s leading employers within the social housing maintenance sector, Willmott Dixon, is seeking to boost its apprentice provision by 31 per cent over the forthcoming year as part of the expansion of its award-winning training programme.

The announcement comes as the company undertakes a series of events across the UK as it celebrates the achievements of its 58 current apprentices during National Apprenticeship Week.

Willmott Dixon is looking to boost apprentice numbers to 76 by the end of 2015, as it carries out recruitment campaigns locally to where contracts are held. The company has also committed to recruiting 11 management trainees who will work across the business.

The new apprenticeship positions will build on the existing programmes offered by Willmott Dixon Partnerships and will cover trades including carpentry, plumbing, gas and office administration.

All those recruited will join Willmott Dixon’s award-winning apprenticeship scheme, Opening Doors, which offers trade and administration role. Providing training and development to employees, tenants and other local residents, it also gives local students the opportunity to experience working in the construction and maintenance industry.

The announcement comes after the community actions of Willmott Dixon staff received a Royal seal of approval, with the company achieving a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development. One of the areas highlighted by judges in making the award was the £1 million worth of community investment made by the company and staff each year to local good causes. The company has also received recognition after scooping gold in the ‘Excellence in Social Responsibility’ category of the prestigious Investors in People awards, whilst also recently receiving Business in the Community’s CommunityMark with commendation for its societal benefit programme.

Balfour Beatty taking further action to help more young people into work

Balfour Beatty, one of the early members of The 5% Club, is marking National Apprenticeship Week with a range of new commitments to help more young people find work in the growing infrastructure sector.

Balfour Beatty is:

The new Higher and Degree Apprenticeship standards mark an increasingly professional approach to apprenticeships, enabling entrants to the industry to move more quickly into management roles where a further skills shortage is emerging. They will be offered in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Building Services Engineering, Design Co-ordination and Quantity Surveying.

New entrants will gain an HNC and Associate or Technician professional status in three years, followed by a full honoursdegree and Incorporated or Chartered status in a further three years. They will gain excellent work experience, a range of additional industry qualifications and a firm foundation for an exciting and rewarding career in the infrastructure industry.

The new Higher and Degree Apprenticeships start in September of this year and were developed with the support of the Chartered Institute of Building, Institution of Civil Engineers, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers and Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists.

Lafarge Tarmac launches apprenticeship recruitment drive

Sustainable building materials and construction solutions company Lafarge Tarmac has launched its annual recruitment programme to find 75 new apprentices.

As part of the company’s commitment to supporting skills, inspiring young people and helping the UK construction industry develop a talented and diverse workforce, Lafarge Tarmac will offer apprenticeship opportunities to youngsters across many of its 330 UK sites.

Opportunities at Lafarge Tarmac are available in a wide range of specialisms from mechanical and electrical apprenticeships, to lab technicians, management trainees and road operatives. The business will also be hiring six higher apprentices, who will be offered a work-based learning programme within the aggregates and quarrying business that leads to a nationally recognised qualification.

Apprenticeships last for between one to four years with all recruits undertaking vocational training at a network of leading higher education colleges across the UK. They will also receive expert technical training in their chosen discipline and will be paid while they learn. Following successful completion of the programme, there is the option of attending university.

Let us know what your firm is doing to mark National Apprentice Week here.