Blog: Featured finalist - Careers under Construction – Telford Homes

23 April 2018

Apprenticeship Initiative

Type of company:  Developer

Number of staff:  260

Company turnover:  £300 million

Telford Homes has developed a trainee scheme that is inclusive to all education levels from the age of 18 (no upper limit), and with routes to professional disciplines including, site managers, surveyors, technical coordinators, planners, engineers, estimators.  ‘Careers under Construction’ offers formal education alongside dedicated and experienced support to gain a level six qualification. 

This trainee scheme dovetails with a knowledge retention programme and is an innovative way to future-proof the organisation. It provides opportunities for growth to both experienced and new trainee recruits.  With an ageing workforce, 29% approaching retirement age, this initiative creates a way to retain expert knowledge through offering less demanding roles and an opportunity to pass on their knowledge by becoming trained mentors to deliver ‘on the job’ training to apprentices. 

A key strategic move was the establishment of a Learning & Development department in the human resource team to drive implementation.  100% of their new trainee positions were filled within three months of advertising compared to 70% prior to the launch of the scheme. “Careers in Construction” has enabled Telford Homes to increase their capabilities through one initiative, providing efficiency and value for money, demonstrated at both senior and junior levels.