John McPherson, UK Managing Director of Business & Industry at global facility services provider ABM, comments on the announcement of ‘returnership’ apprenticeships targeting the over 50s in Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget. The facilities management industry has been facing a skills gap for many years. At the heart of that challenge is…
Apprenticeships
Jim Melvin, Chairman of the British Cleaning Council (BCC), comments as proposals for an Apprenticeship Levy funded industry-wide training scheme for the cleaning and hygiene sector are submitted to the approving body. It is hoped that the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (iATE) will give the final agreement and confirmation for the Apprenticeship Standard…
Opportunities abound for those who dare, says Leigh Anderson, managing director of Bis Henderson Recruitment as the UK commemorates National Apprenticeship Week 2023. Until recently, very few civilians had much idea about what ‘logistics’ meant – something military perhaps? Or something to do with drivers and shelf-stackers? At any rate, not an obvious career recommendation…
As the United Kingdom marks National Apprenticeship Week, Karen Boswell OBE, managing director of BDR Thermea Group business Baxi UK and Ireland, explains why encouraging more young people into heating engineering is essential. With government mandates for greenhouse gas emission reduction looming, concern around the lack of new talent entering the heating engineering and manufacturing…
A trainee solicitor who demonstrated drive and determination pursuing a career in the law has been named Apprentice of the Year at the regional 2022 in-Cumbria Business Awards in Carlisle, northern England. Holly was the first apprentice solicitor in Cumbria and is currently five years into a six-year apprenticeship with Cartmell Shepherd, which operates across…
FIS and The Worshipful Company of Plaisterers have announced the winners of their annual Training Awards at a gala lunch which was held at Plaisterers’ Hall in the City of London. The Awards are a collaboration between FIS and The Worshipful Company of Plaisterers to recognise outstanding apprentices, students, individuals and organisations who have made…
Connor Cruden, who in 2020 completed his four-year plumbing apprenticeship having come top in 2019 at the SkillPLUMB UK finals to find the country’s most accomplished apprentice plumber, is now preparing to take on the world’s elite at the WorldSkills Plumbing finals due to be held in the Black Forest town of Lahr, Germany, between…
Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) and the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers have announced the 694th Lord Mayor of the City of London, Nicholas Lyons, will attend a presentation event for their annual training awards on 22nd November. The presence of the Lord Mayor of the City of London continue a tradition established by previous holders…
As the UK marks Hospitality Apprenticeships Week, Jonathan Foot, Compass Group’s Head of Apprenticeships and Early Careers, discusses the company’s Junior Chef Academy and other initiative it is engaging with to attract talent into the catering and hospitality sector. Hospitality Apprenticeships Week is upon us and it’s the perfect chance to shout about the fantastic…
ABM UK has opened its doors to a fifth cohort of participants on its Junior Engineering Engagement Programme (J.E.E.P.), and added another school to its roster. The 2022 programme kicked off at Bobby Moore Academy in London with the immersive course then touring schools in Bradford, Manchester and London between September and December. While previous years have focused primarily on the engineering side of…
UK facilities management provider Wates FM is investing in the future workforce with a year-long apprenticeship programme at its flagship residency contract at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire. The apprenticeship programme will see local 17-year-old Abi complete a Level 2 NVQ in facilities management, working full time on site with Wates FM while undertaking online study…
Pinnacle Group subsidiary Pinnacle Power is claiming a UK first following the development of a new Heat Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship programme. The new 36-month apprenticeship aims to support the UK’s journey to net zero, building on the sustainable energy expertise that Pinnacle provides its private and public sector commercial and residential property clients. Initial approval…
Compass Group UK & Ireland hosted 60 people at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at its annual Apprentice Chef of the Year dinner on 5th July. The event was catered for by Compass apprentices, with the menu being created and the brigade led by Lorcán Leavy, Apprentice Commis Chef for Restaurant Associates – Compass’ Apprentice Chef of…
On International Women in Engineering Day, Rocio Roldan Aguayo, CEng MIChemE and Veolia Process Engineer, discusses her route into the profession with FM Magazine. Why/what made you choose a career in engineering? At high school, I was good at STEM subjects and so it made sense to study a related degree. When thinking about what…
Emma Dickson, Technical Director at Arcadis and industry co-chair of the Scottish Construction Leadership Forum’s Skills and Workforce sub group, presents the case for non-apprenticeship based training routes into the construction industry. Employers in the construction industry in Scotland hardly need to be reminded of the skills shortages which are hampering the industry as it…
Sean Haley, Chair of Sodexo UK & Ireland, responds to the UK spring budget statement and the development of apprenticeship standards. At Sodexo we are so pleased that the Chancellor took time in what was a critical and highly-anticipated spring statement to talk about apprenticeships and the apprenticeship levy. The themes he picked up on…
Compass is partnering with Scotland’s only two Michelin-starred Chef, Stephen McLaughlin as he becomes Culinary Ambassador for Compass Scotland. This arrangement will see McLaughlin, head chef of the acclaimed Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, contributing as a consultant for Compass Scotland. He will play a central role in the esteemed Compass Scotland apprenticeship and training programme and…
Centrepoint, one of the UK’s largest charities dedicated to combating youth homelessness, has released images of a new, 33-modular-home development for young people in Peckham, South London. Reuben House is part of the charity’s Independent Living Programme, which seeks to provide 300 young people a home and entry-level or apprenticeship roles that lead to full time…
Kier has launched a recruitment drive with over 1,200 jobs available across the Group. As one of the UK’s leading construction and infrastructure providers, the jobs will support new schools, hospitals, roads and rail projects in communities right across the UK. The recruitment drive will also help Kier to achieve its ambitions to bring a…
The British Cleaning Council (BCC) is urging employers, training operatives and providers and assessment organisations operating in the cleaning and hygiene sector to have their say on proposals for an Apprenticeship Levy accredited industry-wide training programme and apprenticeship. Consultation on proposals for the Cleaning Hygiene Operative apprenticeship opens today, Wednesday 26 January, and runs to…
Metal recycler EMR has invested £40,000 in a new workshop facility at HMP Forest Bank to enable inmates to gain key skills and employment opportunities as they prepare for their release. Offering an introduction to the recycling industry within the Sodexo operated prison, offenders have the opportunity to join a unique team removing tyres from…
ABM UK managing director, John McPherson, explains how collaboration can plug a widely reported technical skills gap in the UK. The events of the past 18 months have changed many things, but one which remains is the acute skills gap which the facilities management industry faces. There is no denying that the sector’s technical workforce…
17.11.2021, 11:24 Helping Reskill the Low Paid in London ABM has pledged £192,000 of unspent Apprenticeship Levy funding as part of a new initiative with the London Progression Collaboration (LPC) to support small and medium sized businesses and social enterprises with low paid workers. LPC, an innovative project that supports Londoners with starting high…
With rising ecommerce volumes combining with a driver shortage to create the perfect storm in the UK, Leigh Anderson, managing director at Bis Henderson Recruitment, explains how interim managers can provide the skills needed to save Christmas. At almost every point in every supply chain, companies are facing unprecedented levels of change and uncertainty. Challenges…
18.10.2021, 15:09 Celebrating Hospitality Apprenticeship Week 2021 With Hospitality Apprenticeship Week underway in the United Kingdom, Jonathan Foot, Head of Apprenticeships and Early Careers at Compass Group UK&I, explains why apprenticeships are relevant to people of all ages. At Compass Group UK and Ireland, we fully support any initiative which shines a light on our…
28.09.2021, 13:21 Mitie Welcomes Technical Apprentices Mitie has surpassed a target of recruiting 50 new technical apprentices in 2021 with the addition of a new intake of 41 apprentices to its Technical Services Apprenticeship Programme. The programme is offered by Mitie’s Technical Services Academy which offers development opportunities, including formal training and mentorship, to help colleagues…
26.08.2021, 08:56 Taking Culinary Apprenticeships Forward with Marcus Wareing Compass Group has launched a new apprenticeship programme in collaboration with Michelin-starred celebrity chef Marcus Wareing and hospitality training provider, HIT Training. ‘Forward with Marcus Wareing’ is an enhanced programme that complements the UK Level 4 Senior Culinary Chef and Level 5 Operations Departmental Manager apprenticeship…
The Trafford College Group has named Compass Group UK and Ireland ‘Hospitality Employer of the Year’ at its annual Apprenticeship of the Year Awards. The award recognises the foodservice giant’s commitment to training and development during a two-year collaboration with the Manchester based Further Education provider. Lola Docherty, Apprentice Business Development Manager – Hospitality, Hair and Beauty at…
11.02.2021, 13:20 UK Levy Transfer Scheme Underutilised A recent virtual roundtable attended by several leading organisations concluded the United Kingdom’s hospitality sector should be making better use of the levy transfer scheme for unused apprenticeship to tackle pending post-Covid-19 skills shortages. During the discussion which was organised by Umbrella Training to mark National Apprenticeship Week,…
09.02.2021, 08:59 Hiring the Smile, Training the Skill Jonathan Foot, Head of Apprenticeships & Early Careers at Compass Group UK & Ireland, considers some of the benefits of apprenticeships during National Apprenticeship Week. This week we are celebrating National Apprenticeship Week across England and Wales. At Compass Group UK & Ireland we have a passion…
08.02.2021, 11:31 Veolia Increases UK Apprenticeships Veolia is reporting a 115 per cent rise in intakes to its apprenticeships programme since 2017 as National Apprenticeship Week gets underway in the United Kingdom. In 2020, Veolia UK & Ireland which employs 340 apprentices across its organisation, welcomed 154 new starters, and retained 99 per cent of…