Britain’s biggest contractor will put in a further £9m to establish the virtual academy and new training opportunities.
The cash is being released from the Government’s Employer Ownership of Skills pilot scheme.
Costain, Galliford Try, Kier, Lend Lease, Lovell, Vinci, Wates Group and Willmott Dixon have also all secured funding from Government, as part of the scheme to give employers more say about how they train and develop future talent in their businesses.
Balfour will concentrate on up-skilling its existing workforce in the construction and engineering sectors and will provide the young and unemployed with opportunities that lead directly to jobs.
The contractor will also support apprenticeship schemes in key areas like highways maintenance and construction management.
It new virtual training academy will bring together all of the group’s current training provision under a single, umbrella to offer a wider range of skills and professional qualifications.
The more standardised approach will mean that these qualifications are transferable across the business and the industry.
Training pledge
- Up skilling existing Balfour Beatty workforce. Many still do not hold nationally recognised, competency-based qualifications that the rest of Balfour Beatty and the industry recognises.
- Linking with professional and awarding bodies like APM, RICS and CIOB to enable employees to gain professional qualifications in project management, construction management or work supervision.
- Targeting young people not in employment, education or training and the unemployed, to give them a taste of what the industry is like. They can then move into employment or perhaps an Apprenticeship.
- Leading employer groups in the design and delivery of new apprenticeships in street lighting, highway maintenance and construction management.
Andrew McNaughton, Balfour Beatty CEO said: “As the economic upturn gathers momentum, ensuring we have a workforce which has the training and skills to enable us to be a leader on the global infrastructure market remains our priority.
“We are delighted the Government, through the Employer Ownership of Skills Pilot recognises that the academy approach will enable us to develop and retain some of the best qualified and most knowledgeable people in the industry.
“We are building a sustainable and flexible workforce which can deliver the innovation and value customers are seeking.
“It also enables us to further our commitment to helping young people and the unemployed get the skills that will enable them to get sustainable jobs.”
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