Balfour Beatty is working with the social enterprise committed, RENAISI, to provide skilled refugees with careers in the construction industry
Balfour Beatty has already offered 11 positions to skilled refugees. All the refugees developed their skills in their country of origin. These skills span engineering, planning and software engineering.
Balfour Beatty is now rolling out its partnership with RENAISI across the UK following the successful pilot of their Transport, Energy & Power Major Projects business.
Skilled refugees can help solve the construction skills shortage
This expansion further shows Balfour Beatty’s commitment to providing people with access to careers and attracting new talent to the construction industry. The initiative also demonstrates Balfour Beatty’s commitment to tackling the industry’s skills shortage by breaking down the barriers faced by minority groups in construction.
“Our collaboration with RENAISI marks another step forward for Balfour Beatty as we strive to offer individuals – no matter their background – the opportunity to develop and hone their skills whilst working on some of the largest and most important infrastructure schemes in the UK,” said Paul Raby, human resources director at Balfour Beatty.
“Through our partnership, we hope to lead the charge in inspiring others and hope that by providing secure employment opportunities for refugees, we will welcome a new pool of talent to the construction and infrastructure industry,” he continued.
Several initiatives have been launched to get refugees into construction work
The initiative is one of several schemes set up in the UK to support refugees in finding employment in the construction sector. The engineering company, GRAHAM, has worked with the Department for Work and Pensions to assist Ukrainian refugees in securing construction jobs in Scotland.
The DWP has been providing support by facilitating their completion of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) training and accreditation. This partnership has proven effective in preparing and enabling refugees to enter the construction workforce.
“RENAISI takes great pride in collaborating with Balfour Beatty. They provide refugee professionals with opportunities that truly harness their skills and expertise, bringing immense advantages to Balfour Beatty while transforming lives,” commented Hannah Brooke, head of partnerships at RENAISI.
“Together, we are continuously learning from our successes and challenges to expand our impact. We encourage employers from every sector to follow their example,” she continued.
