National construction and engineering firm North Midland Construction Plc (NM Group) is set to invest £500,000 in training and development over the next 12 months – building on the success of its apprenticeship programme
The company has a long-standing heritage with apprenticeships. It currently employs 100 apprentices working throughout the business – around 7% of its workforce – and is recruiting new apprentices throughout 2018.
Resisting the national trend, NM Group has continued to increase the number of employees on apprenticeship training programmes following the introduction of the Government’s apprenticeship levy initiative. Figures from the Department for Education show a year-on-year decrease in apprenticeships registrations since the levy came into force in April last year. However, the firm, which has 12 UK offices, has adapted quickly to the country’s evolving apprenticeship landscape.
NM Group has a well-established academy scheme, which spans entry-level opportunities through to degree apprenticeships and a leadership programme.
John Homer, chief executive of NM Group, said: “Our people are at the core of everything we do, which is why our ongoing commitment to training and development is so important.
“Investing in new talent and building skills within the existing workforce is crucial for our industry. To build the construction skills of the future, we need to develop quality trade and management skills, as well as upskilling teams for new innovation and technology developments.”
Delivering major built environment and critical national infrastructure projects across the UK, NM Group operates across the construction, highways, power, telecommunication and water industries. Apprenticeship opportunities include: construction, trade specialists, civil engineering, project management, quantity surveying, design and business support services.
Simon Reeve, aged 27, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, started his construction career as an apprentice with NM Group.
He said: “I heard about the apprenticeship programme and type of projects I could be working on, it really sparked my interest. Being able to work on technically challenging projects and tangibly see your achievements is a real motivation. I’m determined to work my way to the top and that definitely feels achievable with the encouragement I receive from the NM Group team.”
Simon is now a project manager for NM Group’s NMCNomenca division, working on multimillion-pound water infrastructure projects. He is also due to graduate this year with a construction management degree from Nottingham Trent University.
