Leading highways company, Eurovia UK, has joined the 5% Club, a campaign to raise the number of apprentices, sponsored students and graduates on formal programmes to 5% of the total workforce.
Eurovia takes its place alognside a number of other top highways firms, with the sector well-represented in the club – members include Atkins, Balfour Beatty, BAM, Kier, Mouchel, Skanska, Jackson, Dawnus, Tarmac, Graham, Interserve and WJ.
The campaign is an industry-led initiative focused on tackling both the chronic skills shortage and youth unemployment in Britain and helping the country remain at the forefront of innovation.
Members pledge ‘to work toward having a minimum 5% of our UK workforce enrolled on formalised apprentice, sponsored student and/or graduate development schemes within five years’. The club was launched in 2013.
Eurovia UK currently offers a wide variety of apprenticeships, graduate schemes and engineering traineeships, as well as annually investing more than £1.1m in training and developing its employees.
Kristine Pollock, group human resources director of Eurovia UK said: ‘Joining The 5% Club reaffirms Eurovia UK’s commitment to its workforce of the future. We are passionate about our people and giving them the opportunity to learn and develop professionally whilst watching them grow from strength to strength. 5% is a target we are confident of reaching. We already offer a comprehensive ICE and RICS accredited graduate training schemes, individually tailored with fast-track opportunities into management.
‘The scheme offers graduates the opportunity to be trained and gain experience within subsidiary companies within Eurovia UK and with their joint venture companies. In addition a range of successful other graduate schemes and apprenticeship programmes are available and have been running for a number of years.’
Lady Cobham, director general of The 5% Club said: ‘We’re delighted to welcome Eurovia UK to the initiative. The company’s existing efforts to invest in the next generation are greatly welcomed and together we can strive towards a brighter future for young people in Britain.’
