Member Article

Kier launches pilot of new technical apprenticeship

• Construction technician apprenticeship offers new path into industry
• Route into site engineering, quantity surveying, estimating and buying

As part of National Apprenticeship Week Kier today announces the launch of its construction technician apprenticeship, a new qualification being offered by the company to train the next generation of technical professionals.

The programme is designed to instil the broad range of construction skills needed to develop careers in technical professions including site engineering, quantity surveying, estimating, buying, planning and H&S and many more.

Building on the success of the Kier Construction Team Leader Apprenticeship, the construction technician apprenticeship combines training in communication and decision making alongside construction, and culminates in a highly transferable qualification with employment and further education opportunities for the best candidates.

The new model being used to deliver the construction technician apprenticeship will offer increased flexibility, with participants able to start at any time of year rather than as part of a fixed cohort, enabling Kier to respond quickly to the resourcing needs of new contracts.

There are currently 11 apprentices who have been enrolled on a pilot and in addition to learning the practical skills needed for a career in construction, they will come together one day a week to study, collaborate and share best practice. Their study day will be held on a Kier project rather than at college, enhancing their access to construction activities. The other four days will be spent gaining practical on-site experience and detailed technical knowledge, including engineering maths and setting-out, to give them a good foundation and breadth of skills across the board. Kier is also currently looking at how the programme could be expanded.

The apprenticeship framework, comprising of two 18-month stages includes a Level 2 Award in Construction Operations followed by a Level 3 Construction Technical – Contracting Operations qualification. For the most promising candidates this can be followed by the option of further permanent employment with Kier and a place on one of its two degree courses in either Construction Management or Quantity Surveying. These are both bespoke 4.5 year programmes resulting in BSc Honours degrees.

Kier spokesperson – Nicola Gotzheim, Head of Learning and Development – commented: “We know that a lack of training and development of young people during the last recession led to serious shortages in both the professional and the skilled workforce. The construction technician apprenticeship places real value on vocational training, offering apprentices invaluable on the job learning combined with the qualifications and confidence to allow them to progress with their chosen technical profession.

“For us, we attract a diverse range of enthusiastic young people to our business and benefit from their bright minds and drive to succeed. The response to the apprenticeship both from those on the scheme, and from their parents and careers advisors, has been very positive and we are looking into how we could expand the provision of the programme going forward.”

The construction technician apprenticeship is delivered in conjunction with an external provider and apprentices are supported throughout the programme by Kier and external assessors. Anyone interested in further information on Kier apprenticeships should visit www.kier.uk/ourapprenticeships to learn more about our schemes and to register their interest.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Kier .