Partner Article

Training and employment success sees Keepmoat nominated for Celebrating Construction in South Yorkshire Award

NATIONAL housing and regeneration specialist, Keepmoat, has been shortlisted for a prestigious award which recognises its commitment to the training and upskilling of its workforce and the wider community in South Yorkshire.

The company has been shortlisted for a Celebrating Construction in South Yorkshire Award by the Chartered Institute of Building for its work creating training opportunities and apprenticeships, in particular for its work with St Leger Homes of Doncaster.

Since March 2013, Keepmoat has been working on a two year, £14 million programme to refurbish 3,745 properties managed by St Leger Homes on behalf of Doncaster Council.

During that time Keepmoat and St Leger Homes have worked together to create as many training and employment opportunities for local people as possible.

To date the scheme has given work experience placements to 51 individuals, aged over 16, allowing them the chance to try out a career in construction and greatly improving their future career prospects.

The project has also created employment opportunities for 14 local people securing them work in a variety of roles including plasterers, site labourers and administrators.

Doncaster-based Keepmoat has also created four new apprenticeship and trainee positions for local people including two business administration apprentices, an apprentice tiler and a trainee quantity surveyor.

As a result of the work with St Leger Homes six people have been able to begin studying for qualifications, with four people taking up NVQ courses in Business Administration, one person starting an MSc in Quantity Surveying and one person studying a degree in Construction Project Management.

In addition, a total of 34 employees have completed short training courses in matters such as asbestos awareness, gas safety, safe working at height and scaffold inspection.

Keepmoat takes its employment and training commitments very seriously and last year opened its first national centre of excellence as part of an investment drive to put its 3,000 staff on the road to success.

As well as being nominated for its work in creating training and employment opportunities Keepmoat has also been shortlisted for a Celebrating Construction in South Yorkshire Award in the renewables category.

Over the last 12 months Keepmoat has successfully won and completed several air source heat pump schemes. Air source heat pumps absorb warmth from the outside air which can be used to heat radiators and generate domestic hot water and can even work when the ambient temperature is as low as -20° C.

Keepmoat has been nominated for the award for its work with the social housing provider the Acis Group Ltd and Mitsubishi. As part of this £750,000 scheme Keepmoat has installed heat pumps to more than 60 energy inefficient homes in Lincolnshire giving Acis residents the benefits of a new technology which it’s estimated should reduce heating costs for residents compared to Economy 7 electric heating systems. The major benefit for customers is that the new technology gives them greater control over the heating and hot water in their homes.

Martin Smithurst, Keepmoat’s Regional Managing Director, said: “As regeneration specialist Keepmoat is passionate about working with our partners to create better places to live. Regeneration isn’t just about bricks and mortar, but also about investing in the communities that we work to create jobs, apprenticeships and pass on skills.

“We are excited about being recognised by the CIOB for our efforts. Offering training and employment opportunities to the local community helps pass on skills which can lead to life-long careers and also helps us to groom the next generation of construction talent. These people can go on to become our site managers, contracts managers and operations managers of the future.”

The Celebrating Construction in South Yorkshire Awards will be held at Cutler’s Hall in Sheffield on Friday, October 10.

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