National Apprenticeship Week 2021 – Build the future

Our key motivators for the work we do at SCAPE are to create the best outcomes for everyone, to leave a positive legacy for our clients and their communities and to provide opportunities that improve lives.

It’s the reason we exist as an organisation.

This week is National Apprenticeship Week, and its theme of “Build the future” sits more closely than ever with our ambition to deliver essential projects to the highest possible standard for the built environment.

Apprenticeships provide many benefits - to the industry, to businesses and to individuals.

Industry: It is well documented that the construction industry is facing a skills gap. Apprenticeships can provide young people with a route into a construction career, filling the gap and future-proofing the workforce.

Businesses: As with industry, apprentices can plug the skills gap within individual businesses. They provide new future-ready skills, new ways of thinking and a new perspective that an older workforce may not have. By providing a career pathway, apprenticeships can help to retain that talent within the organisation.

Individuals: Apprenticeships not only provide jobs, but they help individuals to develop the skills, knowledge and qualifications required for a rewarding career. It’s not just about providing employment and training opportunities, young people are also set up for the future by learning softer, life skills that come from a professional working environment.

At SCAPE we provide apprenticeships and training schemes and identify ways to extend those opportunities, especially to young people or those from a vulnerable or disadvantaged background. Keep an eye on our social channels and news pages throughout the week to see some of our apprentice successes.

Apprenticeships shape our growing team at SCAPE. From marketing and administration to engineering and project management, they’re part of our diversity and inclusion strategy and support the delivery of our day-to-day activity. They also feed into business succession planning, especially in areas with an aging workforce.

Additionally, through our frameworks, we’re linked to a network of delivery partners who provide apprenticeships in more traditional construction skills.

Social value is embedded into our suite of frameworks and demonstrating that they deliver this is a key commitment expected from our delivery partners. Each SCAPE project is designed to positively enrich local communities and they are measured against the National TOMs (Themes, Outcomes and Measures) and other KPIs to ensure they contribute positively to growth and sustainability. These measures include the number of apprenticeships created, as well as KPIs that ensure smaller businesses within the supply chain are provided with the economic stability to be able to grow, invest, train, hire and thrive.

We’re proud that our delivery partners embrace the opportunities apprenticeships provide. Last year, before lockdown and site restrictions were implemented, our partners provided apprentice opportunities, helped adults gain employment, created work experience placements, hosted school visits and supported in professional and academic qualifications.

Apprenticeships and social value outcomes translate into experiences like Jack’s, assistant building manager at Willmott Dixon, who started his career as an apprentice and has since gone on to achieve a first-class honours degree in BSC construction management, winning SCAPE Trainee of the Year at the recent Willmott Dixon management trainee of the year awards.

Our partners offer further support, with colleagues like Robin from Kier, SCAPE hub administrator of the year. As part of her role, she acts as a Construction Ambassador with CITB – Go Construct, which educates young people about the roles available in the construction industry.

Apprenticeships provide a multitude of opportunities for industries, people and communities to build for the future. They are about growing and supporting young local talent and their long-term development.

At SCAPE, we can use procurement as a tool to spark change, to provide apprentices and to improve the lives and life chances of the next generation.