East Midlands: Construction firm Kier to create 60 apprenticeships in region

Prevalent in the region, Kier Partnership Homes, together with the central office of the group’s regional contracting business, Kier Construction, moved to larger premises at Blythe Valley Park, Solihull in 2012.

The new apprenticeship positions will add to the existing 60 apprenticeships currently running throughout the Midlands and will cover trades including: carpentry, bricklaying and plumbing.

Its programme includes 104 new homes for rent and sale at Grange Farm Drive and Owens Croft in Kings Norton in partnership with Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust; the Walsall £42m regeneration project to provide 186 homes across five sites for Walsall Housing Group; and the development at Thompson Avenue in Wolverhampton. This last scheme will see the creation of 120 new houses - 40 of which will be council homes, representing the first to be built in the city since the 1980s.

Kier is also working on the £45m redevelopment of the University of Wolverhampton. As part of the project Kier is building a new science block which will feature lab facilities for around 2,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students and be home to around 150 staff.

The apprenticeships will be spread across Kier’s regional development programme and builds on Kier’s commitment to contribute to the local economy.

Ian Dickerson, Kier’s head of new entrants & funding, said: “We are delighted to be able to create these apprenticeship opportunities at Kier. We believe it is important to offer people a chance to develop their skills in a nurturing environment and to use what they learn as the foundation for long-term employment and a fulfilling career.

“Our award-winning apprenticeship schemes* are aimed at all ages and abilities and provide a structured training scheme focused on delivering business and individual needs, whilst giving our employees the opportunity to gain valuable qualifications.”

Kier is offering these apprenticeship schemes following the success of the 285 total apprenticeships it started in 2013.