our people
"This is a great opportunity to inspire the next generation of female engineers, and I hope we were able to encourage more women to consider careers within this industry.”
Abigail Finney, Mechanical engineering apprentice
highlights
Molly Bardwell,
Electrical apprentice
Developing and investing in our colleagues’ potential at all levels of our business is fundamental to Tarmac’s long-term strategic growth - and helps ensure we continue to maintain a competitive advantage. Wherever they start from, we help employees fully develop their talents through learning and development programmes and work-based training.
In 2017 we launched our Employee Development Programme (EDP) for employees in non-management roles, offering practical training, tailored to their individual needs. The programme focuses on personal development by teaching new skills; boosting confidence; and encouraging people to progress and develop their career at Tarmac.
Our commitment to the development of young people is demonstrated by being an active member of the 5% Club. The 5% Club is a dynamic movement of employer-members working to create “earn and learn” skills training opportunities across the UK by driving the recruitment of apprentices, sponsored students and graduates. Members consist of large and small employers from a wide range of sectors who want to make a difference to people’s life chances and our shared prosperity as a nation competing in global markets.
Members aspire to achieve 5% of their workforce in ‘earn and learn’ positions (including apprentices, sponsored students and graduates on formalised training schemes) within five years of joining. For Tarmac, this means approximately 360 of its employees will fit this definition by 2021. 253 employees (3.43%) was achieved in 2017 and it is expected we will hit 5% before the target date. We have some excellent development programmes for our higher apprentices and graduate recruits, with a mixture of on-the-job development and off-site learning. Apprentices are provided with vocational qualifications to take on roles such as operatives and fitters, while some also work towards a degree. Graduates take on a variety of roles across the business including; technical graduate, graduate development surveyor and general management graduate.
In 2017, as part of Norfolk County Council highway maintenance contract, our Contracting business recruited six new apprentices in Norfolk. The 18-month programme will provide them with a combination of vocational education at Tarmac’s national training centre and practical on-site training across Norfolk from experienced technical experts. Taking on apprentices offers them new careers, motivates existing employees and opens up a new talent pool for Tarmac.
Watch our video - 'Tarmac Operations Management Graduate, Building Products'
Our partnership with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE), the UK’s leading youth charity, is something we are immensely proud of. This new charity partnership with Tarmac will see people aged under 23 ½ from across the business offered the opportunity to do their Gold DofE Award, as part of an 18-month programme.
To achieve a Gold Award, colleagues will complete all the DofE sections including Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Expedition and Residential, with a focus on developing valuable skills for business such as team-working, commitment, determination, communication and a positive approach to work.
We recognise that the quarrying/building materials sector has traditionally attracted a male dominated workforce - making gender diversity a particular challenge. In 2017 males accounted for 86.4% of our operational employees while a more balanced 43% female made up our head office and support functions.
We want to attract and retain the best people to work at Tarmac, and we believe that the best way to achieve this is by reflecting the full diversity of society and the communities where we work. We know that businesses that are open and inclusive are better placed to deliver long-term value. We pride ourselves on being an equal opportunities employer, providing equal, merit-based opportunities to everyone irrespective of age, gender, disability, nationality, religion or sexuality.
Integrating diversity and inclusion into our HR strategy brings many benefits. An inclusive work environment means our employees represent the company well, while gaining contracts and local approval for investment decisions. It increases motivation, improves staff retention and boosts creativity, which is a particular advantage when devising innovative solutions for clients.