The judges, in a category that included a wide range of excellent entrants were impressed with each company’s commitment to use recruitment of young people as a way to promote growth. The National Grid’s innovative Grid for Good program for young people with disadvantaged backgrounds won the night. The winning entry is reviewed, as are the runners-up.
Winner
National Grid
Grid for Good’s (GfG’s) goal is to find talented young people with disadvantaged backgrounds and help them launch careers in the energy industry. GfG works with non-profits and charities to offer training, resources and job opportunities. This allows young people to get meaningful work while helping the transition to net zero.
GfG Engage is a program that targets children aged 3-15 and provides engaging and inspirational content about energy and sustainability. GfG Access helps young people aged 16-25 develop their skills and find employment in the energy sector. GfG Excel is a program for young adults aged 18-25 that focuses on STEM pathways. It guides diverse minds to graduate school and early career opportunities. GfG Accelerate is for people aged 25 or older. It works with the government, local authorities and Stem returners in order to provide learning opportunities and practical learning pathways for those who have not been working for a long time due to illness or caring for others.
The program aims to positively affect 22,500 youths and provide 125,000 hours of volunteering. GfG applicants have access to all National Grid apprentices and can also apply for tailored pre-apprenticeships and trainee roles, which place a greater emphasis on practical skills than academic qualifications. Electricity Transmission Unit provides training for individuals without degrees or qualifications to become supervisors of construction and overhead line sites. Catch22 partners with the unit to recruit people who are facing severe social deprivation because of caregiving, exploitation and gang violence. This training has been completed by 24 people in the last year.
Graduates will receive a PS3,000 Bursary. They also get a book and software allowance, an eight-week paid work placement for each year they are studying, and a scholarship to obtain a driving license.
RUNNERS-UP
AtkinsRealis
In order to expand, fill skill gaps and tap into future talent, the engineering and construction firm has strategically hired young talents with technical and potential skills. It has used data from market research organisations Cibyl and Jisc, which is a higher education skills organisation, to find students who are interested in a wide range of degrees. The company has also tried to attract apprentices. The firm’s engagement with universities and schools has been a top priority. It has STEM ambassadors, and has a Governors for Schools commitment to reach out to those who are considering an apprenticeship.
AtkinsRealis’ online mentors support candidates in the attraction phase through its Connectr portal. Mentoring connects people with experienced peers and allows them to receive personalised guidance. The firm has introduced mid-year entry for graduates to give them a second chance to join the programme.
Early career policies at the company have contributed to its growth. In 2024, 3,000 participants will be enrolled in a structured programme of development or placement. The company invests PS1m in EC masterclasses annually, which provides 7,000+ class places and 16000 hours of instruction. Two of the company’s managing directors were graduates from its graduate program and are now inspiring next generations at events as speakers.
Health Assured
Health Assured, a platform for health and wellness, has been able to tap into a talent pool that includes individuals with and those without professional qualifications. Dragon’s Den sessions are a highlight of its training program, as they equip participants with vital commercial and business skills. Six months of intensive training are a vital bridge for newly-qualified counsellors who want to enter the fast-paced world of helpline counseling. Health Assured has a career path that allows 75% of its participants to advance quickly. This contributes significantly to the life-changing and life-saving support services.
The company’s efforts led to a reduction of 5% in the staff turnover in the last year, and 10% of their employees received internal promotions. Health Assured’s headcount has grown by 17%. This has earned Health Assured recognition as a Sunday Times Best Workplace for 2023-2024 and a place in the Top 100 North West Best Company. Investors in People awarded it a silver grade with 63% themes being rated as advanced or higher.
The business has also benefited from the expansion of the talent pool by increasing its Net Promoter score (NPS) as well as retention rates. Health Assured increased its NPS score to 75.3, reflecting the positive impact on the firm’s initiatives.
MBDA partners with SMRS
MBDA is a manufacturer of defence equipment, and more than 60% its workforce consists of engineers and technologists, which are rare skills on the UK labour market. The government’s vetting processes also limit its capacity to hire overseas talent. MBDA has seen a record increase in its permanent workforce, which is expected to reach 1,100 by 2024. The demand for defence personnel has led to a 20% growth in the permanent headcount. Early careers made up 18% of the 1,063 permanent hires in 2023. This included 50 apprentices and 14 graduates. MBDA also hosted 55 summer internships and five programs of work experience. Due to the complexity of our work and long hiring periods, it is important that we retain employees.
MBDA is dedicated to increasing the number of candidates, because diverse teams are more likely to collaborate and innovate. As a government contracting firm, the company must prove its social value. It is also a signatory to the Women in Defence Charter, which aims for a 30% women workforce by 2030. By 2023, the firm’s early career permanent hires would be 23% female.
Graduate programmes at MBDA include 200 people in various fields. The two-year programme has a salary starting at PS30,000, plus a PS3,000 bonus.
The company also employs more than 210 apprentices in 10 different programmes to address skills gaps across multiple functions.
In partnership with SMRS MBDA targeted universities that had a higher proportion of female students studying stem and those with lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Since 2001, it has created a loyal and satisfied workforce. 67% of graduates have remained with the company and 79% apprentices. The recruitment marketing increased female applications by 28% in 2024. MBDA, despite a competitive market, has maintained employee retention and increased early career hires well above UK averages.
Savills
Savills is a real estate company with over 460 graduates, apprentices and more. More than 150 will join in September 2024. It takes on over 140 interns annually through centrally-organised programmes. Savills redesigned its apprenticeship program in 2020. It initially focused on degree-level apprenticeships in surveying and planning. By 2023 it had expanded to 227 apprenticeships in 18 business divisions. This was more than its original target of 100.
Savills invested in its graduate program even during the pandemic. They hired over 100 graduates in 2010 and more than 200 by 2022. In 2023, Savills’ commitment to fairness led them to review the recruitment process. This resulted in changes such as combining assessment tasks in one day, increasing support for travel, and introducing recruitment events for ethnic minorities. This increased the number of applications received from ethnic minorities by 856% between 2020 and 2024.
Savills launched its Savills Insight Programme in 2024. This is a one-week paid internship for undergraduate first-year students from diverse backgrounds. This initiative offered work opportunities, networking events, and shadowing. The summer internship applications of all 15 participants received positive feedback.
Nearly 500 RICS candidates are supported by specialized training sessions as part of the graduate training programme. Apprentices are given 20% off-the job training and tracked via a custom-made app. Savills hosts an annual awards ceremony to recognize outstanding contributions during National Apprenticeship Week.
Savills is committed to early career development, as 40% of the board members began their careers on the Graduate Scheme. The company supports other companies in developing their own apprentice programmes. Savills continuously innovates its programmes based on feedback. It aims to attract and nurture talents from diverse backgrounds.
Tata Consultancy Services
Tata Consultancy Services, a leading provider of IT services and consultancy, is focused on creating cutting-edge tech solutions that help its customers to stay ahead. The company’s “people-centric” strategy places a strong emphasis on early career development as an integral part of the talent ecosystem. TCS’s strategy combines innovative talent practices with diversity.
TCS’s philosophy Inspire, engage, and employ nurtures talent within the company, delivering consistent results. During the Inspire phase, students can network with each other through Student Treks and Career Fairs. They can also attend skill workshops. In the Engage phase students take part in internships and hackathons. They also participate in insight weeks and research projects. This helps them gain experience and clarity about career paths at TCS. TCS offers full time internships, graduate programmes and apprenticeships in different roles during the Employ phase. This is an investment in the future workforce and the development of future leaders.
TCS has a collaboration with more than 50 colleges and universities in the UK and Ireland through the Academic Interface Programme. The partnerships with organizations like Generations UK or Black Girls in Tech increased the number of applications by 13%. TCS held 65 workshops in 2015, which covered topics such as programming, sustainable finance and analytics. More than 2,200 students attended. Savills Insight Programme launched in 2024 offers a one-week summer internship to first-year students from diverse backgrounds. The summer internship applications of all 15 participants received positive feedback.
TCS’s inclusive recruiting strategy includes gamified recruitment through hackathons. The focus is on skills rather than CVs or grades. The partnership with Generations UK, Millionlights and Employ Autism at the University of Westminster has helped fill 60% of junior cloud engineering roles.
TCS’s early career programme, which is robust, has onboarded more than 230 students over the last two years. 35% of interns, apprentices, and trainees have been converted to full-time positions.
Vero HR
Vero HR, founded in 2005 by Mike Kealey & Shirley Kealey to offer an alternative HR consulting and outsourcing service. Vero HR offers clients a complete solution to manage HR activities by combining consultancy and value-added service. With a team consisting of 40 people and 140 clients, it serves organizations across the UK and abroad. Vero HR is unable to support an annual large-scale apprenticeship programme. However, the company offers young people work experience opportunities and trainee or graduate roles when they become available.
This ensures that the experience is tailored to each individual’s interests and strengths rather than following an automated recruitment process. Vero HR provided 15 young people with early career opportunities over the last five years. This led to six permanent positions and six promotions. Vero HR is creating new job opportunities during this phase of growth, rather than simply filling in existing positions. This method prioritizes cultural fit and future potential over immediate job needs. Vero HR is looking for individuals who have the right attitude, are willing to learn and have a strong work ethics.
Vero HR offers structured work experience programs that involve an interview and a period of experience. They shadow members of various departments including HR, payroll and recruitment, technology, marketing and finance. The wider team’s feedback helps determine whether the candidate is the right fit.
Vero HR will create a junior position for a candidate who shows promise. This allows them to begin their HR career as an apprentice or trainee. Junior employees are given on-the job training and monthly meetings with a manager to help them achieve their career goals.
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