Contractor Beard has launched a business-wide skills initiative to support workforce development.
The training programme, Skills to Build, is designed to ensure Beard’s 350 employees across Swindon, Bristol, Guildford, Oxford, and Southampton have the technical expertise needed to deliver increasingly complex building projects.
The programme is structured around three pillars:
- Virtual technical team – an internal network of technical experts who can provide specialist advice and support in areas such as construction methods and building components.
- Sector specialists – experienced professionals within Beard who contribute their accumulated knowledge to support project teams and mentor others. The programme will encourage self-driven learning to expand this group over time.
- External partners – trusted third-party experts who understand the business and offer technical input in areas not covered internally.
Mike Hedges, company operations director, said: “We have a wealth of knowledge within our team and we are excited to have now developed a more structured approach to sharing skills and expertise, ensuring projects are delivered faultlessly for our customers.
“The elements of Skills to Build create a support system that enhances project delivery, develops a resilient workforce, fosters collaborative working relationships, and builds long-term technical resilience across the company.”
Promoting from within
In the past year, the company has delivered more than 600 days of formal training across the workforce. This included 11 employees who completed Beard’s Leadership Development Programme, which aims to provide a pathway to senior positions in the immediate and mid-term future.
The company has also developed a ‘Next Gen’ version of the leadership programme to help young professionals establish leadership and management skills early in their careers.
Melissa Barber, head of people and communications at Beard, said: “We’re proud to invest in our people. It ensures that we continue to grow and succeed together – our team are central to our success.
“With the right training programmes, we aim to recognise and nurture talent, promote from within, and create new opportunities within the business.”
Barber has spearheaded the creation of the EmpowerHer initiative, which is tailored for women who want to take the next step in their professional development.
According to the company, the initiative equips women with a growth mindset and teaches how to communicate with clarity and confidence, give and receive feedback effectively, and develop resilience.
Women from across Beard’s five offices are taking part, representing roles including office management, design management, and quantity surveying.
“We know that women are underrepresented in the construction industry and they often experience the industry differently to men,” Barber said.
“EmpowerHer is designed to address this, creating a safe space for our women to develop, challenge themselves, and build confidence.”
Supporting young professionals
As part of its commitment to nurturing young talent, Beard recently hosted its inaugural Foundations and Futures event, bringing together all construction trainees, T-Level students, year-in-industry participants, and work experience students for a day of learning and development.
The event aimed to nurture collaboration between colleagues at similar stages of their careers, giving them a support network beyond their regional offices.
Barber added: “The construction industry needs a quarter of a million new entrants by 2028 to keep pace with industry demand, according to figures from the Construction Industry Training Board, so it is vital that we attract and retain young talent – both as a company and collectively as an industry.”
