…taking your kids to work?
Many contractors have set up training centres for the local communities they work in, but north-east contractor Sewell Construction has spread the net wider than most. Its Skills Academy in Hull caters for primary school children to young adults, giving them a taster of the world of work and insight into today’s construction industry and tomorrow’s renewable energy industries.
The academy is an interactive learning environment designed to give children and young people a chance to gain practical employability skills. Facilities range from hands-on trade activities and construction industry related career development,
to a community engagement zone and traditional desk-based activities.
It’s hoped the courses will help equip young people for work in emerging industries including large-scale wind farms around the Humber.
…creating an allotment to help colleagues get their five-a-day?
Green-fingered workers at a quarry in Marfield, Yorkshire, have started to produce their own peas, beans, carrots and potatoes as part of an unconventional approach to health and safety.
Espousing the philosophy that health and safety is as much about being physically and mentally fit as it is about keeping the site hazard free, quarry owner Aggregates & Concrete UK encouraged workers to set up the allotment. The team now take turns tending, watering and weeding the veg. Now, where’s that doughnut…
…holding an old-fashioned summer fair for the local community?
No one can resist a summer fair, so follow facade specialist Alumet Group’s example and book that bouncy castle. To mark its 20th anniversary earlier this month, the company held an open day at its Warwickshire HQ featuring a farmers-style market with produce from local companies, a hog-roast, charity tombola, a raffle, plus book and cake stalls.
And to prevent things from getting too restrained, the event was guest-presented by that gregarious icon of British eccentricity Brian Blessed. “Gordon’s Alive!” All money raised was donated to children’s charity Make A Wish Foundation UK.
…using dating website technology to match staff and projects?
When you’re assembling a team for a pitch or project, you need individuals with relevant experience, work history and contacts. So what you need is an online profile of each employee, a bit like those on internet dating websites.
Thus was hatched the idea for ProFinda, which applies algorithms similar to those used on dating websites to marry a company’s best talent with the right projects and client needs. Last month, entrepreneur Roger Gorman scooped £300,000 worth of investment for ProFinder during a Dragon’s Den-style pitching event organised by FM and property management company Mitie Group, called “Mitie Millions”.
If Mitie adopts the system we expect to hear the strains of sweet music coming from their meeting rooms.
