Esh Group has announced its entry into The 5% Club’s esteemed 2024-25 Employer Audit Scheme having been awarded gold accredited membership in its first year.
The prestigious accolade recognises Esh’s efforts to employ and retain apprentices and graduates, helping both young people and sector shifters kickstart their career in the construction industry.
Apprentices currently represent more than 8% of Esh’s workforce with individuals studying qualifications ranging from Level 2 through to Higher National Certificates and degree apprenticeship courses.
From traditional industry roles such as quantity surveying, engineering and ground works, to lesser-known entry routes including IT, social value and land development, Esh weaves apprentice and graduate opportunities throughout many areas of its business operations.
Esh Group’s Deputy Chief Executive, Stephen Wilkie, is buoyed by The 5% Club’s recognition, knowing the importance of not only providing opportunities for new entrants, but also supporting them to build their career from the outset. He said: “First and foremost, I’d like to say a huge well done to everyone throughout the business who is involved in employing, training and retaining our apprentices and graduates – the gold award is testament to your collective hard work and commitment to inspiring and developing our future workforce.
“We are proud of our ‘grow your own’ culture which enables us to develop talent and drive progress within the industry. I was employed here straight from school as a trainee engineer, and the support and opportunities from the outset have helped me progress to the position I am honoured to be in today. My pathway is just one of many success stories throughout our business where long-serving colleagues have developed their career with us, and we have the same vision for our current cohort.”
Another employee who has seen firsthand the positive impact apprenticeships can have when afforded the opportunity is Quantity Surveyor, Isabelle Hewitt.
Isabelle joined the business in 2016 as an Apprentice Quantity Surveyor where she studied a BTEC Level 3 in Construction and the Built Environment at New College Durham. Over the years, Isabelle has worked on both small- and large-scale projects ranging from wastewater networks, freshwater networks, to reservoirs, earthworks schemes and beyond. Fast forward to 2024, Isabelle, now aged 26, has secured three promotions and is a Quantity Surveyor after successfully completing her degree apprenticeship.
She said: “Due to a significant generational skills gap within the industry, there is a great opportunity for young people to work in construction. With innovation and progression at the heart of the industry, the perceptions of it being an ‘old school’ male dominated industry are changing rapidly. My advice to anyone starting out their journey would be to work hard and always be open to learning, and you’ll be afforded the opportunities to progress.”
Among the current cohort of apprentices is Social Value Coordinator, Lucy Youlton, who joined in 2023, and is tasked with organising Esh’s award-winning Building My Skills programme as well as delivering employability and careers sessions within the community. She said: “I had never considered construction as a career route, and I didn’t know what social value was until I came across the apprenticeship opportunity with Esh. When I started, I didn’t feel confident in delivering sessions in schools and colleges, but with the support of the team I am now delivering independently. I also had the chance to go to the CECA North East awards where the Building My Skills programme received the Going the Extra Mile Award, this was a great recognition for the programme I have coordinated over the last year.”
The 5% Club was launched in 2013 in a bid to increase the employment and career prospects of today’s youth and equip the UK with the skilled workforce it needs to safeguard Britain’s economy.
Mark Cameron OBE, Chief Executive at The 5% Club, commented: “We are incredibly proud of the outstanding employers, like Esh Group, who have gone above and beyond to invest in the future of their workforce through a diverse range of ‘earn and learn’ initiatives. Their dedication, especially during these challenging times, deserves to be celebrated. By achieving Gold membership, Esh has shown an exceptional commitment to shaping the skills of tomorrow, contributing not only to their business but to the wider economy.”
First and foremost, I’d like to say a huge well done to everyone throughout the business who is involved in employing, training and retaining our apprentices and graduates - the gold award is testament to your collective hard work and commitment to inspiring and developing our future workforce."