The Amey Apprenticeship Academy provides an exciting and challenging opportunity for approximately 50 apprentices to learn and develop skills that are transferable into the workplace. The Talent and Learning Scheme demonstrates the importance Amey places on apprentices and the role they have for the future of their business. Apprentices are offered the opportunity to join the Duke of Edinburgh Business Scheme Gold Award as part of the Apprenticeship Academy.

At an orientation day, which launched the Amey Apprenticeship Academy, 50 apprentices were divided into teams of five, and after a briefing session, engaged in a series of wide-ranging development challenges, rom physical outdoor activities on the high ropes course through to problem solving and creative tasks. Additionally, prizes were awarded for the team who scored the most task points, as well as the team who experienced the greatest range of learning throughout the event and for producing the best 'learning log'.

Adrian Barrett, HR Business Partner-Learning, commented: "This exciting event afforded the Apprentices a valuable networking opportunity, as well as developing skills transferable to the workplace. In addition they gained an understanding of what the Duke of Edinburgh Business Scheme offers and the benefits of completing this development programme. As a result of today, I was delighted that 24 apprentices have now signed up to commence the Duke of Edinburgh Business Scheme Gold Award."

Going forward, the Amey Apprenticeship Academy is to be an umbrella scheme which will enable the company to demonstrate its commitment to this important area of talent and provide an opportunity to develop Amey's managers and technical specialists of the future. The scheme will incorporate all existing contract and skill specific NVQ training programmes and add new elements, including a Duke of Edinburgh Business Scheme, Gold Award and specific training and development modules to improve the individuals' business understanding.

The Amey Graduate Training Programme offers graduates from across Britain the chance to take their first steps on the career ladder.

More than 250 people have taken part in Amey's graduate training programme since the scheme launched in 2006.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to consider the range of programmes, which include graduate engineers, graduate development and graduate leadership.

Candidates are also offered a range of placements across the UK. Of 2008/09's 39 leadership programme trainees seven were based in Birmingham, 20 in Oxford, one in Sheffield and Scotland respectively, and ten in other locations across the UK.

Graduates who join the two-year leadership programme will typically do four six-month placements in different service areas and will have to complete 12 modules of training. Others, who chose to join the engineering scheme, focus on gaining valuable hands on business experience whilst studying for their professional qualifications with support from Amey's highly experienced team.

The training comprises business simulations, leadership, managing teams, change management, communication techniques, bidding successfully, Institute of Leadership Management (ILM) level 3 accreditation and career building.

Successful applicants on the leadership programme receive a number of benefits, including a competitive salary, relocation allowance, signing on bonus and course completion bonus.

Mel Ewell, chief executive of Amey, said: "Amey places a great deal of emphasis on recruiting and retaining graduate talent. We currently employ more than 250 graduates on our engineering, leadership and development programmes and we look forward to recruiting similar numbers this year."

Anyone interested in applying for Amey’s graduate programme should contact the graduate team on graduate@amey.co.uk

Work Experience Placements can take on various forms with Colas. Students can join office teams across various departments to gain valuable working knowledge of the business.

Foreign students in the past have enjoyed a five-week work placement before starting their degree course. In addition the company has provided opportunities for foreign apprentices to participate in project management work on specific Colas projects.

As well as engineering students, Colas has welcomed marketing students to be with the company, typically for a two month period. Their experience involves working closely with contracts managers, undertaking a number of marketing projects and learning how Colas develops and promotes its brand. Opportunities have also been given college students such as a five-week placement in the accountancy department.

Another opportunity provided by Colas is their Young Graduate Programme, providing managerial as well as engineering experience, which will assist those on the programme in their professional review with the Institution of Civil Engineers.

By providing these young students with practical experience, Colas is demonstrating a great commitment to their personal development, and the future of the highways industry.

As part of the contractor's corporate social responsibility scheme, volunteers from Colas have attended careers events in several Sussex schools. Colas' participation was organised via the West Sussex Education Business Partnership Programme.

By introducing young people to various businesses they can begin to consider in an informed way which career direction to take after leaving school, and what skills and qualifications they might need to achieve their goals. Examples of the type of events attended are given below.

At a Careers Speed dating challenge at Holy Trinity School in Crawley, students quizzed each business volunteer about their job for five minutes. The volunteers were only able to answer 'yes' or 'no' and at the end of the five minutes the students had to guess their job. The business volunteers then had five minutes to tell the students about their role, what they do at Colas, the qualifications needed and the route they took to get their job.

An Interview Techniques Workshop at Millias School in Horsham helped to improve students' interview techniques, including how to prepare for an interview, learning about the importance of body language, and about the world of work from contact with real life business people from various employment sectors. Students had to think of examples that would demonstrate their skills and attributes to be discussed in an interview situation. The workshop included mock interviews, and the Colas employee attending the workshop was asked to contribute by sharing stories and top tips.

Colas has taken part in Careers Days at secondary schools and a language talk session which addressed the issue of the importance of languages in a business.

An 'R U Ready 4 Work' Workshop at Warden Park School had students guessing the occupation of the business volunteers. This was followed by a 'skills quiz' to help the students understand the skills and attributes employers value in an employee.

By introducing the highways business to young people of school leaving age, Colas is helping to encourage more people into the industry.

The annual National Vocational Qualifications Day is recognised by BAM Nuttall to celebrate the success of many of its employee's achievements in gaining Vocational Qualifications.

BAM Nuttall are strong supporters of Vocational Qualifications, believing they open doors for many learners and can provide great opportunities for individual students and for the nation as a whole. When raising skills has never been more important to the economy, providing different options for career progression is crucial.

Pat Swift, BAM Nuttall's Director of Human Resources, said: "It is clear from the range of qualifications achieved, by so many employees that as a company we don't see training as a cost to be minimised but an investment to be made wisely which matures over the years. The range and diversity of the qualifications achieved, working with local providers and national agencies, shows clearly that there are qualifications available to suit most individuals and organisations. All those who took part have gained not just a qualification but a sense of self fulfillment and skills that benefit the organisation."

BAM Nuttall Limited recently made a presentation to Mid-Cheshire College BTEC National students, on how the contractor delivers high quality highway maintenance to Cheshire residents. The students spent time assimilating the information and developing presentations of their own. These were attended by Managers from BAM Nuttall Limited.

Inspired by the presentation four students applied for work experience and underwent a rigorous selection process to identify the successful applicant.

BAM Nuttall has worked closely with Mid-Cheshire College for a considerable number of years. The college provides training and development opportunities for many of its employees, and the company in return gives an employer's perspective to their ICT students, which gives depth to their studies.