Building the next generation: Introducing the Foundation Programme

Aimed at new joiners with little to no industry or management experience, the Foundation Programme focuses on helping the next generation find its career path and enjoy a long and successful career in construction.

The programme was established to address the ongoing industry skill shortage, but also after Chris Booth, group managing director at Overbury and Morgan Lovell, analysed the demographics of the division's employees back in 2013.

Chris comments: “I realised that we had a real imbalance with an ageing workforce – 45% of our employees were over 45, and only 3% were aged under 24, and although our older employees are highly skilled, it’s important to bring in and nurture young talent for succession. As such, I employed a training and development manager to implement a programme to encourage the younger generation into the business. We now have the Foundation Programme in place, and our percentage of employees aged under 24 has risen to 8%, and is continuing to increase.”

The programme has been structured to provide training and workplace experience, introducing participants to 'design and build' and/or traditional fit out projects. 'Foundationers' are offered the chance to work in all aspects of the business, touching on every point of a project’s lifecycle.

The first year of the programme focuses on understanding the sector and business, and developing critical business skills such as communication and problem solving. Year two sees the 'Foundationers' expand their technical knowledge and gain a deeper insight into how Overbury and Morgan Lovell approach delivering a great fit out experience as they move toward a chosen area of specialism. Mentors are on hand to provide advice on all aspects of the job and a ‘buddy’ system is in place for day-to-day support.

Nick Faith, training and development manager for Overbury and Morgan Lovell, comments: “We are looking for better ways to approach the next generation to attract more school leavers and graduates to a career in construction and fit out. We actively pursue this group, rather than waiting for them to come to us. I firmly believe that the best way to do this is by meeting them, inviting them to site to see what we do and offering work experience, internships or industrial placement years to see if the fit is right for both parties. This makes our approach more personal and a lot more targeted.

“Once they’ve joined, the programme acts as a framework that can be tailored to the individual depending on their point of entry. The framework of rotations and continued professional development runs alongside a structured internal two year curriculum. We want those who join the programme to have a long and successful career so it’s important that we give them the opportunities and tools they need to find their path in the business.

“We are delighted with the progress made since the Foundation Programme began and it is great to see our 'Foundationers' working on some of the largest fit out projects in the UK. We see this programme as a strategic step in developing a sustainable talent pipeline, and believe that it provides a strong platform to take advantage of the government’s commitment to encourage a greater uptake of higher and degree level apprenticeships.”

Find out more about the next intake on our careers page »