A spotlight on Kier Group PLC

 A spotlight on Kier Group PLC -  Jenna Richardson, AFF Employment and Training Specialist   

Could you work for one of the UK’s leading construction companies? Quite simply, the answer is yes.   

While you may not have heard of the company itself, you are likely to have heard of HS2, the Luton DART or Hinckley Point C nuclear power station, and it’s quite likely they may have built a school or hospital local to you. Kier Group’s purpose is to sustainably deliver infrastructure across the UK and to achieve this, employs around 13,000 people. 

I caught up with Max Deans, Employer Brand Co-ordinator, at Kier Group, who told me more about the business. He explained: “We are working on projects across the UK and have a network of offices, which means we have a national reach with talented and local people working in their local communities.”   

You would be forgiven for thinking construction is only about hard hats and hi-vis vests, but Max assures me that this is not the case. He says: “While we do have those traditional construction roles that come up routinely, the construction industry is rapidly changing, and we now have a range of roles connected to digital innovation and sustainability. It is also important to remember that we have support function across the Group, which includes finance, human resources, procurement, IT, health and safety, and administration which we need to recruit for.”  

Kier Group is also very proud to offer an apprenticeship scheme. There is a common misconception that apprenticeships are only open to 16 to 25-year-olds, but this is not true – you can become an apprentice at any age. Max explains: “We have lots of opportunities for Level 2/3 qualifications where we offer study in things like civil engineering, quantity surveying, business administration, highways maintenance and construction management, to name just a few.”  

Kier Group also offers degree apprenticeships (Level 6) in civil engineering, quantity surveying and construction management in collaboration with their partner universities. This offers the chance to earn while you learn and get a degree with work experience, but without the debt that is usually associated with degree-level study.  

As an FFJ registered employer, Kier Group is a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, which means that it understands the difficulties that military spouses and family members can face. Max explained: “We have strategies and policies in place to provide additional support for military family members. This ranges from agile working arrangements and flexible leave, to support with the recruitment process to overcome the challenges there.” For more information about Kier Group, check out their website: www.kier.co.uk.  

To find out more about opportunities with Kier, visit their employer profile on FFJ.