Trying to attract young people into the precast industry has always been a challenge as we had no clear development pathway for candidates to follow. The main areas we wanted to address throughout the apprenticeship were, Health & Safety, Quality Management and Production Management.

When we engaged with Derby University, we found them very receptive to the idea of creating a precast module that could t into an existing Higher Level Apprenticeship programme. Going forward, we have created a range of excellent career opportunities in conjunction with Derby University to attract new talent into the sector that can earn as they learn, completing their university degree while obtaining valuable work-life experience, without excessive student loan debts.

Apprenticeships through Derby University Mark Roberts, Despatch / Yard Manager, FPMcCann, shares his motivations behind enrolling on the programme:

“I am currently in the first year of the programme and enjoying working through the core Workplace Health and Safety, Operational Management and Sustainability Modules. As a mature student and single father, time management is the biggest challenge I face, however, the programme leader and lecturing team are always available to offer support and guidance. Although I am 27 years into my career, I am relatively new to the industry; so gaining a vocational qualification whilst in parallel gaining valuable experience from industry experts was important to me.”