As a family business with a deep-rooted commitment to serving people and communities, passing on skills and developing new talent is very much part of our culture.
As well as having a continuous development programme for all employees, our long-standing apprenticeship programme has been instrumental in helping us reach and retain employees of the future. Like proud parents, we’ve watched people from all backgrounds with different skill sets, flourish and grow as they learn a whole new set of skills, ultimately becoming fully qualified.
While some of our apprentices have flown the MCP nest after qualifying, many have stayed with us and over the years they have become valuable team leaders, supervisors and directors – many now help to mentor new apprentices throughout their learning.
As well as helping us to future-proof our business, apprentices bring with them lots of energy and fresh ideas that often have lasting effects on our business. In addition, with vacancies in the construction and maintenance industries currently at an all time high, we know that investing in apprenticeships helps to ensure that we can continue to deliver a top quality service to our customers.
Seeking out hidden talent in the community
As an equal opportunities employer, MCP offers apprenticeships to people from all backgrounds. We work with Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) so that we can access and educate students in local schools about apprenticeships and the work opportunities available to them as they prepare to leave school.
In addition to recruiting apprentices through our partnerships and local community groups, we’ve also recruited apprentices through our support of charities such as teenage cancer charity, Teens Unite, and Herts Young Homeless. We also work with Career Transition Partnership (CTP), giving apprenticeship opportunities to ex-services personnel.
MCP has also partnered with Amazing Apprenticeships, a leading organisation in the education sector that provides information and resources to schools, colleges and employers from across all sectors. As well as promoting the benefits of apprenticeships, it also addresses any misconceptions, and offers a gateway to events and new apprenticeship opportunities.
MCP and VolkerWessels UK co-host speed careers networking event
Among many local recruitment events that we host annually, on 9th February this year, coinciding with National Apprenticeship Week 2022, MCP Property Services joined leading multidisciplinary contractor, VolkerWessels UK, to host a fantastic speed careers event at their Hoddesdon offices for Year 11 students from the local Rivers School.
With the help of the Rivers Education Support Centre, a unique organisation that works with children who have had difficulties with learning in mainstream schools, the event gave the students the opportunity to learn about the different types of apprenticeships available from both MCP and VolkerWessels UK, as well as offer careers advice, followed by a Q&A session.
It was a great day that was full of enthusiasm from the students and all of the teams involved. By working together, our organisations showed the students how apprenticeships work; how they can learn specific skills through hands-on learning and classroom-based learning, and how this way of learning could enable them to achieve a national qualification whilst earning money at the same time.
MCP apprenticeships include Business Administration, or general trades; Electrical, Plumbing, Carpentry. The most important focus for us is to attract people with good values and a good attitude. Even if people have little or no experience, we encourage them to take part in our work experience programme where we can uncover their unique talents and guide them through a choice of apprenticeships.
High praise from The High Sheriff of Hertfordshire
MCP was very honoured to receive a visit last November from Charles Cecil DL, Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, who came to learn more about our Apprenticeship Programme which has trained and employed local people for many years.
Hertfordshire LEP and the Lieutenancy actively work to improve the number and quality of apprenticeship opportunities in Hertfordshire. Lord Charles praised the work that we do to reach young people from all backgrounds to expertly train them, support them and help them achieve qualification whilst earning.
Lord Charles had the opportunity to meet and chat with three of our current apprentices who are employed in various roles across our business.
