GMI Construction Group PLC

GMI Construction Group has been awarded Gold accredited membership via The 5% Club’s Employer Audit Scheme.

This award recognises the significant contribution it has made to the continued development of employees through “earn and learn” schemes.

One of the largest independent construction companies in the North of England and the Midlands, GMI Construction Group has long championed apprenticeships as a way of encouraging young people into the industry.

The 5% Club is made up of more than 900 companies which represent 1.6m employees, 101,000 of whom are in ‘earn and learn’ schemes. The UK employer-led charity inspires and educates businesses and organisations to take positive action for increased, inclusive, and accessible workplace training for all.

Its 2023/24 Employer Audit is a unique scheme which validates the employers’ activities, explores their future plans and commitments, as well as examining their approaches to quality, social mobility, diversity and inclusion.

From an impressive list of 180 members, GMI Construction Group was one of 120 to meet the Gold Standard.

As well as offering and promoting apprenticeships in levels 2 to 6 in such disciplines as quantity surveying, technical construction, procurement, corporate responsibility, design, HR and the built environment, earlier this year four GMI apprentices joined Leeds City Council’s Apprenticeship Ambassador Programme, visiting schools across the city, speaking to students at career fairs, assemblies, and attending classroom advice sessions and in 2024, four new GMI apprentices will be selected.

As a signatory of the Care Leaver Covenant, it has also launched its own bespoke Construction Cares Programme, delivering employment opportunities and employability support, including a three day DIY programme offering care leavers hands-on experience and training in construction-related jobs. The initiative, which has already resulted on one care leaver joining as an apprentice, was piloted in Birmingham and Manchester and is to be rolled next in York and the North East.

Claire Preston, head of responsible business at GMI Construction Group, which has offices in Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, and Teesside, said: “Many organisations aspire to have 5% of their workforce in ‘earn and learn’ schemes, so to have already exceeded that figure is testament to GMI’s commitment and determination to bridge the skills gap and encourage a more inclusive and diverse workforce.”

Mark Cameron OBE, Chief Executive at The 5% Club said, “Our Employer Audit scheme recognises the efforts of all those employers who invest in their workforce through a broad range of workplace learning schemes.

“It is fantastic that in these challenging times so many are able to commit to the Employer Audit and to gain the credit for their efforts, and that the majority are striving to expand their schemes over the coming years.”

ENDS

News release issued on behalf of GMI Construction Group PLC.

For further information contact Andrew Douglas on 01325 363436

Photo Caption: Caption (L-R): GMI apprentices Josh Davis and George Johnston celebrate the company achieving Gold membership of The 5% Club

Notes to editor

About GMI Construction Group

GMI Construction Group PLC is an established and successful UK contractor and construction services company providing specialist design and build capabilities spanning multiple sectors.

Founded in 1986, the independent company has a proven track record for the delivery of high quality, energy efficient, often complicated projects from inception to completion with a strong focus on innovation and technology.

It operates across multiple sectors and markets including commercial offices, mixed-use buildings, residential, retail, education, distribution and logistics, manufacturing, hotels, and leisure.

Driven by strong core values, its focus is on exceeding customers to leave a positive legacy in the communities we serve, protecting the environment for the future generation and promoting a safe and inclusive workplace for our colleagues.

https://gmi.co.uk/

About The 5% Club

The 5% Club works with UK employers and key influencers to inspire positive action for increased and accessible workplace learning, focused primarily on the number of apprentices, sponsored students and graduates employed. The goal of 

The 5% Club is to increase the employment and career prospects of today’s youth and equip the UK with the skilled workforce it needs to safeguard Britain’s economy. The 5% Club was launched in 2013.

Members sign The 5% Club charter. As a member of The 5% Club, employers state they are: Committed to helping the UK’s growth agenda and acknowledge the importance of developing people as both a business and social imperative; Playing their part in addressing youth unemployment and skills shortage; Pledging to work towards having a minimum 5% of their UK workforce enrolled on formalised apprentice, sponsored student and/or graduate development schemes within five years; Measuring and reporting on their progress annually against the above metric in their Corporate Social Responsibility section of the Annual Report and Accounts or equivalent document; Committed to encouraging other employers to participate in the campaign.

Membership of The 5% Club numbers more than 900 organisations from across a broad range of sectors as well as size of company, including large corporations as well as SMEs. The total number of employees represented is now more than 1.6m, with circa 101,00 in “earn & learn” schemes.

For further information contact Mark Cameron (mark.cameron@5percentclub.org.uk) 07981 490776 or Gill Cronin (gill.cronin@5percentc;ub.org.uk) 07970 673975

https://www.5percentclub.org.uk/