Based at the contractor's Mansfield office, the academy provides dedicated facilities for training and developing its people, giving trainees the technical skills and practical experience needed to progress their careers.
The academy has welcomed its next intake of 12 apprentices from September, with training sessions expected to be delivered four to six times per year to support a consistent pipeline of new talent into the business.
Colin Brown, training and development manager from Miller Knight, said: “Investing in people has always been an important part of Miller Knight, and the academy gives us the opportunity to build on that in a much more structured way.
“We want apprentices to come into the business with a strong understanding of the technical skills they need, but also the confidence to put those skills into practice.
“The training is deliberately intensive. There is a lot of technical information to take on board, but combining the theory with several days of practical training means apprentices can really understand how that knowledge translates into the work they will be doing.
“As we continue to grow, it is important that we are creating that pipeline of skilled people ourselves. The academy gives us a greater capacity to do that, while giving apprentices a clear opportunity to develop a long-term career with Miller Knight.”
The programme provides an intensive introduction to the technical and practical requirements of the role, with a focus on passive fire protection installations. Apprentices spend two days developing their theoretical knowledge before completing three days of practical training during the training week, followed by six site-based modules, which are aimed to be completed over six months.
The theoretical element is assessed through an exam, while the practical training culminates in a demonstration in which apprentices are required to install basic fire-stopping seals in line with a tested detail drawing and to the required standard within a set timeframe.
With training covering passive fire protection installations, the academy is designed to give apprentices a strong technical foundation from the outset, while providing Miller Knight with a structured way to identify, develop and retain future talent.
The academy builds on an established approach to developing talent within Miller Knight, with the company continuing to recruit trainees on an ongoing basis, with successful trainees progressing from the initial training week onto site to complete the six site-based modules.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
.gif)
