Wates are accredited with the Quality Mark

Wates Group leads the way in developing and retaining talent

Wates Group is the first construction company to achieve the National Council for Work Experience (NCWE) Quality Mark for its outstanding practice in work experience.

It is one of only 13 companies to have met the stringent criteria. By achieving the award it has proven that it is at the forefront of developing and retaining undergraduate talent, having demonstrated its commitment to an external Board. The Quality Mark will facilitate the company in attracting the best graduates.

Kristine Sheehan, Graduate Recruitment and Training Manager at Wates Group commented: “Developing talent to maintain the company’s success and ensure future growth is intrinsic to the Wates Group culture. Gaining the quality mark has provided us with external recognition for the quality of our placement programme. The benchmarking and feedback will help us to improve our scheme further and continue to generate the high quality employees needed to help us out of the current economic turmoil.”

Organisations that offer quality work placements elevate the skill levels of young people entering the workforce and help improve global competitiveness.The NCWE Quality Mark raises standards of work experience and provides employers with the opportunity to benchmark their current programme, share best practice across a range of industry sectors as well as take a more strategic view of their relationships within higher education.

Heather Collier, Director at the NCWE comments: “We are pleased to see Wates Group flying the flag for the construction sector in the development and retention of talent. We would like to see more companies demonstrating their commitment to the future of our workforce by offering valuable work experience.”

To receive the accreditation, companies must submit a written application against a comprehensive assessment criteria and be visited by an external assessor. The criteria tests all aspects of employer work experience programmes including recruitment procedures, induction, support, evaluation and monitoring. Final recommendations are decided by the Quality Mark Board, which is made up of five external work-based learning experts.The accreditation lasts three years, after which employers can reapply.

Organisations interested in finding out more can visit Quality Mark or contact Rachel Wood-Harper on T: 0161 277 5215 or E: r.wood-harper@prospects.ac.uk