Category: Education

The importance of hands-on experience

As we mark National Careers Week (NCW), Stepnell is proud to celebrate the transformational power of hands-on experience and our ongoing commitment to growing future talent. With 20% of our workforce currently made up of trainees, apprentices, and graduates, we know that nurturing new talent is not just beneficial to individuals, it is absolutely essential for the future of the construction industry.

A vital part of our talent strategy involves partnering with local colleges to offer robust industry placements. We provide T-Level students with 45-day work experiences that are evenly split: half their time is spent in the office learning pre-construction, and the other half is spent on-site seeing projects come to fruition in the real world.

Joe, a T-Level student in construction design and surveying at Leamington College who is completing a two-year placement with us, highlighted the importance of this hands-on approach:

Joe, T-Level student at Leamington College says:

“As much as you can learn in a classroom, if you don’t know how to adapt that into the actual workplace, it’s not a whole lot of use”

Praise from Educational Partners

Working closely with educational institutions ensures our placements deliver real value. Louise, who helps T-Level students at Warwickshire College secure and succeed in industry placements, shared her feedback on the impact of our programmes.

Louise, from Warwickshire College Group says:

Louise, Industry Placements Coordinator from Warwickshire College Group says: Experience onsite is really important  to a learners journey, it adds context to all the theory they learn in the classroom. ‘If they can’t see it, they cant be it.’

Stepnell has a really good culture of involving our students, making the work experience come to light. They arrive on site and feel welcome, included, involved and a part of the project.”

A Two-Way Street of Development

These placements do more than just equip students with industry knowledge; they are also instrumental in developing our own team. Jane Suthard, Talent Manager at Stepnell, notes that hosting students helps site managers, trainee site managers, and degree apprentices develop crucial mentoring skills. Colleagues have reported that teaching students about different aspects of the job, such as commercial design and daily operations, helps them become more well-rounded leaders while refining their own communication and management abilities.

Building a Career with Industry-Leading Support and Benefits

As an equal opportunities employer, we are looking for talented people from all walks of life to reflect the diverse communities we work in. We don’t just offer placements; we offer a supportive environment backed by an award-winning scope of training and support.

Stepnell is proud to be an Investors in People Gold accredited business and a RoSPA Gold Medal winner, reflecting our deep investment in the continued professional development of our employees. When you join Stepnell, you benefit from a wide range of industry-leading features designed to help you thrive:

• Comprehensive Wellbeing Support: Access to an Employee Assistance Programme and dedicated mental health first aiders.
• Career Growth: A structured Leadership Development Programme, continuous professional development, and regular check-ins with line management.
• Recognition and Reward: Performance management, Annual Employee Awards, and Living Our Values Awards.
• Work-Life Balance: Options like a holiday buying scheme, flexible Employee improvements working groups, and additional annual leave for long service.
• Social Value: Opportunities to give back with two volunteering days per employee, allowing our team to engage in community volunteering, support schools, and mentor the next generation.

Whether you are a young person seeking industry experience, a career changer bringing existing skills into construction, Stepnell has a place for you. Explore our latest work experience, apprenticeship, and trainee opportunities. https://stepnell.jobs.people-first.com/jobs/search