Student-engineer programme hailed as a great success
A student-engineer training programme, born at a time when the building industry was cutting back on training, is producing top-quality professionals able to take significant responsibility for major building-services projects almost immediately.
The programme, which takes young people aged 16 to 22 and trains them as mechanical or electrical engineers and acts as a technical foundation for commercial and surveying trainees, is a partnership between building-services company Haden Young Ltd and Liverpool Community College.
Student engineers spend four years undergoing a mixture of formal education,self-study, personal development, work experience and formal company-based training. The programme is delivered at college using actual full-size construction projects, with student engineers working in teams, whose performance is assessed jointly by the college and the company.
Student engineers obtain the National Certificate in Building Services Engineering (BSE) after two years – when surveying and commercial trainees join a degree course – and HNC or preferably HND in BSE and IOSH Managing Safely certificate after four years.
Haden Young, based in Watford, Hertfordshire, employs around 1,600 people,spread around the UK. An Investor in People and winner of numerous Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents awards for health and safety performance, the company was named Major Mechanical and Electrical contractor at the Building Services Awards in 2001 and 2002 – the first organization to win in consecutive years. In both years the company’s commitment to training was highlighted as a key factor. The firm employs three people in full-time training roles, including a dedicated health and safety training manager.
“Haden Young reduced its historical training level by some 25 per cent during the construction-industry slump of the late 1980s, and was finding increasing difficulty in maintaining a consistent quality of training for what were then known as technician apprentices,” said Roy Bowdler, Haden Young training manager.
“Day-release courses in building-services engineering were being offered at a declining number of colleges because of lack of support from other employers. Haden Young’s ability to support and influence programmes was limited by the small number of students in each college. A survey of line managers by the then training manager revealed that newly qualified engineers were of a variable standard, with only the very best meeting expectations. Analysis of the company’s own age-profile data, and information from trade associations and other industry bodies, indicated that when the industry recession eased there would be severe skill shortages, particularly of younger engineers.”
The programme was established to provide “quality, thinking building-services engineers” who were able to operate in project-management or design roles.
The learning takes place through a blend of formal education, self study,personal development, work experience and formal company-based training. Each of the elements interlinks and overlaps to develop overall capability.
During each year the trainee spends:
A total of 12-13 weeks at college on a residential basis, in blocks of four to six weeks.
At least one week on a residential company formal training course.
The remainder of the year on structured work experience of increasing responsibility. During this period, there is also a substantial requirement for individual study and project work on real projects in real buildings, ready to be presented at the next college block.
Roy Bowdler said: “At the inception of the programme, engineers who completed a technician apprenticeship were generally able to operate only in junior roles, under significant supervision. It was considered quite normal for several years to elapse before they were allowed to take significant responsibility. In contrast, trainees completing the student-engineer programme are normally able to take significant responsibility almost immediately. This enhances their earning potential, career progress and attractiveness to other organizations. The initial cost of the programme is higher but there is a payback in enhanced performance later.”
Haden Young regularly surveys its customers through market research. Staff attitude, skill and commitment are continually cited as key strengths in the eyes of customers. This supports a part of the company’s business strategy enabling it to compete for work of the highest quality and greatest difficulty. Extra skill and experience are of real value to customers in such situations.
It is estimated that overall investment by the company in the programme is close to £2 million. If salaries were included, the figure would be higher,but most trainees soon achieve a level of productivity commensurate with their salary. In return, the company has been able successfully to differentiate itself from competitors. Profits have increased steadily over the last five years.
“The programme has more than met its original objective of providing a pool of highly skilled professionals,” Roy Bowdler commented. “In addition, the evolved objectives of supporting a business strategy designed be customer focused and making the company the most skilful organization in its field have also been met.”
