Helix Group was visited by MP for Newbury Laura Farris last month, as the company secured a Certificate of Commendation for Investment in Training from the West Berkshire Training Consortium.
Berkshire-born Farris, elected in December 2019, was shown around the contractor’s headquarters in Greenham Business Park and introduced to trainees within the company. She met with Oliver Pearce, management trainee; Sinead Anns-Null, business administration apprentice; and Ryan Kidney, kickstart apprentice.
Farris said: “It was a pleasure to visit Helix and meet Sinead, Ollie and Ryan – three different types of trainees developing skills and experience across the sector. I may be biased, but apprenticeships are one of the things that Newbury does best!”
Anns-Null said: “A great part of being in an apprenticeship at an SME is that I’ve been able to get a range of experience from across the business. I’m especially enjoying finance and design. I feel like I’m in a situation where I am supported to choose what direction I want to go in.”
Farris was also able to present the team with the Certificate of Commendation that Helix had recently been awarded at West Berkshire Training Consortium’s 2021 Investment in Training Awards.
The award comes as the company has sought opportunities to help tackle the skills crisis in the UK construction industry and youth unemployment head-on by hiring apprentices and trainees. Recent steps taken by Helix include offering an Internship to a University of Reading student and delivering guest lectures to the University of Westminster and Newbury College.
Claire Richards, executive director of West Berkshire Training Consortium, said: “We are delighted to award the Certificate of Commendation to Helix Group. They are an excellent example of an employer who, having considered the advantages of the Apprenticeship Scheme, put real time and effort into setting up a successful programme. By supporting their trainees, they are investing the future of the company.”
Farris invited the company to participate in her next annual jobs fair in which local companies, such as Vodaphone, showcase and deliver workshops to 16-18-year-olds across the constituency. As Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Environment, Farris also had a passionate discussion about ecological building solutions with Helix Group’s managing directors.
The constructor has become a go-to environmental specialist in the South East with experience installing air and ground source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels and working to meet and exceed Future Homes standards across its projects.
