The 5% Club, the employer-led movement which champions investment in the next generation through workplace training, today announced the appointment of Penny Cobham as its first Director General.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Leo Quinn, the Founder of The 5% Club and Balfour Beatty Chief Executive, said:
“Every young person deserves the chance to learn skills and build a strong career. If Britain is to succeed as a world trade power, business leaders and employers from across all industries must meet that challenge head on with sustained, concerted effort.
“That is why The 5% Club, which today welcomes Brunel University London and ComRes, is increasing its resources with a Steering Board and permanent office. We are delighted that Penny Cobham will be joining us in the new role of Director General.
“With every additional employer who signs The 5% Club charter, we take another step forward in making lifetime skills – and a strong economy – a reality for our young people and help build the British workforce of the future.”
Leo Quinn has also personally donated £40,000, the equivalent to 5% of his salary, to secure the on-going work of The 5% Club and committed to underwrite up to £100,000 of costs while wider fund-raising gets underway.
To read the full story, click here
Media enquiries to:
Antonia Walton
Balfour Beatty
t: +44 (0) 207 963 2150
e: antonia.walton@balfourbeatty.com
For all non-media related enquiries please contact +44 (0)20 7216 6800 or info@balfourbeatty.com
Notes to editors:
- The 5% Club works with UK employers and key influencers to inspire, educate and retain a growing body of people into “earn and learn” placements in order to increase the number of apprentices, sponsored students and graduates. The goal of The 5% Club is to increase the employment and career prospects of today’s youth and equip the UK with the skilled workforce it needs to safeguard Britain’s economy. The 5% Club was launched in 2013.
- Members sign The 5% Club charter. As a member of The 5% Club employers state they are: Committed to helping the UK’s growth agenda and acknowledge the importance of developing people as both a business and social imperative. Playing their part in addressing youth unemployment and skills shortage. Pledging to work towards having a minimum 5% of their UK workforce enrolled on formalised apprentice, sponsored student and/or graduate development schemes within five years. Measuring and reporting on their progress annually against the above metric in their Corporate Social Responsibility section of the Annual Report and Accounts or equivalent document. Committed to encouraging other employers to participate in the campaign.
- The Steering Board for The 5% Club is formed of the Chairman, Leo Quinn, Group Chief Executive, Balfour Beatty; Allan Cook, Chairman, Atkins; Steve Wadey, CEO, QinetiQ; David Armstrong, UK MD, MBDA.
- Membership is free, however going forward the running costs of The 5% Club will be funded by donations from members.
- Balfour Beatty offers a wide variety of opportunities within the Apprenticeship Scheme ranging from intermediate, to advanced, to higher level qualifications. These are suitable for schools leavers and post-A-level students who want to learn and earn on a structured training scheme and gain a nationally recognised qualification. Apprentices have the opportunity to continue their studies to gain a Foundation or Honours Degree while on the scheme at Balfour Beatty.
- Currently, Balfour Beatty employs 270 Apprentices across the UK and recruits around 150 additional Apprentices each year.
- Balfour Beatty is a member of ‘The 5% Club’, a UK industry-led initiative focused on creating momentum behind the recruitment of apprentices and graduates into the workforce.
- Chief Executive Leo Quinn was the founding member of the 5% Club. Balfour Beatty joined in December 2013, the first company in the infrastructure industry to join.
- Balfour Beatty offers a wide variety of opportunities within the Apprenticeship Scheme ranging from intermediate, to advanced, to higher level qualifications. These are suitable for schools leavers and post-A-level students who want to learn and earn on a structured training scheme and gain a nationally recognised qualification. Apprentices have the opportunity to continue their studies to gain a Foundation or Honours Degree while on the scheme at Balfour Beatty.
