Paul Thornton
Talent acquisition director, Kier
"There is a special kind of feeling experienced by people who get home at the end of their working day knowing they have made a difference.
Those of us who have felt it already will seek it out again and again, while it’s at the forefront of the minds of those yet to even start their journeys in the working world.
A survey released by the BBC earlier this year found that ‘feeling good about what you do’ is the most important factor in mind for teenagers as they look ahead to starting work. We will always look for financial stability, for happiness and for a sense of community in our jobs, whatever the sector we work in – but the ability to offer true meaning isn’t something everyone can do.
After years in the construction sector, I know for a fact that we can.
As a recruitment professional, with more than 20 years' experience, I also know that there has never been a more important time for us to share that knowledge with those who may not yet understand what it means to work in our industry.
The latest estimates from the Construction Industry Training Board predict that we need another 49,000 people each year – and as we look forward to a renewed focus on building across the UK, these people are needed quickly in order to deliver the vital infrastructure the country needs.
These kinds of figures underline the importance of the work recruitment teams are doing to attract and retain the people who will support a huge pipeline of work both now and in the coming years, including Kier’s £11bn order book. To bring people into these important jobs – or to any kind of jobs – you have to show them why they will find the role they are applying to rewarding.
Recently we have launched a campaign to show everyone – not just potential recruits, but the communities we interact with every day – the value the construction industry brings to our society and the positive and rewarding impact our people have.
It’s so easy to think about construction in terms of the building process – and there are stories to be told about the variety of skills needed and careers on offer. But, this campaign is designed to encourage people to think not just about what they see when the hoardings come down, but about the difference our projects make to the people who make them possible and the communities they bring life to.
Hospitals, schools, roads which connect us, the water from our taps, the energy which powers our lives – it is quite simply impossible to go through a day without seeing the impact construction workers have on the communities in which they work.
From my personal point of view, I have lovely reminders every day of the impact Kier had on my life even before I worked here. Both of my daughters were born at the hospital where Kier runs facilities management. Later they attended the local primary school we built just a short distance away. Knowing the difference my company has made to my family makes me genuinely proud to come into work in the morning, and whenever I hear about the completion of one of our projects, seeing the same pride on the faces of colleagues who made it happen is a fantastic feeling – one which I’m so lucky to be able to relate to.
Getting out onto our sites is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job. From visiting a new school we are building, to maintaining the road network or developing a water recycling centre, I love meeting the brilliant people who are designing, building and managing these projects. I often meet with people who are so happy and full of my pride with what they do that it fills me with energy and enthusiasm.
That impact is something that is vital to our mission to make Kier a place where everyone feels they can belong, contribute and thrive. The results of our latest ‘Your Voice’ employee survey shows the progress we are making – with the top three emotions our people feel about working at Kier being happy, valued and committed – and I truly believe that’s a result of the rewarding nature of our work and the breadth of roles and challenges we can offer to people to help them learn and grow.
Over the coming months we’ll be sharing just a few of the incredible stories about Kier’s people and the vital work they do. I hope you’re able to see the same pride on their faces that I do – and I hope it inspires some of you to join them."