We are delighted to welcome Martyn Price MBE as our new head of workforce development.
He will work with colleagues across VGC to plan how we will develop our workforce’s skills. This will allow us to meet our clients’ requirements, and help to secure VGC’s ongoing success.
Martyn’s first project is a review of training processes, matched to an assessment of the future skills needs of our sector. This will include defining essential job roles for the future construction and rail industry.
He will also advise how people can develop their careers, including learning through relevant apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships for the future
The World Economic Forum predicts that around 65 percent of future job roles don’t exist today. VGC already runs a successful apprenticeship programme. However, we will need appropriate apprenticeships for some of the roles which are newer to the industry.
For these roles, Martyn will work with partner organisations to develop new apprenticeship standards. This will include liaison with the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) which funds apprenticeships, if they are approved by IFATE (Institute For Apprenticeships and Technical Education).
Group services director Ciara Pryce said: “We are looking at our skills set as a whole for all our people at VGC. People are central to our success, and Martyn’s appointment is an exciting opportunity for us to enhance our life-long learning and career progression pathways.”
“We are going to develop the qualifications of the future,” said Laurence Mckidd, managing director. “By preparing to meet our clients’ future skills needs, we are ensuring we can continue to grow and succeed as a business.”
As chair of the Cross-Industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force (CCATF), and with experience of contributing to three previous new standards (carpentry, civil engineering and plant), Martyn is the ideal person to make sure VGC achieves our ambitions.
He has played a key role on industry and government boards including the CITB and the government’s Apprenticeship Ambassador Network. Recently he was engaged by the Department for Education to develop the new T level pathway for construction. He has also been appointed to the Skills for Londoners Construction Steering Group in support of the Mayor of London’s Construction Academy. In 2012 Her Majesty the Queen awarded him an MBE to recognise his services to vocational skills.