Just one year on from its launch, the HomeServe Foundation – the registered charity arm of home repairs and improvements company HomeServe Plc – has announced it has secured Grosvenor Facilities Management (GFM), a UK leading provider of facilities management and integrated services for businesses, as a new strategic partner.
Through the new partnership, the organisations will work together on several key initiatives furthering the Foundation’s mission to support the growth of the UK’s skills, capacity and experience and help to solve the SME trade skill shortage.
Harrogate headquartered GFM will also become one of the first recipients of a Future Skills Award, a new recognition programme aimed at celebrating those individuals and businesses – small and large – who are champions for the apprenticeship and skills agenda in the UK.
Since its launch in 2020, the HomeServe Foundation has become recognised and established as a leader in campaigning for and helping to deliver trades apprenticeships in the UK.
It works with big and small businesses, training providers, politicians, policy makers and interest groups to further its goal of helping create an additional 25,000 trades apprentices by 2023.
Helen Booth, director of the HomeServe Foundation, said: “It’s been an incredible first year for the Foundation. We’ve worked to raise awareness about the UK’s skills gap and the need for trades apprenticeships, we’ve worked with politicians to improve the conditions for trades businesses to take on apprentices, and we’ve encouraged and supported those trades businesses to take the plunge.
“And now, at the end of our first year, we’re celebrating not only a new partnership that will contribute significantly to our goals, but also recognising a worthy recipient of a Future Skills Award.”
The Foundation’s Domestic Trade Skills Index – released earlier this year – shows that 1.25million extra construction trades workers are needed by 2030 and this includes 305,000 qualified construction trades apprentices.
“Investment in skills through apprenticeships is critical to the UK’s economic recovery and working in partnership with enlightened organisations like GFM, we believe we can make a big and positive impact,” added Helen.
Jo Bonwick, chief operating officer of GFM, added: “GFM is an apprentice employer, and we believe in developing young people into their careers through hands on experience and a hard work ethic. We are also committed to ensuring that unused Apprenticeship Levy we pay is redistributed to small businesses.
“We’re delighted to not only become a partner of the HomeServe Foundation but also to be one of the first recipients of a Future Skills Award.
“We are aligned with the Foundation’s mission, and we will be able to make a strong contribution to the great work they are doing. We look forward seeing what we can achieve together.”