Reading-based Thames Water say they'll recruit a thousand people
Company says recruitment programme will create jobs in the Thames Valley and London
Last updated 27th Jan 2021
Berkshire-based Thames Water say they plan to recruit more than a thousand people this year. The company - which has its head office in Reading - say they plan to upskill people who are out of work due to Covid-19, and create jobs in London and the Thames Valley.
It describes its recruitment programme as "ambitious".
Thames Water say they will triple its apprenticeship offer, support 50 unemployed young people as part of the government’s Kickstart Scheme and launch sector work-based academies in partnership with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
Sarah Bentley, Thames Water chief executive, said
“The ongoing pandemic means it’s a really tough situation for many people who have lost their jobs and are looking for work. In these difficult times, reaching out to areas of society who have been most affected is the right thing to do.
“We know having a diverse, inclusive and engaged workforce benefits our customers, communities and business. I’m proud of what we’ve done already as an essential service to help those in need and we will continue to create many more opportunities for people to build their careers at Thames Water to help us achieve our plans.”
Thames Water pledges in 2021:
- support the government’s Kickstart Scheme by creating 50 placements for 16-24-year olds who are unemployed and on Universal Credit. The placements, starting in February 2021, will be hosted across the business for 26 weeks and will give young people the opportunity to gain experience in the water industry.
- work with DWP on its sector-based work academy programme. This involves offering training for its customer experience roles in Swindon and exploring other opportunities for sector-based academies in other locations.
- encourage and provide opportunities for young people who’ve been in care and people with convictions to work in the sector after signing the Care Leavers Covenant and Ban the Box pledge. Thames Water is working on further initiatives to improve the diversity of its workforce and will enhance its education programme with local secondary and SEND schools.
- expand lifelong learning opportunities within the business by providing apprenticeships and qualifications in management, data analysis, engineering and customer service to its current and future workforce. The company is also offering new and existing employees digital, literacy and numeracy training, to remove any barriers to career progression.
- work with the London Progression Collaboration to share its apprenticeship levy with SMEs and other social enterprise projects, to help them recover from the impact of Covid-19.
- launch its first shared apprenticeship scheme, working in collaboration with its supply chain to build skills across the utility sector.
Visit Thames Water's careers page for more information about job opportunities at Thames Water: https://www.thameswater.co.uk/about-us/careers