Princess Royal Training Award for Crest Nicholson

In recognition of its internal training programme, which is aimed at tackling the building industry skills gap, national housebuilder Crest Nicholson has been commended by the 2018 Princess Royal Training Award, an accolade for UK employers that have created lasting impact in staff training and development.

The company was awarded for ‘Tackling Sector Skills Gap’ with its Delivering Professional Excellence training initiative, which now sees 19% of Crest Nicholson’s team members now on a formal learning and career development plan. Since its inception in 2014, it has seen success on a number of fronts, including a rise in staff retention. An increasing number of female employees across the graduate and apprenticeship schemes is also a result of this award-winning initiative.

Anthony Wilkinson, head of talent development at Crest Nicholson, is seeing 88% employees undertaking annual skills review with their line manager, and he is delighted that the housebuilder’s dedication to staff career progression has been recognised.

He says: “This award embodies our commitment. We decided to launch the Delivering Professional Excellence initiative to ensure everyone at Crest Nicholson could access appropriate career development opportunities.

“Learning and development in the housebuilding industry is more important than ever as we’re facing the biggest skills gap we ever had in the industry. As a housebuilder we have a duty to support in solving this gap. One key short-term solution is ensuring those already in the industry are able to have the opportunities to discuss how they can upskill in their current role.

“We must also continue to attract new talent for our graduate, apprenticeship, trainee and work placement programmes – showcasing the diversity and inclusivity that a career in new homebuilding can bring.”

Chris Jones, group chief executive at the Princess Royal Training Awards, says: “Congratulations to all 48 organisations who have achieved the Princess Royal Training Awards standard of excellence this year. Once again, it is evidence of the very real benefits that investing in staff development can bring to employers, large and small, private, public and not-for-profit.

“At a time of increasing economic uncertainty and reduced investment into workforce development it is great to see critical business issues being addressed through learning and development  investments. Through the Awards we highlight excellent examples of training that have already proved to be effective and we encourage others to build on their success.”