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30/09/2005 - gf tomlinson promotes equal opportunities

One of the main challenges facing the BCP is to deliver social added value to the City of Birmingham, through the provision of employment opportunities for local people.

Ideally, at the same time we are looking to develop a workforce that is truly representative of the cultural diversity that exists within the City. This means providing opportunity and encouraging applicants from under-represented groups in the Construction Industry.

GF Tomlinson have had a great deal of success in breaking down the barriers in this area and have recruited over 20 new employees in various roles such as Contracts Managers, Site Managers, Quantity Surveyors and Customer Liaison Officers, which have included recruits from these under represented groups. We are also recruiting apprentices and trainees to work on the BCP and therefore our campaign is targeted at encouraging applications from school leavers, graduates or young people looking for a career in construction.

GF Tomlinson’s most recent appointment is Leanne Burden in the role of Site Manager. Leanne has worked her way up from a trade apprenticeship, achieving NVQ level 1,2,3 followed by a Diploma in Site Management from the ‘Chartered Institute of Building’. Leanne is currently overseeing her first project on the BCP which is the £1.3m Audley Infant and Junior School, where her responsibilities include ensuring Health and Safety is managed on site, overseeing the smooth running of the project, managing over 20 site staff, liaising with clients, end users, consultants and suppliers and ensuring the project is delivered to a high quality on time and within budget.

Asked why she chose a career in the Construction Industry, Leanne explains “All of my family work in construction on various trades and it was my father who actively encouraged me to take up a trade apprenticeship”. Leanne goes on to say “There are no real barriers to overcome for women joining construction as long as you are good at your job you should be able to fulfil the goals you set out to achieve. I am really pleased to get the opportunity to work within the BCP and feel I can learn so much from my involvement in this unique collaborative framework”.

Regional Director, Peter Hood commented “ Through the opportunities presented by the BCP, GF Tomlinson have been very proactive in encouraging more applicants from under represented groups within the local community to join our workforce in order that we achieve a greater diversity and select from a wider pool of talent, that previously may have been untapped. We are therefore delighted to have Leanne join our team”.

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