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Amey has announced it is taking responsible action to address the industry’s widening skills gap through the implementation of strategic social recruitment initiatives.
With 14 per cent of new recruits across the whole business coming from individuals facing barriers to work, Amey says it is setting an “industry-leading standard” by attracting and cultivating diverse talent, harnessing their untapped skillset, whilst meeting the sectors growing demands.
The FM sector is increasingly facing a need for specialised skills to ensure vital public services can continue to operate. There is also a growing need to redefine the skills required to tackle emerging challenges such as decarbonisation and climate resilience.
In response, Amey has forged partnerships with third-party organisations, charitable bodies, and public departments such as the Department for Work and Pensions, Forces Employment Charity and New Futures Network to fill these critical roles. The business is using these relationships to ensure at least six per cent of all FM recruits are from targeted groups like care leavers, prison leavers, ex-Veterans, long term unemployed or other disadvantaged backgrounds.
Over the past 18 months, Amey has successfully launched several initiatives aimed at bridging this gap. Notable programs include ‘Service to Success,’ which offers a direct employment pathway for those in their military resettlement period, Headstart which supports young people aged 16 – 28 by providing them with training and employment opportunities, and Journey to Work which maps live roles within Amey to prison sites across the country.
In 2025 Amey will expand these initiatives, broadening the Headstart offering for Care-leaver candidates and working alongside the 10,000 Interns Foundation to enhance the business’s multi-cultural intake.
Stephanie Johnson, People Director for Amey, said: “We recognise that to be a sustainable and successful business we need to diversify. Many disadvantaged groups in the UK face barriers to employment and this represents missed opportunities both for individuals and the wider economy. Social recruitment can help bridge these gaps. It promotes diversity, inclusion, and social progression, while addressing workforce shortages. Amey is proud of the work we have delivered in this space, and we look forward to creating more opportunities to help address economic and workforce inequality in our industry.”
