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Winner

Today, it is still usually a period of four years, but takes the form of the Modern Apprenticeship system, with three distinct career paths: office apprenticeships in engineering or surveying, workshop apprenticeships in ductwork manufacture and site apprenticeships in ductwork installation. But what really makes Hotchkiss stand out is that, once it has a trainee, it is loath to let them go. Impressively, between 80% and 90% of Hotchkiss鈥� employees have been through its apprenticeship scheme, including the contracts director and works manager. It wouldn鈥檛 be surprising to learn that Frederick George Scarlett was still working somewhere in the firm鈥檚 management structure.

Hotchkiss鈥� Ben Harvey receiving the HVCA Apprentice Ductwork Installer of the Year award for 2005

Highly commended

For a company employing just 19 people, this firm has a truly impressive approach to training. With CITB-ConstructionSkills it formulated a training plan that has resulted in an Investors in People award, a 50% increase in turnover and a 40% rise in the number of staff. It is an example to all small contractors who fear the impact that such measures will have on their margins.

Runners-up

When Debut won a Ministry of Defence regional prime contract in south-west England, it quickly realised that a common training plan would be required for all the partners in the venture, some 550 staff in total. It鈥檚 now well on its way to achieving Investor in People status this December.

Lakesmere

黑洞社区 envelope contractor Lakesmere proudly boasts that it recorded 1500 training days for its 150 staff last year 鈥� days that came in handy when it was carrying out the particularly tricky installation of three glazed viewing platforms some 150 m in the air on Portsmouth Harbour鈥檚 Spinnaker Tower. Mitie Engineering Services

Mitie鈥檚 96 trainees and apprentices range from school leavers learning a trade to QSs completing degrees and office-based staff taking NVQs in administration. Adult trainees have been recruited from the long-term unemployed, while high fliers are offered a management development programme and an MBA training programme.

Stent Foundations

In the past year Stent has developed the grand-sounding 鈥淐ompetency Matrix鈥� 鈥� a review process that provides a means of assessing the capability of their staff for training, development and succession planning. Through this initiative, managers recognise all possible avenues for learning.