We understand the importance of having the right people with the
right skills now and in the future to deliver the exceptional
service and integrated engineering and technical expertise
which is the bedrock of our long-term relationships with our
customers. To deliver that service and expertise, we are
continually improving our comprehensive talent management
system, from apprentices and graduates all the way up to
senior management.
We firmly believe that recruitment, training and development,
and succession planning are best managed primarily at the
local level to ensure maximum responsiveness to local
circumstances, and business unit and customer needs. However, key
strategic aspects are overseen or co-ordinated at a Group
level to ensure consistency of approach, the identification of
strategic threats and opportunities and to open up a wider
range of opportunities for our employees:
- Succession planning
- Talent management
- Graduates and apprentices
All these areas were reviewed and refreshed following the
acquisition of VT.
Talent
management
This year has seen the formalisation of the Babcock Academy
Learning Framework, led by our Group Director of
Organisation and Development. It aims to strengthen
cohesion between Babcock's strategic needs and organisational
talent development. This has involved adding to the Babcock
Academy an Emerging Leaders Development programme
for high performing graduates and junior managers. The Academy
has been run in conjunction with Strathclyde University since 2005.
We are also improving the tools we use to ensure that we take
full advantage of the many opportunities that a business the
size of Babcock can provide in attracting, developing and retaining
the right talent.
Graduates and apprentices
Our graduate and apprenticeship programmes are made up of
tailored schemes designed to meet the specific skills and business
requirements of each business unit. With 75 graduates recruited
in the year to 31 March 2011 (2010: 101),
there are currently 228 graduates on the
graduate programme, 80% of whom are in engineering
disciplines. At the date of this report, we expect to recruit
79 graduates for the 2011/12 intake.
We currently have 611 apprentices across the Group (2010:
572), of whom 89 were recruited during the year to 31 March
2011 (2010: 170). Business requirements this year were such
that fewer apprentices were required. We remain committed
to providing as many apprenticeship opportunities as
our business requirements justify.
Diversity
Ensuring that we have access to the
widest pool of talent available is a business imperative
and, as such, diversity is an integral part of our talent
management system. Our diversity initiative, 'All together
different', sends a clear message that our focus is on getting the
right skills in the right job regardless of age, race, colour,
ethnic origin, gender, marital status, religious beliefs, sexual
orientation or disability.