NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes, has re-opened the doors of its training academy to new recruits for the first time since the economic downturn in 2007.
Following a surge in new homes over the last year, the NHBC Operations Academy will be taking on new trainee building inspectors to help the industry meet the demand.
The Academy trainees are joining as a result of NHBC’s largest recruitment campaign for over a decade with almost 50 new inspectors joining the company by the end of the year. Engineers and building surveyors are also being recruited to support the increased growth in housebuilding.
The trainees will undertake a six month induction course as part of a 12 month training programme covering all aspects of building inspection, with a focus on technical training on NHBC’s Standards and the Building Regulations.
The latest new registration figures by NHBC show a 24% increase for the rolling quarter August to October compared to the same period in 2012. A total of 32,716 new homes were registered by NHBC during this period compared to 26,440 last year.
NHBC has already recruited eight new trainee building inspectors, who are all in their 20s, to join the NHBC Operations Academy. Six of the new recruits join following construction degrees with two others joining the Academy from other parts of business.
Neil Herries, Academy Manager, said: “During the economic downturn the Academy remained active training existing staff but this is the first occasion in six years that we are able to recruit new staff specifically for the Academy, which was established to equip NHBC with the calibre of staff able to deliver a high quality inspection service.
“Now that we are seeing continuing signs that the housing market is improving I am delighted that we can provide new recruits this opportunity to join us. We will give them a structured training programme covering a range of job levels, providing a wide range of development opportunities. NHBC recognises the importance of recruiting, developing and retaining the best people to maintain its commitment of driving up standards and improving the quality of new homes, while protecting the homeowners who live in them.”
One of the new recruits, Dan Massey, who is joining the Academy from an existing NHBC role in Customer Services said: “The NHBC Operations Academy will provide all of us with an excellent opportunity and an introduction to a career in building inspection. The induction course which involves both structured learning and mentoring by experienced inspectors and their managers will equip us to hit the ground running when we start our own work.”
