Building services provider and backer of The Pledge campaign appoints graduate after he joined the firm as in intern

A firm is reaping the rewards of signing up to The Pledge - a campaign, backed by Building, to promote the use of interns in the construction industry.

Lakehouse, a building services provider specialising in public sector work, has just made Peter Jones its environmental co-ordinator after joining the firm for two to three months as an intern.

Jones graduated from Exeter University with a BSc in geography and earth systems sciences last summer. The 22-year-old was struggling to find a job but ended up at the construction firm after finding an internship on the Graduate Talent Pool website.

Jones said: “It was really worthwhile, I’ve gained a lot of new skills and knowledge.”

Jonathan Brookes, corporate responsibility manager at Lakehouse said: “We were able to explore a completely new job role and bring in some new knowledge.”

Some 36,000 people graduated with built environment degrees last year, but fears have been raised that because of the lack of jobs, if they do not have at least some experience of construction they will abandon the industry permanently, raising the prospect of a skills shortage when the upturn comes.

The Pledge asks firms to commit to making 2% of their workforce interns. Companies can sign up at thepledge.co.uk and advertise their opportunities for interns at graduatetalentpool.net.

Topics