We’ve talked a lot about our commitment to equal opportunity employment, and the ways in which we go about this. One such method is through the ROTL – Release On Temporary License – programme.
Last year, we spoke to Kiel Tetley, who joined us through said programme before HCE offered him a full-time position following his release from prison. Kiel spoke highly of his experience; how it improved his mental health and confidence, upskilled him, and allowed him to enjoy family life. He recommended others to “jump at the chance” should they be given the opportunity to participate in the programme, which we couldn’t be happier to hear.
Since then, we have been pleased to welcome more of those involved in the ROTL programme into our business to work alongside us. One such example is Adam Wilson, who joined through HMP Hatfield as a Site Manager, and went on to thrive in his role. Our Sustainability Manager Sophie Henderson recently spoke to Adam to gauge his thoughts on his time with us, as well as how he feels about the ROTL programme as a whole…
Adam has been at HCE for six weeks now. When asked about his experience so far, he noted the friendly, helpful and accommodating nature of our workforce, which has reinforced his desire to relocate and stay with us following his release from prison later this year.
Speaking about the ROTL programme, and how it benefited him personally, he highlighted the opportunity it provided him to re-enter our industry, save money, in addition to more generally getting him back into the swing of things and progressing.
Similarly to Kiel, we asked Adam if he would recommend the ROTL programme to others. “Definitely,” he told us, “it gives you the chance to feel like a normal person, and the potential to go back to what you were doing prior, or a learn a completely new skill”. Adam also mentioned the comfort of being able to leave prison with a job secured, and the stability that provides.
Finally, Adam was asked where he sees himself in the future. To that, he stated his desire to become a Contracts or Project Manager, staying with HCE long term. He mentioned that the most important thing to him was feeling as though he was at the right company, and for him, that was us.
Outside of his ROTL work, Adam volunteers by attending schools, where he educates children about prison, and being the best version of yourself. It’s clear to us that he is dedicated, passionate, and a valuable asset to our workforce, and we look forward to seeing where his career takes him. A huge thank you to Adam for speaking with us, and we extend our best wishes as he continues to progress in our field.
Speaking on the value of the ROTL programme, HCE Contracts Manager Steve Dakin had this to say: “The ROTL scheme has quickly become an invaluable resource avenue for us. Adam joins us with a wealth of experience, and has quickly become an integral part of the team.
We are pleased to have worked with 6 operatives through ROTL so far – all of which have demonstrated an excellent work ethic and a real determination to learn and improve their skills. As a result, we have been able to offer full-time employment and further training to operatives on their release, with more planned for the very near future.”
July 15th marks the UN’s World Youth Skills Day. It’s crucial that we recognise the importance of handing down the skills we often take for granted to the next generation, as it’s ultimately them who will guide us forward into the future.
This year’s theme is “Youth Skills for Peace & Development”, which highlights the need to equip our youth with the necessary skills for fostering a more inclusive and sustainable future. To us, this begs an immediate question: what are we doing to help?
When it comes to nurturing a supportive and inclusive workplace, we’ve made strides to ensure this is consistently the case. Our Disability Confident Committed (DCC) employer status highlights our commitment to creating an accessible recruitment process and supportive work environment no matter what.
We also make it no secret that supporting apprentices and graduates is of paramount importance to us. Since our founding over twenty years ago, we have taken in dozens of them, and provided experience both on and off-site to give them the knowledge they need to thrive in our industry. Many apprentices and graduates who spend time working with our business go on to find successful careers here at Howards, and we’re proud to staff a workforce where many of them take lead roles on our various schemes across the country.
We also take great measures to ensure the work we perform is done as sustainably as possible, and have continually adopted this as a guiding principle behind everything we do. Promoting these practices now means a cleaner, more environmentally friendly future for those who come after us, and sets an example that we are confident the next generation will take on themselves to create a better planet for everyone.
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