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Top award for May Gurney trainee

May Gurney trainee Kirk Carmen has won two of the prestigious National Construction College Awards - including the top award Apprentice of the Year.

General Construction Apprentice Kirk - who has been based at the National Construction College in Bircham Newton, Norfolk - also won Construction Apprentice of the Year. He will be coming on site with May Gurney later this month and joining the InteGreat project, which is transforming Great Yarmouth's Golden Mile.

Another trainee, Tim Pennington, was also nominated for the awards. Tim, a Civil Engineering Technician, has recently completed his apprenticeship and is working for the Norfolk Strategic Partnership (NSP) on projects around Norfolk.

High quality apprentices, trainees and graduates are essential if May Gurney is to achieve its ambitious business plan, and 27 graduates and 30 trainees and apprentices will join the company this summer. They will be based around the country in a variety of electrical, mechanical and civil engineering, quantity surveying and business roles.

"We've created a robust and effective training and development programme"
Brenda Handley Howorth, May Gurney
"We've created a robust and effective training and development programme to support and develop our starting out candidates," explains Brenda Handley Howorth, May Gurney's HR Director. "A strong support network including the employee's line manager and mentor is essential to success."

Mentoring enables a trainee to follow in the path of an older, experienced colleague who passes on knowledge and experience and opens doors to otherwise out-of-reach opportunities.

A mentor is a trusted and experienced advisor who has a direct interest in the development and education of a less experienced individual.

Mentoring focuses on the individual and can enhance morale, motivation and productivity - and reduce staff turnover as individuals feel valued and connected.

"Mentoring a candidate involves inspiring, challenging ideas and encouraging the candidate during the first stage of their career," Brenda Handley Howorth concludes.