Best Next Generation Employer award for St Albans City and District Council
St Albans City and District Council has been named Best Next Generation Employer at the prestigious LGC Workforce Awards.
The Council won the award for its innovative programme to recruit and retain young staff in today’s highly competitive job market.
Growing Your Own – Bringing In and Bringing On Talent has created rewarding jobs for young people at the Council to the benefit of residents.
Jane Pearce, the Council’s People and Organisational Development Manager, and Jonathan Ellis, a National Management Graduate Trainee who has benefited from the programme, presented the entry at the finals in Birmingham.
The Council offers young people a range of apprenticeships, summer internships and graduate placements that can lead to challenging career paths.
The internships, for example, provide practical experience of working within local government with the chance to develop skills and knowledge.
Judges voted the Council as the winner out of a shortlist of six and said: “The Council has made next generation employees feel welcome and valued, providing great opportunities for development by giving them ownership over major pieces of work.
“We felt the summer interns programme was particularly innovative and replicable.”
Amanda Foley, the Council’s Chief Executive, said:
I am delighted that the hard work which has gone into our efforts to recruit talented young people has been recognised with this prestigious award.
It is important that we bring on our own next generation of employees so we can continue to provide much needed services for our residents.
We face a lot of competition, being so close to the capital, to persuade young people that a career in our organisation is the best way forward for them.
Our programme is designed to offer them a bright future with clear career pathways, the chance to gain professional qualifications, lead work on major projects and take up well-paid positions with exciting prospects.
Sarah Calkin, editor of the LGC, a news service formerly known as the Local Government Chronicle, said:
While money may be in short supply in local government, ideas, enthusiasm and commitment clearly are not.
View the complete list of winners here: https://workforce.lgcplus.com/workforce2023/en/page/home
Contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727-819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.
Contact for LGC: Lee Galeozzie lee.galeozzie@emap.com
Note to editors: The LGC Workforce Awards 2023 are organised by LGC and is part of emap. For more details about LGC see www.LGCPlus.com.