North East property, renewable energy and minerals firm The Banks Group is continuing to invest in its workforce by taking five new recruits onto its graduate training programme.
Nathanael Cutts, Kieran Feeney, Sisi Spasova, James Thompson and Katie Walvin have taken on a range of different roles with the family firm, including energy systems within Renewables, development planning, surveying and communications, and are based across Banks’ Durham and Leeds offices.
The scheme offers the new recruits the chance to take on real workplace responsibilities with the support of an experienced team around them and to learn, develop and deliver across a range of disciplines that support Banks’ planned and operational projects.
After completing an initial induction day, each one has now started on a comprehensive 18-month training programme which offers them support in building the key vocational, technical and professional skills needed for their respective roles, as well as opportunities to gain hands-on experience on live projects and evolving plans.
Katie Walvin graduated from Sunderland University with a Master’s degree in Media Production and has joined Banks as a graduate PR and digital content creator.
She says: “It is incredibly exciting to join a programme that is so committed to investing in the development of young talent.
“The graduate launch day was a great chance to not only to meet my fellow graduates, but also to see first-hand the passion and commitment that our teams put into shaping their projects, working with local communities and delivering on Banks’ overall development with care commitments.
“I’m really enjoying my new role and can’t wait to see where the next 18 months take me.”
Gordon Thomson, head of projects at Banks Renewables, who himself joined the business as a graduate trainee, adds: “The company is involved with some groundbreaking, landmark projects and our focus is on creating long-term sustainable growth across every part of our operations.
“A key part of achieving this goal is finding, training and bringing skilled young people up through the business who can contribute to ongoing projects, help to progress schemes that are currently in their development phases, and take forward ideas and concepts that are still in their infancy.
“Our graduate scheme offers our new recruits the chance to get real responsibility at an early stage in their careers, and to learn, develop and deliver across a range of projects, disciplines and locations.
“It’s great to see how well all our trainees have started in their respective roles and they all undoubtedly have the potential to build successful careers here.”