Tarmac welcome Taylor Bennett Foundation trainees to HQ

Graduates trainees gain an insight into work of Communications and Corporate Affairs team

TARMAC have teamed up with the Taylor Bennett Foundation to host a visit from a group of six trainees to their headquarters in Solihull. The graduates spent the day with Tarmac’s Communications and Corporate Affairs team learning about the business, gaining insight into the work the team does and their individual career paths.

According to the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, only around 4% of PR practitioners come from minority ethnic backgrounds. The Foundation works to address this lack of diversity by providing training opportunities to graduates who take part in a 10-week, work-based learning programme. They receive training in communications, media and business, take part in practical assignments to improve their PR skills, and meet people in the PR and media industries.

Andy Corrigan, Tarmac’s director of communications and corporate affairs, said: ‘We’re pleased to support the Taylor Bennett Foundation by hosting this visit. It’s critical for both the PR and construction industries to encourage people from more diverse backgrounds to take up careers in the sector, and train a new generation of communications talent.

‘It was also a great opportunity for the whole team here to get involved in the visit and share their experience and career stories with these graduates.’

Ada Nworgu, programme manager at the Taylor Bennett Foundation, added: ‘The visit to Tarmac was an insightful one, especially as there is a synergy with Tarmac wanting to increase diversity within their company and industry.

‘It was a good learning experience for the trainees; they gained valuable insight from the in-house communications team and also had the opportunity to express their creativity and put what they have learnt throughout the programme into practice in a brainstorming session.

‘We would like to thank the team at Tarmac for being so enthusiastic and accommodating, the trainees really appreciated it. We look forward to working with Tarmac going forward.’

Taylor Bennett Foundation trainee, Lena Ofosu-Appeasah commented: ‘Tarmac opened my eyes to the other opportunities available within the communications industry. The task we undertook ensured that the whole day was full of interaction and it was a pleasure helping them reach a new audience that will hopefully take their company to a new level.’

Shanice Shields-Mills, another participant in the 2016 Taylor Bennett course, added: ‘I learnt never judge a book by its cover. Visiting Tarmac was a brilliant experience and the team was great. I didn't know what to expect when I first arrived, being as it’s a construction company. Yet the entire team was lovely and I gained great industry insight.’