Derwentside College and Hewitson Limited Partnership Creates Opportunities for 12 Future Groundworks

Derwentside College and Hewitson Limited Partnership Creates Opportunities for 12 Future Groundworks

A successful partnership between Derwentside College and Hewitson Limited is already delivering positive outcomes for young people seeking careers within one of the North East's most in-demand sectors.

The story began when Hewitson Limited identified a need to recruit eight Groundworker Apprentices to support the continued growth of the business. To help meet this need, Derwentside College drew upon its extensive expertise in large-scale recruitment to design, plan and deliver a bespoke recruitment campaign on behalf of the employer.

Working closely with Hewitson Limited, the College managed the end-to-end recruitment process, promoting the opportunities, attracting suitable candidates and coordinating a dedicated recruitment day that brought together aspiring groundworkers from across the region. The aim was to identify talented individuals with the commitment and potential to succeed in the construction industry.

The results exceeded expectations.

The quality of candidates presented through the recruitment process impressed Hewitsons' management team so much that, despite initially having only eight vacancies available, they made the decision to recruit 12 apprentices, creating four additional opportunities for local young people to begin their careers through a Level 2 Groundworker Apprenticeship.

So far, the apprentices have received significant support from Hewitson Limited, including preparatory training and development activities designed to help them transition successfully into the workplace and prepare for the start of their apprenticeship programme.

The success of the initiative highlights the impact that can be achieved when employers and education providers work in partnership. By combining Hewitsons' commitment to investing in future talent with Derwentside College's proven ability to attract, assess and recruit candidates at scale, the partnership has successfully connected local people with high-quality career opportunities in a sector facing significant skills demand.

As these 12 apprentices begin their careers, the initiative demonstrates how effective collaboration can help address workforce challenges while creating life-changing opportunities for young people across the North East. It is a powerful example of how targeted recruitment and high-quality apprenticeship provision can support economic growth, develop future skills and strengthen the region's talent pipeline.

Nicola Raine, Assistant Principal - Business Development & Technical Education at Derwentside College, said:

"We're proud to have led the recruitment process on behalf of Hewitson Limited and to have connected 12 talented young people with career opportunities in a sector where skills are in high demand. This partnership demonstrates the positive impact that employers and colleges can achieve together."

Paul Mathison, Director of Construction at Hewitson Limited said:

"Supporting young people into the construction industry is incredibly important to us. We want to give individuals the opportunity to build rewarding careers, develop valuable skills and realise their potential. The recruitment process delivered by Derwentside College introduced us to some outstanding candidates, and we're looking forward to supporting them throughout their apprenticeship journey and beyond."