Creating a workforce that is representative of society

We believe that opportunities shouldn’t be linked to a person’s ethnicity, gender or disability, just as they shouldn’t be linked to where they grew up or went to school. We are committed to creating the best team in the industry, recruited and developed on merit. Which is why we support Diversity Hut, created by one of our very own, Usman Shah.

Diversity Hut is a leading broker of skilled and diverse staff for the construction and engineering industries. In addition to recruitment solutions, the company has diversified into offering consultancy, specific to improving knowledge and understanding of the value that a diverse set of employees can bring.

Diversity Hut in action

Since the start of Diversity Hut, Usman has successfully placed over 46 local people in employment in various roles and has delivered training to over 250 individuals spread across six cities. Diversity Hut sourced a range of local candidates for new entrant apprentice roles and this culminated in the successful appointment of Nawaal Abdulla Omar.

Her story is typical of diverse candidates. Keen to become an engineer, she had secured a construction qualification, work experience and been supported by the Construction Youth Trust.

Despite this, Nawaal was unable to find a role in engineering until interviewed by Tideway, based on Diversity Hut’s referral and as a result was offered a role as a civil engineering apprentice. She is now studying her level three qualification at the London Design and Engineering UTC, in the pilot apprenticeship centre sponsored by Costain. Nawaal is working on Tideway East and is now an ambassador for Diversity Hut.

In August 2018, Diversity Hut hired its own full time employee, Aneesa Tanveer, who will be joining as a business administrator. This is a testament to the growth of Diversity Hut and the need to scale up the social enterprise.