All HOP Staff are actively encouraged to follow training programmes that assist in achieving professional advancement and career progression. Generally, this means obtaining formal qualifications and membership of institutional professional bodies, but we recognise that training requirements are personal and will differ in each situation. We are very proud of our strong training ethos and our Gold Investors in People Accreditation.
Training and Development
Graduate Engineer Training & Institution Membership
HOP are a ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers) approved employer. As a graduate Engineer you will be supported by one of our in-house Supervising Civil Engineers and will be mentored over the early part of your career, with the aim of achieving a good breadth of knowledge of Civil Engineering. HOP is a multi-disciplinary organisation and training could include gaining experience in several parts of the business. We also have good ties with the IStructE (Institution of Structural Engineers) and support their training routes in a similar fashion.
Traditional ‘standard’ routes into ICE/ IStructE membership don’t always fit everyone. Together we will carefully consider your training route and look at bridging any gaps in experience or educational base. This might mean a Career Appraisal or Technical Report route for more senior Engineers.
Alongside our strong ties with the Institutions the Senior Leadership Team understand the training requirements – all of the HOP Associates and Directors are Chartered Engineers. This understanding is reflected in our excellent pass rates for the professional reviews; 100% at ICE and 78% IStructE, based on the last 20 years. These are well in excess of national average.
Apprenticeships
At HOP, we are huge believers in apprenticeships and investing in young future Engineers. We generally offer apprenticeships every year for school leaving students. Some of our previous apprentices are now Senior Engineers / Team Leaders!
The apprenticeship route is a part-time, accredited, five year, BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering course. HOP will be sponsoring you, with government support, to achieve the degree which now includes an “End Point Assessment” at the end of the course. This effectively means that you can become a degree qualified Incorporated Engineer (IEng MICE) after 5 to 6 years with us.
During the University academic terms, you will be released one day a week to attend University. Out of term time, HOP will give you time to prepare for coursework, exams and also to work towards the End Point Assessment.
In this time, you will have the support of your mentors and team leaders within HOP, the support of the University and guidance from the regional ICE Membership Development Officer (MDO).
The apprenticeship requires you to be very driven as there will be conflicting pulls on your time; from University work, work for the End Point Assessment and your own project work. However, it is a rewarding opportunity and will set you up with a degree, professional qualification and many years of experience in a busy consultancy environment, which will prove valuable in your career in Engineering and construction. HOP is committed to training & development and investing in our apprentices. We also expect the same commitment from our apprentices, so that we can reach our shared goals together.
All of the HOP team are encouraged to maintain learning after their formal teaching ends, throughout their career. This could be to help achieve professional goals, aid career progression, learn about other disciplines, keep up with new technologies and materials, or just to refresh knowledge.
The aim is to ensure all staff receive a balance of on-the-job training, in-house seminars and external courses. There is extensive opportunity for staff to keep up with their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) at all levels. We try to provide a packed CPD calendar with events every month. These might include: group site visits, walking tours, seminars on technical topics, presentations from specialist companies we work with and even sketching classes. We look to provide something for all and some of the tours/visits include a social element and allow our non-technical staff to get out and see what we build.
To find out more, check out the content on our LinkedIn pages: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hopconsultingltd
HR, Administration and IT
Our training ethos isn’t only restricted to our Engineering staff. We have taken on IT, HR and Administration apprentices in the past and support those working towards relevant qualifications i.e. CIPD. To find out more about joining HOP’s Team, please do send your CV and cover letter by email recruitment@hop.uk.com