Transport for London (TfL) is building on the success and achievements of its 2009 Skills and Employment Strategy, and refreshing the Strategy to reflect the changes the organisation has made over the last two years, ensuring the strategy remains focused. TfL currently employs over 27,000 employees directly and tens of thousands more through its suppliers. Many of these are in highly skilled roles and as an organisation, TfL has a vital job to ensure these skills are maintained and passed on to future generations.
Published in March 2009, the Skills and Employment Strategy identifies a comprehensive range of projects to ensure the organisation has access to the skilled staff it needs, as well as addressing social inclusion issues. There are three main focuses of the strategy; staff, education and supply chain. The objectives of the Strategy are to ensure that TfL and its suppliers have the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time.
Since its creation, the Skills and Employment Strategy has focused on a number of disciplines which have all had their successes. More than 10,000 employees have now gained NVQs, and more than 180 graduate positions have been created ranging from finance to engineering. Since 2007, TfL has consistently appeared in the Graduate Times 100 list for best companies to work for, voted for by graduates it is also recognised by the National Apprenticeship Service as one of the top 100 Apprenticeship Employers. TfL train over 20,000 staff at three main training sites in West Kensington, Acton and Stratford.
Through its groundbreaking Strategic Labour Needs and Training (SLNT) initiative, TfL in association with its supply chain, has been able to open up employment and training opportunities to disadvantaged Londoners whilst ensuring TfL suppliers have access to a skilled and capable workforce. Since 2009, over 1800 apprenticeships have been generated through this route and over 2000 unemployed Londoner brought back into employment. SLNT has been recognised nationally as best practice, with TfL recently winning the Leadership award from Business in the Community (BITC) for its work in this area.
Tricia Riley, Human Resources Director said: “I am delighted with the achievements the Skills and Employment Strategy has delivered in just two years. It is more than we expected which is why we are happy to announce its update to reflect the organisation’s current climate.
“Having secured crucial funding for the Tube upgrade plan and Crossrail, the investment programme has enabled us and our supply chain to work closely together to ensure a complex and competent workforce. We look forward to working with our suppliers to create even more skills and training opportunities to give Londoners the best possible chance of securing fulltime employment.”
