Over the past few weeks, Dalkia UK has proudly hosted a series of dynamic and inspiring apprentice assessment centres across the country. These events are a key part of how we identify and welcome new talent into the business, and this year’s programme has seen strong engagement and a high standard of applicants across all divisions.
Engineering
From Bolton to Birmingham, Washington to London, our Engineering teams have been busy meeting the next generation of talent. With over 3,500 applications received for our 2025 Apprentice and Professional Trainee programmes, the competition was tough. Across six key locations, we’ve now made offers to outstanding candidates in roles such as Quantity Surveying, Planning, Engineering and Information Management.
Reflecting on the assessment centres, Megan Paice (Junior Quantity Surveyor), one of the assessors said: “I really enjoyed being involved in the Birmingham assessment day, getting to assess candidates through a range of group tasks and 1:1 interviews. It was a rewarding experience to help identify potential new talent and play a part in shaping the future of Dalkia. It was lovely to hear from the candidates about how welcoming they found Dalkia and the great atmosphere we cultivate as a company. Overall, it was an extremely valuable and positive experience for all involved.”
Facilities
Our Facilities teams in London and Manchester also recently hosted their own assessment centres for the Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship – one of our most competitive programmes to date, with over 700 applicants. Using a similar structure, candidates participated in a series of engaging exercises, including a construction challenge using dry spaghetti and marshmallows, and a client scenario discussion focused on communication, collaboration and leadership behaviours.
Stu Brown (Business Unit Director – Parliament) one of the assessors in London, said: “With over 700 applicants, the group who reached the assessment centre were outstanding: enthusiastic, engaged and impressive. Choosing who was successful was no easy task!”
Scotland
Our Scotland division also joined this year’s apprentice recruitment journey, hosting assessment centres in Glasgow and Belfast with Edinburgh still to come. The events were structured to reflect the diversity of roles on offer, welcoming Fire & Security candidates, as well as Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing candidates. A standout feature was the inclusion of a hazard perception task, designed to assess candidates’ awareness of safety risks in a workplace environment. By introducing our young talent to real-world safety scenarios early on, we’re helping to instil the values and behaviours that underpin our strategic aim of Zero Harm.
Amy Durnan (Communications and Graphics Coordinator) attended the Glasgow event and said: “The Glasgow assessment days were a great success, thanks to the coordination and planning from our HR team. The days ran smoothly and allowed us the opportunity to showcase the careers on offer. It was also really rewarding to assist in interviews and help spot some potential talent. The hands-on tasks really gave an insight into how candidates think, interact with each other and test their knowledge of the construction industry.”
And let’s not forget about Capula – the response to Capula’s apprenticeship programmes has been great, with 869 applications received from a talented pool of candidates. Following a selection process involving over 50 interviews, they’ve now confirmed 19 placements for their next intake.
As we prepare to welcome our largest ever apprentice cohort this September, we’re proud to continue building a culture of growth, innovation and safety – ultimately driving us towards a Net Zero future.