Background

Renowned as ‘The Complete Building Supplier’, JP Corry prides itself on supplying everything from core building essentials right through to the latest product innovations from leading suppliers.

JP Corry comprises of 17 branches, totalling 260 employees across Northern Ireland.

What JP Corry did

As a key employer, JP Corry believes it is important to engage with and support local communities. This creates challenges and opportunities. The challenge is ensuring the appropriate skills at all levels to make the business viable while delivering the high levels of service its customers expect.

JP Corry actively monitors and tracks its headcount on an ongoing monthly, quarterly and annual basis. And as part of Saint-Gobain, it completes an annual ‘People Review’ in Quarter 1 of each year. This enables a review of people movement within JP Corry, and enables forward planning in terms of the talent and training it will require in the medium and long-term. This perspective also allows the company to review what is happening in wider society and in its sector.

JP Corry’s employability work includes:

• Supplying building materials free of charge to local colleges for Apprentices training
• Supporting employees to volunteer for ‘Time to Read’ – a programme in local schools designed to improve children’s literacy, their understanding of work and the opportunities it affords.
• Providing various work placements through educational institutions and charities; facilitating individuals to gaining a valuable insight into the world of work and increase their employability potential.
• Utilising apprenticeships as part of our recruitment strategy with the view to filling skills shortages and increasing the under 26 years of age demographic.
• Providing employee’s time and/or finance to further their education, gain recognised qualifications, reskill or develop skills in another area, or to enhance their current learnings and development.
• Promoting ourselves, our industry and our opportunities at careers fairs; at a national, regional and local educational level.

Impacts and Outcomes

• Three members of the Senior Management Team studying for degrees or post-graduate diplomas, supported by time/finance from the company
• Upskilling the current workforce with HGV training or forklift truck licenses
• In-house training for EHS; a strategic priority of Saint-Gobain
• ‘LearnFest’ Week; dedicated learning across Saint-Gobain globally
• Increasing brand awareness and job opportunities by attending NI Skills, STEM and Belfast Careers fair events
• Developed external partnerships with educational institutions and charities with the aim of improving levels of literacy, developing employable skills and providing rewarding life experiences for individuals
• Donation of building materials, free of charge, to facilitate practical skills development in colleges
• Charity partnerships have afforded disadvantaged young people the opportunity of work experience and skills development

For more information, please email laura.wray@jpcorry.co.uk