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Building better futures

The Lafarge Group is the worlds largest supplier of building materials and has a global reputation for developing creative and innovative products, services and solutions. The company produces essential products - cement, aggregates and concrete - which are integral to society. Cement and concrete are basic materials in all walks of life - everyone relies on the countrys infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, power stations, housing and railways. The Group employs over 68,000 people in 64 countries and Lafarges four Business Units in the UK (Cement, Aggregates, Readymix concrete, and Asphalt) have nearly 3,000 employees working across more than 200 sites around the country. When you work for Lafarge, you work for a company with a commitment to treat its employees in a respectful and caring manner. We follow our principles of action which guide us to be fair, supportive and ethical in all our dealings. We really believe in offering our employees wide-ranging opportunities to develop their career. We prefer to grow talent and promote from within wherever possible. Lafarge offers a safe and supportive working environment where people feel able to perform to the best of their abilities and provide a diverse range of exciting and challenging roles, and great potential for cross-functional opportunities.

Entry level
GCSE/A-level Standard Grade/ Highers Apprenticeships

Typical roles and qualifications

If youre at school or college, we can offer opportunities to get hands-on, practical experience. You can join us for a few days or a few months. We also offer holiday cover and internships in most areas. Youre welcome to apply at any time and if we can fit you in, we will. Depending on where you join us and what youre learning, apprenticeship schemes last between one and five years and will count towards a formal qualification. Apprenticeships are available in mechanical and electrical engineering, production and process departments. Commercial departments such as customer operations, administration and finance recruit trainees. Benefits: Generous holiday entitlements Contributory pension scheme Bonus schemes Performance related pay and/or regular pay reviews Excellent training and development opportunities Lafarge Employee Share Scheme Employee Assistance Programme Free secure parking at all of our head office locations Cycle to work scheme Childcare vouchers

Graduate & Post-graduate training programme

Whether you join our Graduate Programme in a Manufacturing (process, engineering, quality etc) or Commercial (i.e. sales, marketing and customer operations) environment, you will develop a broad appreciation of our business operations through our graduate scheme. Benefits: as above. Desirable degrees: for Manufacturing: Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering. For Commercial, Business related degrees preferred but not essential.

Work placements with combined qualifications

We welcome university students looking for somewhere to spend a year in industry as part of their degree. We can offer placements in a number of areas and at a competitive salary. Opportunities vary from region to region and across business units. Youre welcome to get in touch with the recruitment team by letter, telling them the kind of experience youre interested in getting and enclosing your CV.

Contact
Organisation name: Lafarge Cement UK Address: Joanne Werth, Employee Relations & Resourcing Manager, Portland House, Bickenhill Lane, Solihull, B37 7BQ Tel: 0845 8126285 Email: Aggregates & Concrete - aggregate.recruitment@uk.lafarge.com Cement - recruitment@lafargecement.co.uk www.lafargecareers.co.uk

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Employee profiles

Tom Howard - Senior Process Engineer was unsure of which route to take at degree level. I started to look for other options and the Lafarge apprenticeship seemed to offer great opportunities - a broad exposure to manufacturing, in-depth training in all aspects of cement manufacture and prospects of development. During the apprenticeship, I spent time in various parts of the company - Production, Quarry, Laboratory, Maintenance and Process Engineering. After successfully completing my apprenticeship, Lafarge supported me in undertaking a full time Chemical Engineering degree at Manchester University. After graduating in 2009, I returned to Lafarge as a graduate Process Engineer. I am now Senior Process Engineer. My role involves continuously reviewing performance and developing strategies to improve efficiency of all areas and reduce our carbon footprint - which is central to Lafarges sustainability objectives. Lafarge has supported my professional development in many ways. I really enjoy working for Lafarge as I feel a valued member of the business. The work is interesting, engaging, varied and offers exciting challenges. Over the last 10 years I have been fortunate enough to experience working both in the UK and Europe which has given me exposure to different cultures.

After I had completed my A levels, my original plan was to go on to university, but at the time I

John Mulryan - Maintenance Manager plant. This is the most senior Engineering position on the works. My career started as an apprentice 20 years ago. I studied a BTEC Diploma in Engineering at college and improved my GCSE Results in Maths, English & Science. I was taken on a four-year apprenticeship the following year as a mechanical craftsman (Fitter) with Lafarge Cement. The first year gave me the fundamentals in engineering welding, fitting, machining and electrics, followed by three years in the workplace. My apprenticeship was a fantastic opportunity as I learned a trade, gained experience and earned a wage at the same time. Lafarge continued to support me through further education over several years, from BTEC Certificates in Mechanical Engineering to my BEng Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering. I feel fortunate to have had so much invested in my development. In 2011, with support from Lafarge, I went out into industry to form an alliance with other industries to promote apprenticeships. I lead a group of senior managers (all developed by apprenticeship training) and our aim is to spot talent for the future and enhance our existing apprenticeships by pooling our knowledge and resources. I believe the future of industrial Britain starts with good apprenticeships.

I am the newly appointed Maintenance Manager at Hope Works, Lafarge UKs largest cement

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Employee profiles

David Morrison - Laboratory Supervisor Lafarge. During my placement I was involved in quality assurance and quality control testing as well as many exciting short-term projects. After graduation I joined Lafarges graduate scheme as a Chemist. I was happy to relocate for the fantastic opportunity offered as my placement year had proved to me that Lafarge really believe in investing in its employees. The graduate scheme runs two parallel programs, one focusing on technical skills that bring together graduates from across Europe, the other on professional development, such as courses to enhance team-working and communication skills. I really enjoy the variety that my role offers. Being involved in everything from refining processes to developing new products I get to be involved in the whole process. My role challenges me every day and that is why I enjoy it so much. The industry is continually evolving and so are the customer requirements. It is only by rising to these new challenges through improving the efficiency of processes and optimising the materials involved that we can also develop, which means my role is constantly evolving too.

Whilst studying for my Masters degree in Chemistry I complete my industrial placement at

Hayley Cowley - Commercial Graduate matter much to me that they produced and sold cement. After starting with Lafarge, I quickly progressed to Customer Service Team Leader. It was at this point that my then manager asked me whether I wanted a job or a career with Lafarge. I then made the decision to start the path I'm on today. I enrolled at college to study a Business and Communication Foundation degree, which Lafarge not only supported but sponsored covering 100% of the fees. I decided to further the course and go onto a BA Honours top-up year. Around the same time the graduate role came up at Lafarge and it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to branch out of customer services and onto a commercial path. I am now a Commercial Graduate. I have a varied 18-month programme which sees me spending time in a number of different key commercial departments including Marketing, Sales, Market Information, Supply Chain and Strategy. My career path has changed beyond whatever I could have imagined, thanks to Lafarge. From the shy, unfocused 21-year old who joined the company, I am now strong, career-driven and ambitious with life and career goals.

I joined Lafarge when I was 21. I was applying for the customer service team so it didnt