Keltbray
Keltbray is one of the UK’s leading specialist engineering and early-stage construction providers. Their services are offered across a wide range of sectors, including highways, building, energy and power, railways, and government infrastructure.
Keltbray employs Stuart Culley, Customer and Social Value Lead, who is currently working on the £49.8 million-pound M621 Junction 1 – 7 improvement scheme – a project that is being delivered in partnership with National Highways. As Stuart says:
“Within the highways industry, it’s important for us to build not only a road but also a fully inclusive and considerate working culture. We put a great deal of time and effort into making sure that the project has the right vision, values, and behaviours to attract new talent. It’s important to stop and listen to the experiences of others in the team.”
Two of Stuart’s colleagues play an important part in shaping the culture of the project: Waseem Sattar, Keltbray’s Senior Project Manager, and Arjun Rai, an apprentice project manager working for National Highways. Waseem’s family origins are from Pakistan and Arjun’s family origins are from Northern India.
Talking about his career path, Waseem said:
“I was born and have spent most of my life in the UK but spent six of my early years in Pakistan where I did my primary education. I graduated from Newcastle University and furthered my professional qualification by becoming a Chartered Civil Engineer. I currently reside in Greater Manchester and am married and have a daughter who is 15 years old.
“During my career, I have worked across the civil engineering sector but predominantly on major highways projects. I have had the opportunity to work on some strategic roads including the A19 in Teesside, A66 in Cumbria, M25 outside London, and more recently on the M621 in Leeds. In addition to this, I spent a few years in the Middle East working on a project directly linked to the FIFA 2022 World Cup that was held in Qatar.
“Keltbray provide lots of opportunities across the UK. Working on the M621 has given me the opportunity to work on a major project close to home and a route I regularly use to visit friends and family. I enjoy working here as it’s an urban motorway which has its own challenges, and this has forced us to think outside the box to deliver this challenging project.”
Arjun also explained about his own family background:
“I’m a British Sikh with my family origins from the North India region of Punjab. I am also a proud ‘Jatt’ which refers to the land-owning and farming community in Punjab. Known for our vibrancy and warmth, for me, being Punjabi means a strong sense of cultural identity, shaped by traditions and values that have been passed down through generations. Some prominent Punjabi festivals include Vaisakhi, Lohri, Diwali, and Gurpurab (the birth anniversaries of Sikh Gurus).
“Punjabi cuisine is renowned for its rich flavours and hearty dishes. Staple foods include roti (bread), dal (lentils), saag (leafy greens), and a variety of curries. Punjabi music, including folk and Bhangra music, is a massive part of what it means to be Punjabi. It is becoming increasing popular with western industries, with notable collabs with artists such as Sidhu Moose Wala.
“I chose to work in the highways industry as it is such a critical aspect for the connectivity of the country. As a Project Manager Apprentice, I’ve had many amazing opportunities, most notably being invited to the House of Lords!
“I have always lived in Leeds so having the chance to work on the M621 is great for me as it is local and I drive it all the time! I would recommend working on a highways scheme as it is an ever-expanding industry with lots of opportunities. The industry is rapidly growing in terms of diversity, especially from the South Asian community.”
Waseem and Arjun are just two of Keltbray’s inspiration role models of South Asian heritage who are encouraging others to think about working for the ever-evolving highways industry.
Langley
Employer Langley provide flat-roof solutions alongside innovative roofing and waterproofing for the built environment that have a lasting, positive impact on people, places, and the planet.
Langley has unrivalled expertise and experience in roofing solutions dating back to the 1920s, with multi-sector expertise across almost every sector - from schools, healthcare and housing to retail, hospitality and commercial.
With ‘diversity of thought’ important to Langley, they continue to promote Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) to ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities for ‘better living.’
Langley recognise that by promoting fairness, equality and diversity, people of all backgrounds will come to together to achieve success in an inclusive way, which are aligned to their core values ‘SPIRE’ where people are placed at the heart of their business.
EDI is embedded in the employment and employee life cycle, with inclusive behaviours encouraged at the outset of employee engagement and harnessed through effective learning and development (CPD) for all staff, for example unconscious bias training.
Emily Burkett, Langley’s Group Services General Manager, said:
“With women making up just 13% of the construction sector, Langley recognise that our business has a responsibility to promote equality in the industry in every respect, including to increase gender participation.
“So, as part of a Social Value Strategy, our Social Enterprise Company enables Langley to continue to play a leading industry role to build people skills by training the next generation and creating a talent pool that is diverse in profile.
“We engage with community and stakeholder partners regionally targeting the disadvantaged in support of the government’s levelling up agenda to address social mobility with an aim to increase BAME participation to at least 20% (the national average for Level 2 Construction apprenticeships is 1.5%).”
The Social Enterprise is government funded, enabling provision to leverage Langley’s capacity to improve people’s lives by opening the door to a world of opportunity and a rewarding career path.
Emily continued:
“We’re confident this apprenticeship facility will deliver for the individuals and businesses involved, as well as play an important role in plugging the national skills gap in support of the government’s levelling up agenda.”
Ultimately, by continuing this valuable work around diversity in the construction industry, Langley aims to leave a social value legacy that makes a positive and long-term contribution to people’s lives.
