Recognising National Careers Week and International Women’s Day at the same time, this week Highways Voices hears from Donna Howard, Head of Social Sustainability at Kier Highways, as the company launches its Kier Pathways Scheme.

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The strategy aims to engage vulnerable groups, schools and colleges and career returners.

In the chat with Adrian Tatum, Ms Howard says the Pathway scheme will help address the skills gap and our ageing workforce, increase diversity and inclusion, meet the company’s clients social and economic priorities and increase the profile of the highways and infrastructure careers​.

Meanwhile, discussing supporting women at Kier, she says: “What we wanted to do is come up with a programme that was able to help people gain better routes into the highways industry and enjoy careers within the industry.

“We want to make Highways an employer of choice for people when they want to come into the industry. The aim is to obviously reach those what some people would class as vulnerable groups, and help them on their journey into a career opportunity.”

You'll also hear a round-up of the latest news on the Highways News website, what's happening among our podcast partner organisations ADEPT, TTF, LCRIG and ITS (UK), and why Oxfordshire County Council win Adrian's Accolade this week.