People and skills are at the centre of Booth Welsh’s future growth strategy. Following our recent success in winning the Scottish Engineering Skills Excellence Award, we spoke with the People Business Partner, Laura Lawler, about the work being done to strengthen skills and development, learning and career progression across the business. From apprenticeships and assessment centres to competency frameworks and PeoplePoint Academy, the conversation highlights how investing in people is helping Booth Welsh build the skills, culture and capability needed for the future.
People and skills is a major focus across Booth Welsh right now. What’s driving that focus, and why is it so important for our future?
“People have always been at the heart of Booth Welsh, but over the last 2 years we’ve really focused on building the foundations that will support our people and our future growth.
As a People Team, we’ve worked hard to strengthen everything about the colleague experience from recruitment, onboarding to development, engagement and career progression. We know that as our business evolves, so do the skills we need, so investing in our people is critical if we’re going to continue growing and delivering for our clients.”
Booth Welsh recently received the Scottish Engineering Skills Excellence Award. What does that recognition mean for the business?
“It’s a huge achievement and one we’re incredibly proud of. For me, it’s recognition of the investment Booth Welsh has made in its people and the fantastic work that’s been delivered across the business.
The People Team has played a big part in that through initiatives such as competency frameworks, grading structures, graduates, graduate apprentice, apprenticeships, performance project and learning and development. It’s great to see that commitment recognised externally.”
How does recognition like this help us attract new talent and strengthen the Booth Welsh brand?
“Awards like this demonstrate that we’re serious about investing in our people. Candidates today are looking for more than just a job—they want development opportunities, career progression and a positive culture we aim to be an employer brand of choice and make a difference in our community..
It also helps strengthen our reputation within our industry with clients and our local communities, supporting our relationships with schools, colleges and universities as we continue to build future talent pipelines.”
The People team has been doing a lot of work around training, development and upskilling. What initiatives are you most excited about?
“One of the things I’m most excited about is the opportunity we have with learning and development through PeoplePoint Academy.
Not only do we have access to a huge range of learning content and development programmes, but we also have the ability to create our own bespoke learning pathways and courses that are tailored specifically to Booth Welsh. That gives us a fantastic opportunity to develop both technical and behavioural skills in a way that supports our people and our business needs.”
What role do Apprenticeships and Graduate Apprenticeships play in helping us develop future skills?
“They’re a key part of our future workforce strategy. They allow us to bring talented people into the business, support their development from an early stage and build the skills we’ll need for the future.
They’re also a fantastic example of investing in long-term capability while creating meaningful career opportunities for individuals.”
We’ve introduced assessment centres as part of our recruitment process. What do they help us identify?
“Assessment centres allow us to see much more than a traditional interview can. They help us understand how people communicate, collaborate and approach problem-solving in real-life situations. We have also incorporated our cares values in the process.
It’s been a really positive addition to our recruitment process and helps us make better hiring decisions by focusing on potential as well as experience.”
We talk a lot about value-aligned hiring at Booth Welsh. What does that mean in practice?
“For us, value-aligned hiring is about recruiting people who not only have the right skills but who also align with our CARES values and the culture we’re building at Booth Welsh.
Technical skills can be developed, but we’re also looking for people who demonstrate Collaboration, Ambition, Resilience, Empowerment and Stewardship in the way they work. It’s not just about what someone can do; it’s about how they do it. When we bring in people who align with those values, we create stronger teams, a more positive culture and a better experience for our people and our customers.”
How do grading structures and competency frameworks help create clearer pathways for development and success?
“This has been one of the biggest pieces of work for the team over the last year.
We’ve focused on creating greater clarity around expectations, development and progression. The frameworks help people understand what’s expected of them, where they are in their career journey and what they need to do to progress.
It’s about giving people visibility and helping them take ownership of their development and also allows for a much more transparent process.”
How are changes to performance reviews and digital systems supporting development?
“We’re moving towards a more continuous approach to performance and development rather than relying on annual conversations.
The digital systems we’re introducing help create consistency, improve visibility and make development discussions much more meaningful. Ultimately, it’s about making it easier for managers and employees to have quality conversations about growth and career development.”
Looking ahead, what do you think the workforce of the future will be looking for from an employer?
“I think people are looking for more than just a job. They want to work for an organisation where they can make a difference, continue to develop, feel valued and see a future for themselves.
That’s really been the focus of our People Team over the last year. We’ve worked hard to improve the overall colleague experience, create clearer career pathways, introduce greater transparency around progression and invest in learning and development through PeoplePoint Academy.
What excites me is that we’re creating an environment where people can continue to learn, grow and build long-term careers at Booth Welsh. If we get that right, we’ll not only attract great people, we’ll retain and develop them too.”
Booth Welsh’s success is built on its people. Through continued investment in learning and development, clear career pathways, value-aligned recruitment and future talent programmes, the business is creating an environment where colleagues can grow, thrive and build long-term careers. Recognition through the Scottish Engineering Skills Excellence Award reflects the progress already made, but the focus remains firmly on the future, developing the skills, capability and culture that will ensure Booth Welsh continues to attract, retain and develop exceptional talent for years to come.