VGC’s senior directors have announced the shortlist for this year’s Go beyond awards.
Chief executive officer Laurence Mckidd said: “I have been so impressed by the way all our staff have pulled together to support each other and our clients this year.
“Thank you to everyone nominated, and also to those who sent in submissions – we received over 120 nominations this year. You have shown how much you value the work of your colleagues. This shortlist represents the best of the best, and I am immensely proud of you all. Judging to select the winners in each category is going to be tremendously hard. But of all this year’s challenges, it will be the most positive.”
We achieve potential – shortlist
Office staff
| Alice Dupree | HR adviser | Alice was nominated in recognition of her career and personal development over the last 18 months. After completing her Level 3 apprenticeship in human resources, she was promoted to HR advisor – which required a very steep learning curve! She learned how to manage the staff payroll, including furlough for monthly paid staff. She administered furlough agreements for over 500 site workers and handled all their COVID-related queries. She has demonstrated tenacity, resilience and adaptability in her new role. |
| Steve Kenny | Head of delivery | Steve received several nominations. He led our successful tendering activities this year. We have secured 3/3 HS2 tenders, and we are waiting on the outcome of the fourth plus numerous other framework tenders. In addition, he has led the development of our new resourcing database, and our Worksite product to support efficient labour management, as well as support senior leaders at Morgan Sindall on their IR35 strategy. He often works late to meet deadlines. Nominees commented on his 'relentless work ethic' and his 'don't-leave-the-job-until-it-is-done' attitude. |
| Jana Romanova | Labour manager | Jana received numerous nominations, many linked to how she has developed since she joined VGC. She began as a resourcer, then moved to managing the team. In early 2020 she was promoted to labour manager looking after the SCS project on HS2. She has developed excellent working relationships with clients and colleagues. She delivers webinars, on-line briefings and training sessions. She upholds the highest standards on compliance, works to meet short deadlines, and helps to support under-represented groups. One nominee said: “Jana has shown that there are opportunities for promotion if you work hard and in line with our values.” |
| Mitch Turbitt | Labour manager | Mitch was nominated for his personal development over the last 18 months. He has shown remarkable adaptability and can-do attitude. He has formed excellent relationships with operatives and clients. As our youngest labour manager in the country, he has a very bright future in the business. |
Site staff
| Mark Cox | Tideway East GREPS CSO team | During a VGC quarterly performance review on Thames Tideway, the works manager commented: “My FLS steam across the project reports that the overall feeling is that the support and assistance that they receive from the VGC team is always to a high standard. The labour provided has been very good, with a few people standing out as assets to your company. Mark Cox joined the GREPS CSO team a few months back and has shown nothing but good leadership skills and a willingness to help from the start.” |
| Tilahun Ermago | Groundworker - Bond Street station for client Costain Skanska JV | The client’s health and safety manager commented: “Come rain or shine, Tila is always on the +1 slab, cleaning up and drying out the slab. He is always willing to help out anywhere on site to get the job done. Great lad and a great attitude to work.” |
| Rishi Khera | Foreman - A14 Integrated Labour Team | Rishi received nominations from both VGC staff and clients. Rishi has demonstrated his potential in several ways over the last year. He is not afraid of challenging safety issues. Actions included ensuring that scaffold tubes on temporary works were in a safe position, and refusing a delivery without emergency breakaway cables. He is very supportive of the labour management team. He aids our recruitment plans, and helped colleagues by translating. He’s delivered a vehicle safety video. And he spoke at a Balfour Beatty conference about his experience of working within the construction industry, building an emotional case for industry change. |
| Vasile Bud, Tomas Wawryzniak, and Vlad Birtalan | Maidenhead town centre for client VolkerHighways | The senior commissioning officer for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead sent a message after a site visit. She complimented the VGC team for a service cover reinstatement: “It is very well done, nicely lined up and cut perfectly.” |
We deliver on our promises – shortlist
Office staff
| Ciaran Alstowe | Business support manager | Ciaran as been nominated for the work that he is doing in implementing new ideas. Following a suggestion in the innovations portal, Ciaran set up and hosts the regular online recruitment webinars and has done a great job turning ideas into reality. He shows a desire to push change for the better and for raising the bar within our industry. |
| Stephen Burns | Business development director | Stephen was nominated for is work towards the award of HS2 contracts. He started this activity over five years ago, and has built relationships at all levels across the JV clients. This early engagement allowed us to develop our services to meet the project requirements, so our tender team had tangible evidence to demonstrate our capability. Despite COVID’s effect on our business, the award of HS2 frameworks will support VGC for many years to come. Stephen has also supported new members of the team to develop client relationships. He lives away from home, gives up his evenings and weekends to support client engagement, and he always wants the best outcome for VGC. |
| Shauna McKeown | Resourcing and compliance specialist, Morgan Sindall Labour Desk | Shauna is an unsung hero. She quietly provides sole administration and management of the Morgan Sindall Labour Desk for VGC and the other labour desk partners. Earlier this year, Shauna's workload trebled as she provided support to Morgan Sindall's procurement director to process over 400 IR35 assessments. This ensured our client remained compliant and managed contractors’ expectations efficiently and effectively. |
| Laura Perry | Head of human resources | Laura prepared and coordinated our HR furlough communications. Using new technology, she arranged new terms for over 500 staff without any being physically printed – something we couldn't have envisaged nine months ago. She also acted as a key conduit between the weekly payroll team, the HSQE team, who managed risk assessments and re-onboarding, and the communications function. |
| Heena Chatrath | Senior recruitment consultant | Heena was nominated for her helpfulness to anyone and everyone who needs support. She has achieved some excellent recruitment wins this year, contributing substantially to our bottom line, but more, she has helped other colleagues across VGC whenever they have requested it. |
Site staff
| Michael Hagri | Concrete finisher at Sellafield for client MW Group | Michael was commended by the client for suggesting a design change which substantially reduced the risk of project over-runs and the expenses which those would entail. The client design team accepted his proposal and the work was completed successfully. |
| Manjit Singh | multi-skilled op at Bond Street Crossrail station for client Costain Skanska JV (now working on HS2 for client SCS) | Our client told us they have received several nominations and commendations from different people stating how much Manjit helps everyone on site. "He goes above and beyond for everyone without question." |
| Kamal Mehmi, Krishan Chand Sharma, Cosmin Roman, Stelica Enache | Welfare maintenance team - A14 Integrated Labour Team | The team was nominated for their exceptional work. They are responsible for cleaning and stocking their section’s forty-eight welfare units. “As you can doubt appreciate, this is an unenviable task, yet they complete it daily to a very high standard, with a smile." |
| Neville Hamilton, Lewis Ramsey, Samuel Marshall | Civils ops working in Birmingham for client Siemens | Andrew Burgess nominated this team for their positive attitude and hard work after the client emailed VGC to express his satisfaction with the way ‘they go above and beyond’. They sacrifice time with their families to deliver what the client described as ‘top quality work’. |
We look after each other – shortlist
Office staff
| James Burke | Delivery manager | James received nominations from several site workers. They said that James really cares about and appreciates the people who work for him. He has provided regular phone contact, and has never left a question without an answer. James also collated good news stories about how people were coping during COVID which featured in the email staff updates. |
| Eddie Long | Cole Hire vehicle preparation officer | Eddie has been supporting a student with special educational needs (SEN) on a work placement. SEN students find it harder to access opportunities, so we are pleased to offer work experience where we can. The student has really blossomed under Eddie's supervision and he looks forward to attending each week. Eddie’s calm kindness has given him a much-needed confidence boost. |
| Nick Wells | Labour manager - HS2 for client Align JV | One of Nick’s operatives was going through a tough time outside work. He confided in Nick, who supported him by putting up in an hotel for a week to get him away from his stressful situation. Nick did this out of his own pocket. He proves that our operatives are part of the VGC family and we will look after them when they need it. |
| Richard Wheeler | Head of HSQE | Richard was commended for supporting colleagues across the business, from managing the HSQE, coordinating our COVID safety response to making repairs in Canning Town. In one instance Richard found out that a weekend's work for VGC was going to be cancelled, because the company in charge of a demolition couldn’t get their team face-fit tested. He went out of his way to face-fit 20 members of this team, so the demolition work could go ahead. That meant that VGC people got their weekend's work, and the client successfully moved forward with the project. |
| Zena Wigram | Marketing and communications manager | Zena was commended for the way she changed the VGC communications process during the COVID pandemic. She collated daily email updates to all our staff, including information on changes to the business, COVID updates, as well as uplifting messages to support mental health and well being. |
Site staff
| Robert Brown | Industrial cleaner - client Siemens for Network Rail Durham Coast project | Rob, who is normally employed as a driver or yardman, was asked to help out as an industrial cleaner. Site feedback has been impressive. He has taken the initiative to work above and beyond what is required, to ensure his colleagues stay safe. Siemens senior management commented on how organised, clean and presentable the site was. |
| Reece Grace | Multi-skilled operative and site leader on our project for client G.Network | Reece went out of his way to help a 90-year-old resident who lived near his project. During the first lockdown, Reece spent his own money to buy her weekly shop, bringing it to her front door each day. When he found out that her TV was not working, he brought in his own spare TV from home and set it up inside her home. This true act of kindness sets an example to us all. Our client said: "Reece has gone above and beyond within the local community. He shows a positive representation of both VGC and G.Network at these challenging times." |
| Callum Lambourne | Earthworks ganger - M4 smart motorway upgrade for client Balfour Beatty Vinci JV | Callum and his team mates noticed an elderly man crash his electric scooter close to the work site. They went straight over to help, giving first aid for some cuts and walking the man home. |
| Cataline Marin | Cleaner - Bond Street station for client Costain Skanska | Cataline was nominated by the client's health and safety manager. When Cataline spotted a member of the public having a panic attack, she supported them until they were feeling better. |
| Serafim-Daniel Morosanu | Multi-skilled operative at Heathrow for client Ferrovial Agroman | Daniel observed some unsafe work practices, which he reported to the project safety team. The client commended his actions for enabling them to tackle an ongoing issue with people taking short cuts on site. |
| Raducu-Marian Visan | Ganger on HS2 West project for client SCS | Raducu helped Ben Keegan to carry out face-fit testing by staying on to translate important information and requirements to operatives who were having trouble understanding. His help ensured his colleagues fully understood the safety information and were face-fitted correctly. |
Outstanding achievement
This award is for the member of staff who has consistently demonstrated all the VGC values throughout the year.
All the winners will be announced at our six-monthly meeting on Thursday 10 December.
We will update our website shortly afterwards.
