Skills Training Manager

Skills Training Manager - Civil Engineering & Highways | North West | Shape the Future of Civil Engineering Talent in the North West

If you are an experienced civil engineering professional ready to step into a leadership-focused development role, this Skills Training Manager opportunity offers the chance to directly influence the next generation of highways specialists. You will be doing meaningful, hands‑on training and mentoring, managing apprentices from day one through to post‑qualification, and building a structured skills development programme across live highway projects.

This permanent Skills Training Manager position offers a competitive salary dependent on experience, profit‑related bonus, strong holiday entitlement and long‑term career progression within a respected regional contractor.

My client is a specialist civil engineering and highways contractor delivering infrastructure projects across the North West of England. With over 75 years of experience working with local authorities and transport bodies, they have built a strong reputation for delivering complex and sustainable highway schemes. You will be joining a multi award‑winning business known for collaborative working, high technical standards and reinvestment into local communities.

Projects include drainage schemes, junction improvements and public realm infrastructure, delivered through a skilled in‑house workforce and trusted supply chain partners.

As Skills Training Manager, you will report to the Senior People & Skills Manager in a stand‑alone but highly influential role.

You will be:

• Managing the recruitment and selection of annual apprentice intakes aligned to the academic calendar
• Building strong partnerships with colleges and training providers to ensure apprentices meet required learning outcomes
• Developing and delivering structured on‑site skills training programmes
• Designing and delivering "offline" practical training sessions within active site environments
• Monitoring apprenticeship progress and maintaining detailed training logs
• Supporting apprentices throughout their training and for one year post‑qualification
• Developing internal plant training tools to industry standard (both theory and practical)
• Coordinating wider operative training with HR and senior operational teams
• Monitoring existing certifications and proactively planning renewal programmes
• Communicating training updates to senior leadership and operational management

You will be working across sites throughout the North West, with your base depot in Bolton (BL4 7QF
).

To succeed as Skills Training Manager, you will have:

• Substantial civil engineering experience
• Practical knowledge of excavation, drainage, ducting, kerbing, paving, concreting, fencing and plant
• Strong communication skills with the confidence to engage staff at all levels
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• The ability to organise your own workload effectively
• A full UK driving licence
• A training qualification or willingness to undertake one

• Valid CSCS Card
• Knowledge of apprenticeship frameworks

• Professional and approachable manner
• Strong organisational and planning capability
• Initiative and self‑motivation
• High attention to detail
• Collaborative team mindset

• £44,000 - £48,000 per annum (salary dependent on experience)
• Annual profit‑related bonus
• Workplace pension
• Accident and life cover (following successful probation)
• 35 days holiday including bank holidays (pro rata for 2025)
• 7 days allocated to Christmas shutdown
• 45 hours per week (Monday‑Friday, 07:30‑17:00 with 30‑minute unpaid lunch)
• Permanent contract subject to 3‑month probation

This is a site‑based role covering projects across the North West. You will be given autonomy to shape the internal training structure while working closely with senior leadership. As Skills Training Manager, you will be central to workforce development strategy, gaining exposure to operational leadership and influencing long‑term skills planning within a growing civil engineering business.

If you are…