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The Greenhatch Community Promise
Overview
Greenhatch understand the importance of working with communities to provide both knowledge and employment opportunities. The Greenhatch community promise is our business initiative to engage people, remove barriers and provide opportunities.
Greenhatch have always been pro active in trying to provide as many opportunities as possible and this was usually in the form of work-experience and industrial placements. In 2019, Robert Page, Founder, joined the employer skills board at Derby College and quickly identified the issue, employers complain about a ‘shortage of skills’ whilst younger generations see a ‘lack of opportunities. Robert believed that the answer was in employer support and that employers had to do more to bring this together.
Unbeknown at the time, the foundation for the ‘Community promise’ had been established there and then. That idea is now a part of the Greenhatch identity and is constantly growing. Since 2019, Greenhatch have reached thousands of individuals, particularly those in education and provided opportunities that have led to significant employment opportunities.
The Greenhatch community Promise continues to grow year on year and anticipate engaging increased numbers in the future.
Engagement with Schools, Colleges and Universities.
Careers Fairs
Greenhatch attend multiple Fairs throughout the country, where we engage with Students to highlight the Geospatial industry.
The employees who represent Greenhatch at these Fairs tend to have 3-4 years’ experience at Greenhatch, and can offer advice to the students based on their own personal experiences.
This helps the students to feel comfortable with our company and have an instant connection with our representatives.
Greenhatch have attended educational institutions across the country.
If your School, College of University would like us to attend one of your careers fairs then please email @HR Mailbox
Educational experts - Philip Gilbert and Matthew Kirk
Work Placements
Greenhatch offer multiple placements throughout the year to the following students.
Secondary School Pupils
Greenhatch are registered with UniFrog, and we offer 1 week work placements where the students would be based at any of our 4 regional offices.
T-Level Students
Greenhatch are current engaged with Derby College Group and Oaklands College (St Albans), whereby we offer first year students in the Design, Surveying and Planning Courses placements to complete their 315 hours work experience, which is a requirement of any T-Level Course.
Since 2022 Greenhatch have provided work placement to 16 students, and currently 7 are now on full-time employment contracts with us.
University Placements
Over 25 students have completed their industrial placement with Greenhatch, of whom 10 are currently in established full-time employment with Greenhatch.
Should anyone wish to apply for any of the work placement, then please email @HR Mailbox
https://www.itv.com/news/central/2022-08-18/first-ever-set-of-t-level-students-receive-results
Get Kids into Surveying
As part of our commitment to engaging with the younger generation, Greenhatch have our very own mascot called Tribus (Latin for three)
Please read more about Tribus on the following link: https://www.getkidsintosurvey.com/blog/character-spotlight-greenhatch
We have sponsored a homework project, all based on the Power of Three, which can be downloaded from:
Career Development
We consider our employees to be our main assets, and the development of every individual is again key to our success.
Although everyone is different, we still offer each employee the opportunity to develop and gain knowledge that enhances their own skillset, which will provide a clear career path to higher positions within the company, or our industry.
Below are the following development opportunities we currently offer.
Apprenticeships
Employees who have served a minimum of 6 month with the company might be offered a college or university course placement.
These courses tend to be 1 day placement with a local College or University and is funded through our Apprenticeship Levy Scheme.
In-House Training
Greenhatch have developed a robust training programme which forms part of the annual staff development plan and managed by our HR Department.
The training is a mix of theory and practical session, which is run over a 12-month period, and current led by a Founder with over 39 years’ experience who is a Fellow of the CICES.
Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES)
Greenhatch are heavily involved with the CICES, with one current Director the Chair of East Midlands Region.
We have an active Approved Development Scheme (ADS), that the CICES have official recognised, and our scheme was awarded in 2019 the annual award for performance and impact on their staff.
There are currently 39 CICES members of different grades, with another 13 on the Approved Development Training Scheme.
Our commitment to the individuals who are members of the CICES, is that all annual professional fees and subscription, training, and CPD events are settled for by the company.
Opportunities, Advancements and Career Paths.
Employee Ownership Trust
Greenhatch transitioned from a Share Ownership Scheme to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) in 2024.
This change in the company structure provides opportunities for all employees to progress through to senior positions in the business.
The new set-up of the management team, which consists of 4 Directors and 2 Associate Directors, all join Greenhatch as trainees.
This top tier of management have amassed over 123 years’ employment with the company, which equates to 20+ years’ service and an average age of 45.
The new 8 Associates and 3 Regional Managers have accumulated 214 years’ service, which breakdown to almost 20 years’ service and an average age of 43.
These figures highlight the loyalty of our employees, and proof that the “Promote from Within” philosophy works for our company.
Although the Greenhatch EOT is still in its infancy, it provides everyone with the opportunity to achieve their aspirations, where it be to run the business or be a highly skilled or motivated employee.
The Greenhatch project
Greenhatch and Derby College: Developing the Next Generation of Surveying Professionals
Overview
Since the introduction of the Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction T Level in 2020, Greenhatch has worked closely with Derby College to support the delivery of surveying education and help bridge the gap between education and industry.
This partnership began in 2019 when Greenhatch Founder, Robert Page, joined the Derby College Employer Skills Board (ESB). The board brings together local construction leaders to ensure that the skills being taught reflect current industry standards and that students are equipped with the knowledge employers require.
Early discussions identified a need for additional support in delivering the surveying element of the T Level curriculum. Following meetings with the college, Greenhatch committed a full week of staff time to deliver both classroom-based theory and practical surveying experience.
Sam Lewis, Director at Greenhatch, developed bespoke teaching materials before leading students through practical surveying exercises at Carsington Water. The programme introduced students to a range of surveying techniques and successfully prepared them for their practical assessments. Every student achieved a distinction in this element of the course.
The long-term impact has been significant. Two students from the first T Level cohort joined Greenhatch, where they remain today, with one progressing through a degree apprenticeship. Since then, Greenhatch has provided 19 industrial placements and recruited several T Level learners into full-time employment.
Alongside its partnership with Derby College, Greenhatch has continued to support education through guest lectures, workshops and engagement events with Stephenson College, La Retraite College, North Kent College and Oaklands College.
Towards the end of the 2025 academic year, the Employer Skills Board identified that more than 20 first-year T Level students were at risk of not completing the industrial placement hours required to successfully finish the course. As student numbers continue to grow, sourcing sufficient placement opportunities has become an increasing challenge for colleges.
Rather than simply recognising the problem, Greenhatch developed an innovative solution:
The Greenhatch Project
Objective
To create a realistic industrial placement experience that would allow as many students as possible to gain meaningful, hands-on industry experience while meeting the placement requirements of their T Level qualification. To be able to achieve this Greenhatch needed staff willing to engage this process and Phil Gilbert, Associate, managed and scheduled this brilliantly.
Location
Broomfield Campus, Derby College
Week One – Company Formation and Site Survey
Students were divided into teams and tasked with creating their own surveying consultancy. Each company developed its own name, branding and company ethos before assigning professional roles including Managing Director, Quantity Surveyor, Surveyor and Lead Designer. Teams also established salaries and project budgets, encouraging an understanding of business management alongside technical delivery.
Each team received the same project brief based on a genuine site at Derby College's Broomfield Campus: six disused garages identified for redevelopment. The location provided a safe and controlled environment for students to experience real-world surveying.
Following a full site induction, Greenhatch professionals demonstrated the setup and operation of total stations before introducing students to key surveying techniques and data collection methods.
It quickly became apparent that many students had very limited practical experience with surveying equipment. Greenhatch therefore adapted the programme, providing additional coaching and practical demonstrations to build confidence and ensure students understood how to accurately capture both internal and external features.
Given the limited timescale and the steep learning curve, Greenhatch completed one full survey on behalf of the students, allowing them to observe professional workflows while ensuring a complete and accurate dataset was available for the following week's CAD and Revit exercises.
Week Two – CAD and Revit Training
With survey data collected, attention turned to digital modelling.
The original plan focused on developing both AutoCAD and Revit skills. However, an early assessment showed that many students had little or no experience using AutoCAD, whereas most possessed a basic understanding of Revit. The programme was therefore adapted to maximise learning outcomes by placing greater emphasis on Revit.
Originally, all training was scheduled at the Broomfield Campus, but unreliable Wi-Fi and limited IT facilities significantly affected productivity. Following feedback from students, the sessions were relocated to Derby College's Hudson Building at Pride Park, where improved computer facilities enabled a far more effective learning environment despite the additional daily travel.
Week Three – Independent Delivery and Client Presentations
By the third week, students had gained sufficient confidence to work more independently.
Greenhatch professionals provided technical guidance while encouraging teams to take ownership of their projects. College staff remained available throughout, but the emphasis shifted towards self-management, teamwork, accountability and professional decision-making.
The project concluded with a presentation day hosted at Greenhatch's headquarters in Little Eaton.
Each team presented its completed project in the boardroom to a panel of Greenhatch professionals, replicating the experience of presenting proposals to a real client. Although many students were understandably nervous, every team delivered impressive presentations that demonstrated clear improvements in confidence, technical ability and professional communication.
Outcomes and Impact
The three-week programme proved both challenging and highly rewarding. Students developed a broad range of technical and professional skills, including:
Practical surveying techniques and total station operation.
Fundamental CAD and Revit modelling skills.
Teamwork, communication and collaborative working.
Commercial awareness through role allocation and budgeting.
Presentation and client-facing communication skills.
A realistic understanding of professional surveying practice and industry workflows.
For Greenhatch, the project also delivered significant value. Staff developed meaningful relationships with students, providing technical expertise, career advice and mentoring while helping inspire the next generation of construction professionals.
Feedback from both Derby College staff and students was overwhelmingly positive, with participants highlighting the value of working on a genuine project and experiencing an authentic industry environment.
Lasting Success
Following completion, the project was presented to the Employer Skills Board, where local construction businesses recognised both its impact and its potential.
As a result, Whitehouse Construction, Danaher & Walsh and GF Tomlinson all committed to supporting the 2026 programme, which will continue under the established identity of The Greenhatch Project.
Greenhatch is proud to have pioneered an innovative approach that enables students to gain genuine industrial experience while fulfilling a key educational requirement. The initiative demonstrates how industry and education can work together to solve real challenges and create meaningful opportunities for young people entering the profession.
In recognition of his leadership and commitment to education, Sam Lewis has since been elected Chair of the Employer Skills Board.
"Greenhatch initially became involved to help ensure the right skills and knowledge were being delivered within the sector. Since then, the initiative has grown year on year, and we have now engaged with more than 300 learners. We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved, but none of it would have been possible without the commitment of the entire Greenhatch team. Over the past six years, 25 members of staff have volunteered their time to support the programme, demonstrating the passion and belief our people have in developing the next generation of professionals."
Sam Lewis
Director, Greenhatch
National coverage and international coverage
Committed in-house team
Employees, full training via CICES & custom programmes.
Years of experience
Pioneering surveying excellence from Derby to Newcastle, across the UK.
Surveys conducted
Starting from topographical to BIM models, a variety of surveys are conducted till date
Surveys Delivered
Request a survey quote for your project
Get accurate geospatial data from a team trusted by architects, engineers, contractors, developers and local authorities across the UK.
From topographical and measured building surveys to 3D laser scanning, utility mapping, BIM and monitoring, Greenhatch provides the reliable data you need to plan, design and build with confidence.
Why choose Greenhatch?
✓ Established from 1988 surveying experience
✓ Nationwide & International coverage
✓ In-house survey specialists
✓ Clear project management
✓ Data delivered in the format you need
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