Since 2013, our prison engagement programme (Making Ground) has been helping people with lived experience of the criminal justice system find stable jobs in the construction industry.
We aim to find, train and support people to build lasting careers in our industry. Working with prisons helps us connect with individuals seeking new opportunities.
Through Making Ground, we offer training, job search guidance, CV workshops and career advice to people in custody, giving them the tools they need to succeed after release.
Making Ground also promotes positive hiring practices. As a Ban the Box employer, we don’t ask about criminal convictions unless a security check is needed. We will not ask about convictions until after we’ve made a verbal job offer.
We have a range of options for employment including Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL), permanent employment directly with Kier or through supply chain and temporary contracts.
We have provided information, advice and guidance throughout this page to support you through our recruitment process, whether you’re looking for yourself, a family member or you’re an employment lead within a prison.
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Have a look at our vacancies and if you find a role suitable to you, apply online.
Our recruiters will review your application and if you match the criteria listed on the job advert, you’ll be added to a shortlist for our hiring managers.
If the hiring manager would like to speak with you, you’ll be invited to an interview. If you’re currently serving a sentence, we’ll manage this through your prison employment lead.
Some roles may require a secondary stage interview. If you’re successful after that, we’ll give you a call with the good news and details about your new role. We may need to do some additional paperwork with you depending on the role, but this will be made clear to you at the point of offer.
We’ll follow up our verbal offer with a formal written offer and an agreed start date for you.
1. When applying for a role, make sure you take a look at the essential requirements section. If you meet most of these, ensure they’re mentioned on your CV so our recruiters can quickly identify that you’re suitable for the role.
2. We’ll never ask you to disclose any convictions within an interview – if you’re asked why there is a gap in your CV, it’s perfectly acceptable to say ‘my personal circumstances at the time meant that I needed to step away from work’.
3. Do your research, show that you're motivated by the opportunity and align your answers to our business values and vision.
All candidates with convictions are invited to apply for our roles, and if the role does not require a DBS check (this would be listed on the job advert) then we will never ask you to disclose any unspent convictions at any stage of the application process.
Due to the nature of some of our projects and sites, there can be times where we are unable to offer a candidate the role due to their conviction, but every situation is treated on a case-by-case basis so this should not discourage you from applying.
In order to gain an understanding of you and your experience, recruiters and hiring managers may notice a gap in your CV and ask about this. Do not worry, you do not need to disclose any details and a simple response such as ‘my personal circumstances at the time meant I needed to step away from work’ is a sufficient answer.
Some of our clients require those working on their sites to undertake security vetting. If these clearances are required for the role, this will be highlighted in the job advert.
The outcome of this check would depend on client requirements, the work to be undertaken and the nature of the unspent conviction. We wouldn’t be able to confirm before the check is carried out if the clearance would be approved or not.
If the role you’re offered requires a DBS and we ask if you have a conviction, it’s important for you to be honest. You’ll then be contacted by our diversity and inclusion team to arrange a suitable time to conduct an assessment which will include:
We conduct the assessment to ensure we’re not putting you at risk of potentially breaching licence conditions.
The assessment is then sent off for approval, if there’s any issues with the assessment being approved, we’ll contact you to discuss and advise whether we can offer you an alternative role.
Please contact us via the Kier Chatbot at the bottom of your screen.
We know how valuable the skills and experience people with a connection to the armed forces bring to the workforce, which is why for many years we have been committed to providing job and training opportunities to the armed forces community, working with clients and supply chain partners to do this.
In 2013, we were one of the first construction companies to sign the Armed Forces Covenant, which we later resigned in 2023. We remain committed to offering meaningful and sustainable employment, working with providers such as BuildForce and Forces Transition Group to support veterans, reservists and military families.
Apply nowIn 2021, we launched our Armed Forces Inclusion Network (AFIN). This employee led group supports Kier colleagues with any affiliation to the armed forces, including veterans, spouses, family members, reservists and cadets.
The network places a key role in creating a more inclusive business and looks at ways to attract and support other people with a connection to the armed forces into Kier.
Our AFIN is also made up of business mentors, who work alongside our partner, BuildForce, to provide specialist, expert mentoring to service leavers looking to work within construction. If you’re interested in being mentored by one of our members, contact BuildForce.
All of our current vacancies are available on our website. Take a look through and apply for any you feel you match the criteria for. You can tell us at the application stage if you have an armed forces affiliation.
Then, our recruiters will take a look at your application, taking into consideration you may not meet the exact criteria as you’re transitioning out of your military career. They may contact you for clarification on your experience and how your transferrable skills relate to the role.
If your application is shortlisted by the recruiters, you’ll be passed to a hiring manager to review and then if your experience and transferrable skills are deemed relevant you’ll be invited to an interview. Depending on the role you apply for, there may be a follow up interview.
If you’re successful after the final interview, we’ll let you know the good news and call you with a verbal offer and agree a start date. This will then be followed up with a formal written offer.
1. Think about how you write your CV to ensure it’s written in a way a civilian recruiter would understand.
2. Consider your willingness to travel for your new job. Would you prefer to be based at a static office as opposed to sites which may mean you need to move around the country?
3. Utilise the support of military organisationsand charities to help you navigate deciding which roles you might want to consider.
Yes, we encourage our teams to think about ways to incorporate agile and flexible working at all levels. This could mean part time or job-share roles, condensed full-time hours or working from home.
As part of your application process, you’ll be able to see roles that are able to offer smart working.
It’s important you speak to people that have both military and recruitment expertise to get the best out of your CV. We’d recommend you contact one of our partner organisations such as BuildForce or Forces Transition Group for more support.
Some of our business divisions may offer ad-hoc placements on our sites and in our offices to individuals transitioning from serving personnel.
We’ll advertise these opportunities on our job search page as and when they become available. You can also get in touch with BuildForce who can facilitate these experiences for you.
