Black & White Engineering, a global engineering design consultancy specialising in mission-critical buildings and infrastructure, has grown its graduate and apprentice workforce to 217 people worldwide as demand for engineering skills increases across data centres and other critical infrastructure markets.

Graduates and apprentices now account for 17.3% of the business, meaning more than one in every six employees is on a structured development pathway.

During 2025, the consultancy welcomed 137 graduates and apprentices as it continued to invest in long-term training routes at a time when employers are under pressure to build stronger skills pipelines.

They are based across Black & White Engineering’s international offices in Dubai, Dublin, Edinburgh, Gurugram in India, London, Manila in the Philippines, Newcastle, Noida in India and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.

The programme offers routes across a broad range of disciplines, including electrical, mechanical, civil and sustainability engineering, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), building information modelling (BIM), and learning and development.

Caff Allen, Global Director of Learning & Development at Black & White Engineering, said: “Graduate and Apprentice development is a significant part of how we build and future proof the business.

“Welcoming 137 people into these routes shows the scale of our investment in our people, but the more important point is the type of experience they are getting.

“They are working with experienced colleagues, learning on live projects and building the skills needed to support complex, mission-critical buildings and infrastructure.”

Black & White Engineering’s graduate and apprentice routes are designed to provide practical experience of technical work, client requirements and multidisciplinary project teams. Participants receive structured support from line managers, mentors and senior colleagues, alongside training in technical and professional skills.

Graduates and apprentices also take part in development events intended to broaden their experience beyond technical engineering.

Those nominated will have the opportunity in October to attend the Graduate Global Gathering in Boracay, Philippines. The event will bring together graduates from across the consultancy’s international teams, helping to strengthen relationships throughout Black & White Engineering’s future workforce.

Caff continued: “The engineering skills challenge will not be solved by recruitment alone. Businesses need to give people options for developmental routes into the industry, clear responsibility and the support to develop over time.

“Our graduate and apprentice programmes are built around that. They give people the chance to contribute early while learning how engineering decisions affect design quality, delivery and long-term performance.

“Bringing our graduates and apprentices together through events like our Technical Excellence and Innovation Conference and the Graduate Global Gathering helps create the connections and ideas that will shape both their careers and the future of our business.”

The consultancy also offers international work experience, enabling graduates and apprentices in its front-office teams to spend time working with colleagues at the Global Design Hub in Manila and build relationships across the wider business.

Caff added: “For Black & White Engineering, developing graduate and apprentice talent is part of long-term workforce planning.

“As demand grows across data centres and other mission-critical sectors, we need people who understand both the detail of design and the pace of delivery. That starts with giving them the right exposure, mentoring and training at the beginning of their careers.”

Black & White Engineering employs 1,256 people globally and supports the delivery of data centre and critical building infrastructure projects across key international markets.