A new programme which will provide over 400 people displaced by the pandemic a pathway into the construction industry is set to launch on Monday 22nd March.
Esh Group and Learning Curve Group (LCG) have partnered to deliver ‘Constructing Careers’, which will equip participants with the necessary training and skills to pursue a career in the industry.
The two firms have been quick to react to the Government’s Budget, which announced changes that are vital for the next stage of the UK’s economic recovery, helping jobseekers and employers alike.
The beginning of March saw Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until the end of September and bolster the government’s plan for jobs by confirming an additional £126 million funding for traineeships, increasing employer incentive payments for hiring an apprentice and further investment in the National Careers Service.
Mr Sunak also announced funding to triple the number of sector-based work academy programme (SWAPs) placements which can help people switch sector. SWAPs are short programmes consisting of pre-employment training, work-experience placements and guaranteed job interviews linked to vacancies in sectors with high demand.
In a bid to provide a route into the construction industry for those who find themselves out of work due to the pandemic, or are considering a career change, Esh and LCG have announced that ‘Constructing Careers’ will be open for enrolment from Monday 22nd March, with the firms planning for an initial intake of 400 participants.
The week-long programme will provide accredited training through a classroom based or online training environment, CSCS card certification which is essential to accessing site-based construction jobs, and enrolment to Esh’s recruitment agency, Core People. Employer workshops will form part of the new programme helping to develop participants’ transferrable employability skills, showcase the broad range of construction careers available and remove common preconceptions of the industry.
The innovative partnership sees the coming together of two regional powerhouses; Learning Curve Group, one of the UK’s largest training and education specialists, and Esh Group, a construction sector leader in social and economic value and recipient of the Queen’s Award for Promoting Opportunity and Social Mobility.
Andy Radcliffe, Esh Group’s chief executive said: “The impact of this pandemic on jobs in a number of sectors has been terrible, we know people are finding the job market very difficult, with young people most likely to have been furloughed or made redundant over the last 12 months. We are aware that more than 800,000 under-24-year-olds are receiving Universal Credit. Further to this, many people are looking for increased job security, achieve a better work-life balance and are driven by a desire to learn new skills and challenge themselves.
“Through our partnership with LCG we want to help those who want a new challenge and the opportunity to pursue a career in construction. The construction sector is key to the UK’s economic recovery and has been relatively resilient during the pandemic. While conditions are still very challenging, Esh, our supply chain and many of our industry peers have traded through the last 12 months by fostering close collaboration, seizing new opportunities and driving innovation to adapt to the challenges that we faced.
“Constructing Careers provides a route into the construction sector for anyone who now finds themselves out of work, whether they have, or have not worked in the industry before. We firmly believe it is our duty as a major employer to do our bit to support people in finding new opportunities, and to hopefully embark on a career that helps them put the trauma of the last 12 months behind them.”
Brenda McLeish, Learning Curve Group’s chief executive said: “The Constructing Careers programme we’ve built alongside Esh Group is absolutely fantastic. When I joined LCG in 2008, I headed up our Skill Centres which included our specialist construction academies in the North East, and it is an area that remains close to my heart. I’m thrilled about the impact the Constructing Careers programme will undoubtedly have on the region as we all work towards recovery.”
For further information on the Constructing Careers programme and to enrol contact http://lcgonline.co.uk/constructingcareers.
Constructing Careers provides a route into the construction sector for anyone who now finds themselves out of work, whether they have, or have not worked in the industry before. We firmly believe it is our duty as a major employer to do our bit to support people in finding new opportunities, and to hopefully embark on a career that helps them put the trauma of the last 12 months behind them.”
