During National Apprentice Week, an innovative scheme has been launched to help young people acquire construction skills. Paid for by developers through S106 community contributions, “Construction Futures” will equip trainee tradesmen and their employers to compete in the local area for work that could otherwise involve contractors having to bring labour in from elsewhere (including outside the UK).The scheme has been designed by West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) to correct a longstanding mismatch between construction training and the needs of the construction sector.
WNDC chairman John Markham explained: “It’s about the supply and demand of skills. As the planning and regeneration body for the area, we’ve found a win-win formula whereby housebuilders and other developers contribute to the community in the form of construction training.”
Each sizeable planning application is assessed in terms of the skills that will be required to construct it. This is compared to the skills available locally and any deficiencies identified, with the subsequent S106 community contribution from the developer being used to train people to fill that skills gap. The scheme complements the Government’s commitment to use its unique purchasing power to promote skills training and apprenticeship places in construction through public procurement.
Housing minister Iain Wright MP announced the scheme on February 24 at WNDC’s offices in Daventry. He said: “During the last recession the number of construction jobs fell sharply and we need to learn the lessons from this to ensure that we minimise the impact on construction jobs during this economic downturn. If we can provide the right opportunities for youngsters to stay in the construction industry, we can help to boost the local economy. Initiatives like Construction Futures will help address long term skills issues, as well as giving young people the opportunity to get the practical skills and experience they need.”
Minister for skills and apprenticeships Lord Young added: “This scheme is an excellent example, showing real leadership on skills and apprenticeships. I commend WNDC and partners for their work, and encourage local authorities to follow suit in using their planning and procurement processes to promote skills development in their area.”
John Markham continued: “This is an innovative approach that feeds money raised from developers straight back into the trades required to complete a project. It helps resolve skill shortages in the area. It gives construction workers advantages in working in our own locality – local people get career help using money from local developments, with the training, an initial job, and then a trade which will enable them to stay employed. For developers, it enables them to see where their community contribution is going and, in fact, they are one of the beneficiaries of the money as part of the process is the gearing-up of the trades needed for their development.”
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