We supported the Prince's Trust Get into Construction programme; a three-week pre- employability skills programme aimed at helping young people, who are not in education or training (NEET), develop skills to help them to get a job.
The programme is delivered for the Prince's Trust by Eastern Training, which is a not for profit social enterprise, which we supported and delivered some of the talks and workshops as part of the programme. The sessions are designed to run alongside the studies of young people taking their Level 1 Construction Multi-Skills Diploma.
The programme includes activities that aim to develop skills required in the workplace and gives the participants the opportunity to study for and take their CSCS card exam, which is required to work on most construction sites in the UK. Gaining their CSCS cards gives the participants the ability to get a job on any construction site at the end of the programme.
A Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?-style quiz is just one of the creative and interactive ways in which we encouraged the participants' interest in construction. The quiz helped to dispel some common myths about the construction industry; Construction isn’t all about muddy boots and hard hats!
The 14 to 16-year-olds also learnt more about themselves through the Buzz Quiz, which helped them to understand their personalities. This, along with a session on the Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) career profiling website, helped them to think about what studies and roles might suit them best in the future.
10 out of the 11 students graduated the programme and so far five have received opportunities for work or further study. Two have started work, with another being able to start once they have achieved their CSCS card and another two have received offers to start college in September.
Nick Plews, programme executive for 'Get Into' said:
"We’re really grateful to Willmott Dixon for investing so much time and effort with these young people, we hope that this will help them to move forward into positive outcomes."
