Youth charity Construction Youth Trust has been celebrating National Apprenticeship Week by sharing the success of their young people with Kit Malthouse, the Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Enterprise and Stephen Greenhalgh the Deputy Mayor for Policing.
Executive Director Christine Townley and Rod Bennion Chairman of Trustees met with the Deputy Mayors at City Hall to discuss the Trust's programmes and their efforts in helping young people into apprenticeships in construction.
The group was also joined by representatives from two of the Trust's sponsors Land Securities and Bouygues UK. The generosity of the two companies enabled the Trust to set up their very first Mobile Classroom in London, a van kitted out with the tools to teach basic construction skills to young people in their local communities.
The Mobile Classroom has been running for almost two years and has seen great success in providing NEET young people (not in education, employment or training) including ex-offenders with pre-apprenticeship training in construction skills. The Trust not only provides practical training but also brokers relationships between the young trainees and potential employers, whilst offering site visits, CV writing skills and CSCS health and safety training. Last year 64% of young people who completed the course in London were supported into education, training or employment.
Gavin, a previous trainee on one of the Trust's Mobile Classroom courses also took the opportunity to meet with the group at City Hall. The Trust met Gavin as a Centre Point resident and took part in the course at a Peabody Estate in Covent Garden where they built new benches for the communal gardens. He has proved his commitment to finding a career path and is heading in the right direction to secure an apprenticeship. He is due to attend an interview for a work placement with a leading contractor to work on a Transport for London station upgrade project, and his CSCS test is already booked.
Construction Youth Trust trainer Rob Wright commented: "Gavin was an excellent student who should have no problem securing an apprenticeship in the near future."
Colette O'Shea, Head of Development in London at Land Securities, said: "We were delighted to provide the initial investment for the Mobile Classroom which enabled Construction Youth Trust to get three years of Lottery funding to make a sustainable project.
"Together we can make a real difference to young people's lives and provide the workforce of the future with the skills it needs. The Mobile Classroom does exactly that - provides training, guidance and inspiration to young people who need it most, right in the heart of their local communities, providing a first-line engagement with young people furthest from the labour market. The Construction Youth Trust project forms just one part of our commitment to supporting local employment in communities through our London Employment Strategy."
Lionel Christolomme, Managing Director of Bouygues UK also commented: "Bouygues UK are delighted to be part of the Construction Youth Trust scheme.
"For the second year running we can see the success of the programme in developing young people and their interest in construction. We are proud to have co-funded the Mobile Classroom over the last two years, and be part of its enormous success."
