In a joint initiative with The Prince's Trust,
leading firms from the construction industry have come together to
create the Construction & Business Services (CBS)
Leadership Group to fund and facilitate Get into Construction &
Business Service Sector courses across the UK .
The group stands at the forefront of The Prince's Trust work and
comprises a number of industry leaders within the construction
and business services sectors. Together, they strive to
spearhead the various projects and support the development and
progression of young people within the construction sector.
What is Get into Construction?
A two to four-week skills development programme designed to give
young people between 16 and 25 a feel for working in construction
by training them in various areas of the industry, including:
- Carpentry
- Joinery
- Plastering
- Brickwork
- Painting and decorating
Those that excel within these programmes open themseleves up to
being offered an apprenticeship to work towards
obtaining a Construction Skills Certificate Scheme Card – a
card that entitles them to work on a building site. They will also
get six months' support from a Prince's Trust advisor once they
have completed the programme.
We believe the Get into Programmes provide a
real opportunity to inspire young people to realise their potential
and get started on the road to achieving their ambitions. The
programmes enable us to make a positive difference to the lives of
young people in the communities in which we work and ensure that
people recognise the talented young people in their midst.
- Paul Drechsler,
Chairman & Chief Executive, Wates Group
A practical idea
With the 2012 Olympics happening in London, the Cross Rail
network project on track and a brand new
Heathrow Terminal 2 taking off, the shortage of
skilled construction workers is set to escalate.
Get into Construction & Business Services will impact
positively on this shortage, and equip young people with the skills
they need to progress into an apprenticeship and employment.
We have been working with The Trust for over
ten years now and the partnership allows us to commit to giving
something back to society. This exciting scheme will not only help
the skills shortages that currently exist in the construction
industry but also give disadvantaged young people a real
future.
- Elaine Radford,
Head of CSR Europe at DLA Piper