Fareham College has teamed up with Job Centre Plus (JCP) to establish a bespoke Sector-Based Work Academy to offer people the opportunity to Refresh, Refocus, Retrain and gain the skills and knowledge required for pursuing a career in the construction industries.
Fareham College’s Civil Engineering Training Centre (CETC) is working with JCP to help individuals who are seeking employment opportunities by offering them the relevant skills and experience to enter the construction industry through a new programme. Potential applicants including those who have been made redundant and are receiving unemployment benefit, or have been out of work for some time, enrol on a four-week training programme, at CETC, which gives them real-world experience in civil engineering.
Every learner is guaranteed a job interview at the end of the programme, they obtain their CSCS Green Card, as well as gaining a Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment and a Level 1 Award in Bricklaying. PPE equipment is provided, to every learner. If required, they can gain a functional skills qualification in Maths and English, which enables them to graduate the programme site ready. Each cohort of learners can then progress straight into work or onto an apprenticeship.
John Stevens, JCP Employer Adviser, said, “We would like to see the Sector-Based Work Academies grow and in collaboration with Fareham College we are continuing to look at ways we can change the programme to suit industry needs and standards. We want to meet the needs of the local and wider community and bridge the gap in the skills shortages in specific areas. It’s great that we have such a fantastic facility, Fareham College’s CETC, located in our community and that we can further develop our partnership on projects like this now and in the future.”
Jordan Pakiry, one of the learners on the programme said, “I was made redundant at the end of July. JCP recommended that I undertake the four-week Sector-Based Work Academy programme at Fareham College’s CETC campus. My previous career in sales was a complete contrast to working in construction. I snapped up the opportunity to join, as I could see it being a career I would enjoy.
“I came to CETC with no experience in bricklaying or the construction industry, but I have had a very positive experience and have learnt the basics in building straight block walls, corner returns and bonding bricks together. These skills combined with my Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment plus functional skills in Maths have put me in a great position to look for a job at the end of the programme.”
Fellow learner, Andrew Stubbs also commented, “I was unemployed for six months, having had a long and successful career in transport services. The team at Gosport JCP have been amazing; they recommended the programme after discussing my career aspirations, and I thought this sounded like something that would be a great new start for me. I want to pursue a work placement with Highways England and return to CETC next year to complete a Level 2 Highway Maintenance Apprenticeship.
“The tutors at CETC are amazing. They have up-to-date industry experience and knowledge and the right connections. I have already recommended the programme to family and friends who are looking to change or start a career in civil engineering and groundworks.”
Lesley Roberts, Managing Director of Business Plus at Fareham College, said, “We are delighted to be working in collaboration with Job Centre Plus (JCP) to benefit local people and offer them the opportunity to Refresh, Refocus, Retrain and gain valuable skills and knowledge to pursue careers in the construction industry.
“The programme has already enjoyed success with learners from the first two cohorts progressing into employment and Apprenticeships. We are planning a third cohort to start in January 2021. We hope to see many of our learners go on to have successful careers in the construction industry.”
For more information about Fareham College’s CETC Sector-Based Work Academy, visit https://www.fareham.ac.uk/cetc/ or call 01329 815400.
