Basic Construction Skills Project

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 Background

TLC 2030 CIC has made significant progress in setting up the location for a gardening/horticultural skills training activity at The Poors Allotments in North Leatherhead, offering outdoor basic skills development whilst generating vegetable products for the local Community Café. This has attracted some keen volunteers, as well as some business community activity days, and has been supported by local philanthropic organizations for the provision of a tool shed and learning cabin to replace previous buildings blown down in a storm. The challenge remains to attract young adults from the neighbourhood who want to learn skills that could take them into local employment opportunities.

New Venture

As an alternative, potentially attractive, offer to such local young adults, TLC 2030 CIC is now considering developing a Basic Construction Skills work and study program for local Neets and Roni’s (including nearby school pupils following vocational skills courses).

The key elements required for such a venture are:

1. Skills trainers experienced in delivering basic construction skills to deprived young people.

2. A syllabus for training, leading to some form of foundation qualifications based upon both formal tuition and work experience.

3. A location with power and tooling facilities in which to deliver the formal tuition element of the venture.

4. A series of local businesses willing to offer practical supervised Work Experience opportunities for the students, with some potential for a lead-in to apprenticeship scheme employment.

5. Funding to support the program and its delivery partners.

6. Help with publicizing the opportunity and identifying and committing the initial cohort of trainees.

Progress to Date

1. With the help of SATRO and CITB, two potential training deliverers have been identified, and initial encouraging discussions have been held with each.

2. Various programs for tuition have been identified, from City and Guilds (Welsh), GCSE and Site Certification units, along with practical English and Numeracy skills development, which would establish students as qualified for Apprenticeship Earn and Learn schemes.

3. Discussions are continuing around the potential use of some local school outbuildings suitable for such activities, for both in-school pupils and external participants from the neighbourhood, with appropriate Safeguarding and H&S provision. In the longer term, local major construction employers are being approached to encourage them to set up a local “Skills Academy” to provide new construction labour for some big property developments being planned for the town.

4. Similarly, discussions are ongoing with local construction, refurbishment, and property maintenance employers to offer Work Experience opportunities for the students, hopefully leading to interviews for Apprenticeship recruitment.

5. Some small funding has been achieved for this proposal, but through Local and National Government, Philanthropic Grant Makers and via Schedule 106 provisions upon local strategic property developers, major investment funding is in sight.

6. Through local community groups, community housing providers, and local government and medical organizations, along with social media publicity etc. The opportunities will be well advertised and communicated as special opportunities for the unemployed young adults in the area.

In Summary

TLC 2030 CIC are pleased with the very positive response we have had from all we have discussed the venture with, and we look forward to bringing all parties together soon to debate the deeper detail of all that will need to be confirmed in the creation of such an activity to commence form mid to late 2024. 

Bill Donnelly (07973 656052)

Eddie McArdle (07740 628129)