Leeds Beckett to lead project supporting service leavers and full time learners into construction

The project is a 3 year funded initiative by the CITB under their Construction pathways program. The CITB is the Sector Skills Council and Industry Training Board for the construction industry, working with construction companies to improve skills, increase competitive edge and respond to the many challenges employers face. Leeds Beckett has been chosen through the School of Built Environment and Engineering to deliver this programme in the region and beyond.

It has been acknowledged that the two target groups of service leavers and full time learners could benefit from an initiative that would provide them with a suitable entry point into the construction industry. Evidence suggest that personnel from other sectors of the economy have transferable skills that are desirable for employment in the construction industry and therefore help to meet the growing skills shortage in the industry. The project will involve the development of a skills diagnostic toolkit, competence modelling, training, placement, mentoring and support for the target groups to successfully transition into employment within the built environment sector.

One of the unique features of this project is the development of online resources that will be freely available to construction industry companies designed to equip companies to attract and retain employees from the target group. The online resources will also be available to further education and other training organisations to help them deliver suitable soft skills content to their students. Many of the initiatives currently running, require the continuous involvement of third parties as conduits for the target group (especially service personnel) to transition into the construction industry. The project will develop generic tools such as the skills gap analytics toolkit, competence model and training guidelines, that will make it easier for construction industry companies to directly employ personnel from these target groups.

If you are interested in getting involved in the project or finding out what you can do to support, please contact Laura Brown, Research and Project Coordinator at the School of Built Environment and Engineering. Email: L.J.Brown@leedsbeckett.ac.uk or phone 0113 812 9232.