The Experience Construction programme is a new initiative being piloted by CITB-ConstructionSkills to give young people between the ages of 16-18 the opportunity to enrolon a two- to four-week work experience placement‘.
CITB-ConstructionSkills said the scheme was part of its commitment to helping industry meet its recruitment challenge by inspiring young people to consider careers in the construction and built environment sector. Experience Construction will enable a generation of young people to sample what the industry has to offer before deciding on their future, particularly those who are not employed or in education and training, it said.
It hopes that the scheme will lead to half of the youngsters being taken on as apprentices.
From an employers’ perspective the scheme provides companies with the opportunity to assess potential apprentices in a live working environment, helping to ensure that a flow of talented young people continue to enter the industry and help meet the future skills needs of the local area. The scheme also offers employers the added benefit of engaging and building relationships with the local community.
CITB-ConstructionSkills chief executive Mark Farrar said: “This is a great opportunity for construction companies to make a crucial contribution to the industry by engaging with young people. While the sector still faces challenges, it is important that we are still making sure that quality new entrants continue to enter the workforce to prevent a skills gap in the future. I now urge construction companies to come forward and offer young people in their area this vital chance to experience just what our industry has to offer.”
Interested employers should contact CITB-ConstructionSkills on 0300 456 5824 or contact their local CITB-ConstructionSkills area delivery manager.
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