Government funding of £1million has been given to Nottingham to get more people into construction training and jobs.

Partners in Nottingham have been given a slice of a £22million funding pot, which will be used to launch construction academies with Nottingham College.

These academies will bring training to construction sites – allowing learners to apply their knowledge in a real-world environment. The money will be used to help local residents secure industry jobs and will pay for training and resources.

The Construction Skills Fund was launched in June 2018 and Nottingham has been chosen as one of 26 successful bidders from across the country.

The bid was led by Nottingham College, along with partners Nottingham City Homes, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham City Council, Wates Construction and local construction firm Robert Woodhead.

It is anticipated that the fund will help meet the needs of employers and tackle the construction skills shortage, while also supporting those who want to join the industry, particularly adult learners. The 18-month scheme is funded by the Department for Education and will be administered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

Today, (Friday 16 November) the Department for Education announced the successful candidates for this year’s fund – Nottingham being one of them.

James Whybrow, Nottingham College Vice Principal – Partnerships, Apprenticeships and Enterprise, said:

“As one of the largest construction training providers in the Midlands, we have invested significantly in our facilities. Our state-of-the-art Basford campus, with its industry-standard construction workshops, means students are well equipped to enter the world of work.

“This funding will give hundreds of local people the opportunity to develop their skills on site and secure jobs in construction.

“We are particularly excited that our own City Hub site will be one of the sites to offer this opportunity, meaning our new campus will be educating its first students 18 months before it opens for business.

“We’re looking forward to working with our partners and excited to get the project underway.”

Nick Murphy, Chief Executive at NCH, said: “Winning this bid means that Nottingham people will be able to get the best training and skills they need to start in the construction industry.

“NCH have a strong reputation for training local people and employing apprentices.  Our work includes improving existing housing and building new homes, and we have numerous projects starting in the future. This will be a great opportunity for people to work on a live site and work first-hand with developers.

“On-site training is hugely beneficial, not just for us as employers but for trainees too, as it will help bridge the gap between training and working in the industry, meaning trainees are site-ready sooner. We hope this will encourage more people to look at training and working in the industry.”

Nationally the fund will support:

• 20 on-site training hubs in England
• Work experience and placements for people working to join the industry
• Entry pathways for those currently unemployed
• Pathways for career switchers.

The funding will only support on-site training provision, and access to live construction projects is essential to qualify.