Ten East London Apprentices Recruited for Two Year Construction NVQ
NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION COLLEGE EAST LONDON, NEWHAM

Ten young people from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have been recruited by construction company Bouygues UK for a two year apprenticeship scheme that will result in an NVQ in Construction (Level 2) qualification at the end of the training period.

The scheme, which commences on Friday 9th October, is being run in partnership with the National Construction College, Europe's largest construction training provider, and will combine college learning with on-site experience to provide properly qualified and competent workers with the right balance of technical skills and practical experience.

Six of the ten apprentices are taking the ‘General Construction Operative' NVQ and the remaining four the ‘Interior Systems' NVQ. To ensure that each apprentice gains the most beneficial on-site experience, the six apprentices taking the ‘General Construction Operative' NVQ will join a Bouygues UK site and the remaining four will work with the company's key subcontractors specialising in Interior Systems.

Bouygues UK is responsible for the design and construction of the £280 million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme with Tower Hamlets, transforming 18 schools in the borough into top quality learning centres for students, teachers and the local community over a period of 10 years.

Tower Hamlets launched the scheme to residents of the borough in July earlier this year and received over 40 applications. Tower Hamlets and Bouygues UK then took part in the shortlisting process, selecting the final ten from Poplar, the Isle of Dogs, Wapping and Bethnal Green.

Kevan Collins, Interim Chief Executive of Tower Hamlets Council says:

"It's fantastic news that local people are able to benefit from this scheme and play a part in building the future of our borough. The council is committed to working with our partners to get local people into local jobs and to develop the skills of our young people. I hope this kind of opportunity will give these trainees skills for life and the chance to pursue a career in construction. I wish them every success."

Speaking of the apprenticeship scheme, Managing Director of Bouygues UK Lionel Christolomme says:

“We are committed to the communities in which we work and are really proud to be launching such a fantastic scheme in Tower Hamlets, where it will have a real impact on the job prospects of local residents and the skill set they are able to offer.

John Baker, General Manager of the Tower Hamlets Local Education Partnership (LEP) said:

“Having a new generation of skilled workers is essential for the future of the construction industry and the National Construction College will provide our apprentices with the best possible training. However, it's crucial that they have every chance of work once they are qualified which is why we have taken great care to place our apprentices on sites which have potential for recruitment in the future.”

Steve Maslin, Training Manager for the National Construction College East London campus at Thames House in Newham adds:

“Apprentices are the life-blood of the construction industry and we are very pleased to be able to offer the necessary training for these students. Being able to help provide this opportunity for local young people will prove to be a great asset to the industry, helping the sector rise and develop through the recession.”

cnews