Memorandum submitted by the Prince's Trust
(A)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. In 2005-06 The Prince's Trust supported
40,805 disadvantaged young people; 75% of them moved into employment,
education or training. The Prince's Trust is aiming to address
the lack of skills in the construction industry by creating a
pool of job-ready young people through working with major construction
partners.
2. "Get Into Construction" offers
unemployed 16-25 year olds an intensive training programme in
the construction sector so that they can develop practical skills
and move into employment. The Prince's Trust's Construction Leadership
Group, whose members include major contractors in construction,
is committed to employing either directly or through their supply
chains all the young people who complete the Get Into Construction
programme.
3. Construction employers often don't have
the time or resource to invest in training and development for
disadvantaged young people when they already have access to a
pool of skilled workers from overseas. The Prince's Trust is aiming
to address this problem by training young people in the industry.
4. There is a clear lack of diversity in
the construction industry, particularly for ethnic minority and
female workers. The Trust is aiming to address this problem by
working with these groups on construction initiatives. For example
on the pilot Get Into Construction, 12 out of the 16 participants
(75%) were from black and minority ethnic groups.
5. More needs to be done to train young
people in construction skills to deal with capacity issues on
large infrastructure projects. The Trust is seeking to address
this issue by training young people in the sector.
6. Places at FE colleges to train in the
main trades are over-subscribed and more accredited on-site training
programmes should be developed to ensure more people can enter
the industry and learn key skills. Incentives should also be considered
to help construction employers.
7. Despite willingness in theory for the
construction sector to work with all our young people, in practice
young people with a criminal record are excluded from numerous
job opportunities.
(B) THE
PRINCE'S
TRUST: AN
INTRODUCTION
The Prince's Trust is a charity that believes
in young people who often don't believe in themselves. We seek
out those young people that need our help the most and work with
young people who struggle at school, are in or leaving care, are
long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. We
work with young people aged 14-30 to help them get back into work,
education and training. The charity has helped over 550,000 young
people since 1976 and continues to support 100 more every day.
In 2005-06 The Prince's Trust supported 40,805 disadvantaged young
people; 75% of them moved into employment, education or training.
The Trust launched the Construction Leadership
Group (CLG) in April 2006. The CLG is seeking to have a demonstrable
impact on the sector by promoting construction as a positive career
choice for young people and to highlight the key themes of diversity
and sustainability. It is a membership forum for organisations
involved with construction and related industries with 37 partner
organisations including many of the UK's largest contractors (eg
AMEC, Balfour Beatty, Bovis Lend Lease, Carillion) and major clients
(eg BAA).
"Get Into Construction" offers unemployed
18-25 year olds an intensive training programme in the construction
sector so that they can develop practical skills and move into
employment. It is the first of a portfolio of programmes relating
to the sector which will deliver pre-employment training for young
people supported by The Prince's Trust. As part of the CLG commitment
to The Prince's Trust, each member is committed to employing either
directly or through their supply chains all the young people who
complete the Get Into programme.
The Business Programme offers 18-30 year olds
the opportunity to set up their own business with low interest
loans, grants and mentoring support. Most are unemployed and have
been refused funding by other sources. Since 1983 The Prince's
Trust has helped over 63,000 young people set up in business.
Many of the businesses The Trust supports are in the construction
industry.
(C) THE
ISSUES
Employment and Payment Practices
In the construction industry, projects need
to be delivered on time and to budget. The reality is that construction
employers often don't have the time or resource to invest in training
and development for disadvantaged young people when they already
have access to a pool of skilled workers from overseas.
The Prince's Trust is aiming to address this
problem by creating a pool of job-ready young people through working
with major partners in the construction industry.
CASE STUDY:
PRINCE'S
TRUST/CARILLION
TRAINING PROGRAMME
The Prince's Trust is working with Carillion
who operate 17 training centres across the UK, to deliver The
Get Into Construction programme.
This programme, funded by the Construction Leadership
Group (CLG), will deliver 23 Get Into Construction courses throughout
2007 in 17 Carillion training centres across the UK for almost
300 young people.
Young people will learn about Health and Safety
and get a taste for a variety of skills ranging from carpentry
to bricklaying. They will gain a Level 1 ConstructionSkills Standard
Learning Exercise qualification and their CSCS Card (Construction
Site Certification Scheme).
Other Get Into Construction courses are run directly
on construction sites, for example we are working with Robert
McAlpine to train young people on the Colchester Garrison construction
site in the East of England.
There is a clear lack of diversity in the construction
industry. At 3% the number of ethnic minority workers in construction
is way below the 8% in the general working population.[53]
By the very nature of the young people we work with, black and
minority ethnic groups are overrepresented across our programmes.
In 2006-07 we supported almost 3,000 young people from black and
minority ethnic groups. On the pilot Get Into Construction that
we ran in July 2006, 12 out of the 16 participants (75%) were
from black and minority ethnic groups.
In the construction industry female workers
account for only 1% of the workforce on site.[54]
To begin to address this, The Trust has secured funding from the
London Development Agency to run a women only Get Into Construction
to encourage better female participation in the construction industry.
This will run later in 2007.
CASE STUDY:
FEMALE PARTICIPANT
SHIBHAN
Names have been changed
24 year old Shibhan was confused about what to
do to sort her life out and felt that her life was in a bit of
a mess. She went to various agencies but she felt they had nothing
to offer that would suit her academically.
Prior to joining The Prince's Trust she was looking
for a suitable course in business and property development but
had to do English and Maths for a year to get on an access course.
She felt it would be too much of a challenge so she didn't pursue
this.
Shibhan heard about The Prince's Trust Get Into
Construction through the hostel she was staying in. She felt it
was the break she needed as she wanted to do a course that would
give her skills within a specific industry.
Shibhan was very apprehensive coming to the recruitment
day as she knew construction was a very male dominated industry.
She was the only women on the course with 15 young men. She really
enjoyed the programme gaining knowledge of different construction
skills and experienced painting and decorating, carpentry, plastering
and bricklaying. Even though it was tough, she thought it was
brilliant that apprenticeships were available which made her determined
to reach her goal. She also learnt how to tolerate people more.
On completing the course, Shibhan was put forward
for an apprenticeship in Painting & Decorating. Unfortunately,
it did not proceed as there were concerns about wearing religious
clothing with personal protective equipment. Shibhan was however
grateful for the opportunity The Trust had given her and is still
keen to pursue a career in property development.
What works well for disadvantaged young people
in terms of payment practices within the construction industry
is being paid on a weekly basis. This helps young people to manage
their budgets more effectively, rather than being paid monthly.
This is particularly beneficial to young people who are coming
off benefits and moving into work as well as young people who
are leaving home or the care system and have more financial burdens.
Long-term capacity for delivery of large infrastructure
projects on time and to budget, such as the Olympics
The Trust is helping with capacity on large
infrastructure projects by training young people in construction
skills to help sustain the industry in the long-term.
The Trust is a partner in Active Generation,
to be launched in summer 2008 by the Department for Culture, Media
and Sports and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic
Games. Active Generation funding will enable us to expand our
delivery to young people across the UK. We will do this by encouraging
progression into relevant industries such as construction, hospitality
and retail, particularly through our Get Into programme.
Engaged in our Construction Leadership Group
(CLG) are a number of lead and joint venture partners in major
construction projects linked to the Olympics. As part of the CLG
commitment they will be training and employing Prince's Trust
supported young people, particularly from the five Olympic Boroughs,
to help deliver on these construction projects.
The Trust is also working with CLG partners
on other major construction projects, for example Balfour Beatty
in Scotland on the £400 million Edinburgh Airport Rail Link
due to begin construction in 2008.
Availability of, and investment in skills
The Prince's Trust helps disadvantaged young
people gain the confidence, skills and qualifications they need
to find work and we believe that all young people should have
the opportunity to develop their skills.
The Trust is investing in developing the skills
required in the construction industry for thousands of young people
across the UK. All CLG partners commit, over a four year period,
to a minimum of funding, training and employment in the construction
industry for young people.
Places at FE colleges to train in the main trades
are over-subscribed and not always appropriate or practical given
the minimum literacy and numeracy standards required. Construction
is an industry where learning on site is often more productive
and useful to both the individual and the employer, and can lead
to further accreditation. The Trust would therefore encourage
the provision of more on-site training replicating the objectives
of the newly launch National Skills Academy for Construction and
Bovis Lend Lease's Be OnSite initiative.
There are also barriers for 16-17 year olds
getting onsite jobs because of insurance costs and the need for
them to be permanently supervised. Employers are often happy to
take this age range on as apprentices but not as labourers. With
the proposed introduction of work-based training in the DfES consultation
"Raising Expectations: Staying in education and training
post-16", The Trust is keen that 16 and 17 olds do have the
opportunity to secure jobs onsite and learn on the job.
As the UK's largest construction client,[55]
we believe the Government should provide incentives and funding
for contractors to improve the training and skill opportunities
offered onsite to workers, particularly those from disadvantaged
backgrounds.
More support should also be given to major contractors
and their supply chains to help them meet the requirements laid
down in Section 106 (3.10) of the Town & Country Planning
Act 1990 which requires contractors to use all reasonable endeavours
to procure local labour in construction and skills. Where possible,
The Prince's Trust could help source labour to help contractors
comply.
The Prince's Trust is also investing in the
skills of young people in the construction industry through supporting
numerous young people to set up their own businesses in the sector.
CLG funding will also go towards investing in
young entrepreneurs wanting to set up in the sector. As part of
this, ICI Dulux (a CLG member) will provide free training in their
decorator centres across the UK for young people wanting to set
up their own painter and decorator businesses.
CASE STUDY:
VINCENT JELINEK—CONSTRUCTION
BUSINESS—INCREATION
From a family of New Age Travellers, Vincent
Jelinek never had a formal education and spent much of his life
living in Ireland, France, Spain and the UK. After various jobs
in the woodwork business, Vincent realised his dream by setting
up INCREATION, a high quality design and furniture company with
support from The Prince's Trust. His predicted turnover this year
is £1 million.
"I have had a more unusual life than most;
my parents were New Age Travellers. I didn't attend school. My
mother taught me to read when I was seven and we had a big learning
environment around the home. The rest of my education was a life
education.
I started working when I was 12 and always knew
I had a bit of a business mind. But I realised that if I was going
to succeed in life I would need to get a more formal education.
So at 16 I went to college to become a furniture maker and designer.
I only applied to one college not knowing any better and luckily
got accepted. They had an entry requirement of three GCSEs but
I managed to get in on the back of a small portfolio, desire and
enthusiasm.
I completed my course at 18 and did various jobs
before deciding to set up a business and sought the support of
The Prince's Trust in Hackney. They gave me a £3,500 loan,
which then helped me to acquire a £3,000 grant for machinery
from the Hackney Business Venture. After six months INCREATION
was born. We specialise in being a complete interior company,
which means we design, manufacture and install high quality kitchens,
bedrooms and bathrooms.
In the first year we turned over £45,000
on a predicted turnover of £25,000. Our predicted turnover
this year is £1 million and we employ 24 staff full time.
Ex-offenders and the construction industry
The Prince's Trust works with four target groups,
which includes young people who are ex-offenders. Despite willingness
in theory for the construction sector to work with all our young
people, in practice young people with a criminal record are excluded
from numerous job opportunities. This makes it challenging for
The Trust as we are keen that all our target groups can take part
in Get Into Construction and find a job in the sector.
CASE STUDY:
EX -OFFENDER
JOHN
Names have been changed
John from London successfully completed the Get
Into Construction programme and was offered a job working on a
social housing project. When his criminal records bureau (CRB)
check came through the offer was withdrawn. This was a great disappointment
as the young man had clearly demonstrated his ability to transform
his life and make a positive contribution to the construction
sector. It took a further six months for him to secure alternative
employment with support from The Prince's Trust.
Recommendations to the Committee for inclusion
in its report
— More sustainable funding needs to
be made available for successful initiatives which are training
young people in the construction industry, such as The Trust's
"Get Into Construction".
— Successful initiatives which are
helping to skill-up young people in the industry should be heralded
as good practice so that they can be duplicated across the sector.
— Clear guidelines and benchmarks should
be developed for improving diversity across the sector and examples
of best practice communicated widely.
— The Government needs to support the
construction industry develop accredited on-site training programmes
for young people so that they can learn the skills on the job
that are required within the industry. In particular support needs
to be given to small construction businesses, including sole traders,
wanting to take on apprentices.
— As the UK's largest construction
client, the Government should provide incentives and funding for
contractors to improve the training and skill opportunities offered
onsite to workers, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
— More support should be given to major
contractors and their supply chains to help them meet the requirements
laid down in Section 106 and where possible skilled young people
could be referred from Prince's Trust programmes.
— Clear guidelines need to be developed
for employing ex offenders and capitalising on their skills.
3 May 2007
53 Construction Skills' Progress & Plan, April
2007. Back
54
Construction Skills' Progress & Plan, April 2007. Back
55
Construction Skills' Progress & Plan, April 2007. Back
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