Working in partnership with key local stakeholders, we have successfully developed a pre-employment programme model to deliver lasting impact for the residents and businesses of Nottingham.
Borne from a recognition that the industry was experiencing a decline in new entrants at the local, regional, and national levels, the GRAHAM project management and social impact teams, in collaboration with Nottingham City Council, worked together to design and implement the CRE-8 programme.
Key local stakeholders involved include Nottingham City Council’s Jobs Hub Construction Team, David Horner, Nottingham DWP, The Skills People/Academy, Linsco and Falcon Green recruitment agencies.
The core focus of the programme is to help local NEETs and long term unemployed to access CSCS accreditation, work-based experience and opportunities into sustained local employment.
The collaborative effort ensures that all partners are responsible and accountable for their specialisms, from recruiting suitable delegates, providing training through skills bootcamps, carefully matching delegates with their host employer for work-based placements to offering sustainable local employment opportunities for delegates who successfully complete the programme. The latest programmes have enabled 100% of successfully completed delegates to access tangible direct and indirect local employment offers.
Ronan Hughes, GRAHAM Regional Director said:
“We are proud to roll out this innovative and collaborative working partnership introducing new talent to our current and future projects and are excited to see it roll out in other regions too. We strive to ensure that our projects create upskilling opportunities and invest in the community’s future. It is pleasing to see all the applicant’s hard work rewarded.”
Ricky Flintoff, Employer Engagement & Apprenticeship Officer Nottingham Jobs Hub Construction Team commented:
“It’s been really refreshing to be part of this innovative programme, often similar schemes with the best intentions fall short because it just hasn’t been possible to square the circle. The foresight, drive, and commitment of all the partners delivering the CRE-8 programme means that we can provide Pre-Employment Training, Site Work Experience, Employment Opportunities, and follow-on career enhancing training for Nottingham residents wanting to enter the Construction Sector. It really is making a difference.”
Richard Trigg, Employer Engagement Officer, The Skills People said:
“100% of our delegates who completed the programme have received local employment offers as a direct result of this programme” Richard continued; “This model has proven to work really well, we introduce excellent ‘work ready’ delegates, GRAHAM ensure that they are placed with relevant host employers for their work-based learning and at the end of the programme all successfully completed delegates are enrolled with several collaborative recruitment agencies ensuring those who don’t find direct employment from their placement will be immediately supported by the programme recruiters.”
Beth Slater, Principal Consultant Construction East Midlands:
“Since we started the pilot programme with GRAHAM, Linsco have placed around 7-10 operatives into work. This is such a great opportunity to all involved, and most of all the operatives we have had the chance to place into employment. Having programmes like this are so rewarding, as it allows the candidates to get a taster of what aspect in construction interests and motivates them. As the employer, we then tailor their skillset into jobs we believe are the correct fit. It’s been a delight once again working with GRAHAM, Nottingham City Council and the training providers enhancing candidates career prospects.”
The CRE-8 Pre-employment programme has achieved such success on our Queen’s Road project that the model has been embraced as best practice across other sites including Well Meadow, Sheffield and will soon be rolled out on The Crown Works, Birmingham, Mossley Hill Hospital, Liverpool and Hinchingbrooke Theatres, Cambridge Projects.