Northern Regeneration CIC has secured £400,000 from the Construction Skills Fund (CSF) for the Construction Skills Village in Barnsley and Scarborough.
The CSF is funded by the Department for Education and is being delivered by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). The scheme aims to increase the number of people trained in construction, tackle the skills shortage and help build the homes and infrastructure England needs.
Delivery of the CSF programme will take place on Northern Regeneration CIC’s existing on-site training models, the Construction Skills Village, located in Barnsley with Henry Boot Construction on the Glass Works project and Scarborough with Kebbell Homes on the Middle Deepdale development. In addition, the Construction Skills Village works collaboratively with many local partners in Barnsley and Scarborough, which is key to its current success.
The funding is for up to 250 individuals wishing to join the sector from full-time education, those who are currently unemployed, and those wishing to switch careers. Programmes are tailored to individual needs with access to CSCS, plant machinery and accredited short courses to ensure entrants become site and employment ready.
Graham Ratcliffe, Managing Director of Northern Regeneration CIC said:
‘We are extremely pleased to receive the Construction Skills Fund from the DFE and CITB. The funds will allow us to further enhance our current on-site delivery model at the Construction Skills Village. This will provide a once in a lifetime opportunity for individuals to gain industry recognised skills which will support them into a career in construction’
Sarah Beale, Chief Executive of CITB, said:
‘The Construction Skills Fund can be a genuine game-changer for both the construction industry and the individuals being trained. We have a massive need for homegrown talent and these projects will bring thousands of new people into our sector, giving them the crucial onsite experience they need to start a career in construction. These 26 hubs will be based at some of the most innovative sites in the UK, and CITB will be working hard to make sure they deliver the skills our industry critically needs’
Ryan O’Loughlin, Project Director of Henry Boot Construction, said:
‘I am delighted the Construction Skills Village has successfully secured the Construction Skills Fund. This programme is a fantastic opportunity for both the local communities and construction companies to address the skills shortage’
Mike Mulligan, Director of Kebbell Homes, said:
‘The Construction Skills Fund will further allow the Construction Skills Village to deliver demand led training in construction for the benefit of the industry and local residents’
Barnsley Council Leader Sir Steve Houghton, CBE said:
‘This is fantastic news; the Skills Village in Barnsley has been very successful so far and has had a really positive impact on the lives of those that have taken part in the scheme. It’s a great opportunity for young people to gain the skills they need to progress in the construction industry, so I am delighted to hear that this funding has been secured to enable other individuals to benefit from this excellent scheme’
Cllr Derek Bastiman, Leader of Scarborough Borough Council said:
‘The Construction Skills Village has already made excellent progress in improving the construction skills base in the Scarborough area and the funding provided will allow the scheme to go from strength to strength. This is great news for local workforce development and the area’s economy.”
To register your interest in the Construction Skills Village CSF programme, contact the team on 01723 585009 or email info@skills-village.co.uk.