On Thursday 1st July, local stakeholders gathered at the Future Centre, Priors Hall Park, to witness the graduation ceremony of the first construction students of Tresham College to have undergone the Bela Partnership Apprenticeship Scheme.
Designed to provide local students with firsthand experience and the opportunity to receive invaluable advice from tradesman on-site, the scheme, the first of its type, has been a well-received success. During the five-month programme, students were engaged in a variety of tasks to widen their knowledge and experience of the industry, prepare them for life after education and help them find a way into work.
Students began the course with staff from Bela Partnership, who explained the pressures and motivations which impact and shape a development. The students then went out on-site with Lagan Homes, the builders of the first 384 houses at Priors Hall Park, to engage in their chosen trade and get experience of the dynamics of life on the building site.
All involved see the first running of the scheme as a massive success. Of the 30 students who embarked upon the process, 16 completed the course and organisers hope to place them all into apprenticeships.
We are delighted to announce that Lagan Homes and its sub-contractors are able to offer 5 apprenticeships for five different trades at Priors Hall Park. Construction Director Darren Wright comments, “Lagan Homes England are very happy to support the initiative to increase the number of apprenticeships in the construction industry. These young people will form skilled trade people of the future, they earn their keep today and are a vital investment for tomorrow.”
Members of Bela Partnership and Tresham College will do all they can to ensure that the remaining twelve students who completed the scheme will also have the offer of an apprenticeship. Keepmoat Homes, the builders behind the development at Kingswood, Corby, which Bela Partnership is managing, have already shown an appetite to work with a number of students.
Alfred Buller, Director of Bela Partnership, comments that “It is great that the first running of the Apprenticeship Scheme has been such a success. It is very important that the inward investment benefits the local people. The scheme is about showing local students that hard work and application results in opportunity, and we will be doing all we can to get as many students as possible into work.”
The thrust of the course wasn’t just to get students into apprenticeships, but to also prepare them for life on-site and the day-to-day pressures they will face. It is also necessary to acknowledge support from local safety wear provider Worksafe Direct, who have kindly donated the necessary equipment and wear to help the students prepare for their apprenticeship and further climb up the ladder.
The Apprentice Scheme was the first of its kind between the partners, and all involved are very keen to roll it out again next year.
Roy Wilson, Director of Bela Partnership, says “This has been a very successful first year, and we hope we can grow and develop the programme to offer even more local students a chance to get on the career ladder.”
The whole scheme wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the £20 million of Kickstart funding that was supplied to the Priors Hall Park development through the Homes and Communities Agency – the national housing and regeneration agency.
In addition to the development of this new community at Priors Hall Park and the success of its apprenticeship scheme this Kickstart funding, which was secured as a result of a joint bid and initiative named ‘Partnership Villages’ led by the local delivery vehicle North Northants Development Company (NNDC), has provided a significant boost to the wider local economy.
Simon Evans, Chief Executive of North Northants Development Company, comments:
“It is great to come back and see how well the course has gone and how much the students have gained from the experience. To be able to provide such opportunities for young people to learn new skills and find jobs locally was a major motivation behind the hard work NNDC and its partners put in to securing Kickstart funding and we hope this scheme will be the first of many across North Northamptonshire.”
Colin Needle Head of Apprenticeships at Tresham College explained this has been an exciting opportunity for all involved from construction students at Tresham to employers and college staff.
“This pre-apprenticeship selection scheme has allowed full time construction students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and potential to prospective employers, whilst getting a valuable insight and experience of working on a construction site along with the whole concept of the development process and other career opportunities.”
“Through working in partnership Tresham College and BeLa Developments have been able to offer this experience which can lead to a full employed apprenticeship. The continued growth in Northamptonshire is providing us with some exciting opportunities in ‘Backing Young Britain and Apprenticeship training’. There has never been a better time to get involved in training for the future.”
Much appreciation is given to all those that have been involved with this scheme.