The flagship Beechfield housing development being built by Leadbitter Group on behalf of Sovereign Housing Association in Torquay has been providing employment and work experience for local young people.
Two apprentices have been employed on the site, while a young man who did work experience through Jobcentre Plus has been employed full-time by one of the contractors.
“Torbay is one of the most deprived areas in the South West and there is a real shortage of labour opportunities,” said Gez Bentley, Employment and Training Links Coordinator with Sovereign.
“At Sovereign, we believe our role extends much further than merely providing homes. We have a great track record of investing in the communities in which we work, and that includes helping young people into employment.”
One young man completed his apprenticeship at Beechfield recently, and another, 18-year-old Martyn Gebhard, has just started his.
As well as acquiring practical carpentry skills on-site, he is studying via day-release at South Devon College to gain his NVQ Level 2 Apprenticeship in Wood Occupations.
“The people here have been very helpful and are teaching me really useful skills,” Martyn says. “I think it is important to have a trade to fall back on and for me to get myself known. I’m very hopeful that this will help me to find a job at the end of my apprenticeship.”
In addition to the apprentices, 19-year-old Nathan Drury has been employed by subcontractor Fred Champion Groundworks, following a period of work experience provided by Leadbitter on the Beechfield site.
Nathan took part in an initiative run by his local Jobcentre Plus to gain work experience as a labourer and was so impressive that he was offered full-time employment.
Steve Tinney, Leadbitter’s site manager at the Beechfield Avenue project, said: “The enthusiasm and approach to tasks that Nathan showed throughout his work experience placement with Leadbitter and Fred Champion Groundworks was exceptional. Nathan has proved that the Jobcentre Plus work experience scheme can lead to full-time employment, and we wish him all the best with his new career.”
Work Experience is for 16- to 24-year-olds who are getting Jobseeker’s Allowance, and is aimed at giving young people real workplace experience. The four-week placement paid dividends for Nathan: “Taking part in the Jobcentre Plus work experience programme gave me the chance to gain relevant work experience to add to my CV,” he said. “I was able to prove to Fred Champion Groundworks and Leadbitter that I wanted to work and now have a job.
“The opportunity that I grabbed with both hands has now given me a career and a future.”
Sovereign has for many years worked closely with its construction partners to offer employment opportunities to local people. Furthermore, it aims to take on six new apprentices every year in areas as varied as IT support, plumbing, marketing and carpentry.
At Beechfield, it has a protocol, Construction Links, which commits it to work with Leadbitter to provide meaningful training opportunities for young people from the local area and to identify work opportunities for those who have skills of wish to acquire them.
