A new job brokerage service is to be set up to help smooth the transition into construction careers for hundreds of soldiers, sailors and air crew leaving the armed forces.
The Buildforce scheme is being funded by CITB, co-ordinated by industry charity the Construction Youth Trust (CYT) and supported by industry employers Carillion, Morgan Sindall, Lend Lease, Crossrail and Wilson James, together with their supply chains.
Buildforce also involves the Ministry of Defence’s Career Transition Partnership, business consultancy EY and project manager Circle Three consulting, and will officially launch this summer.
It will run for an initial 20 months, delivering direct employment opportunities, industry awareness days, and up to 70 accredited work placements.
The scheme’s referral partner, the MOD’s CTP resettlement service, will initially identify 650 service leavers with an interest in construction.
The military’s links with construction are already strong
The CYT’s brokerage coordinator will then assess candidates to identify their best route into the industry. Some might be able to move straight into work, while up to 500 others will receive further training and advice at industry awareness days.
John Graham, business development manager at CYT, said: “The awareness days will see staff from partner employers and other industry organisations give presentations, provide mock interviews and taster practical demonstrations.
“Around 70 of the most promising candidates will then be matched to work placements with employer partners or their supply chains. The beauty is Buildforce will be able to help ex-services people dependent on their current situation.”
Continuous support will be provided including access to educational materials, employability skills, or referral to other services where appropriate. Ex-forces personnel of all ages will be eligible to take part in the scheme.
A report on Buildforce’s impact will be produced after December 2015, and depending on success it could lead to a national roll-out designed to get many more ex-forces personnel into construction.
As Construction Manager highlighted last year (see our story here) construction’s links with the military are already strong and major contractors such as Lend Lease, Morgan Sindall and Costain are active services recruiters, targeting ex-Royal Engineers in particular.
Morgan Sindall found that 10% of employees either have a direct or family connection to the military. At Vinci, 50 out of its 3,000-strong management team were in the services, while Carillion has 400 ex-regulars in its 25,000 staff.
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Pity the politicians ‘sold off’ the old ‘Skillcentres’ in 1990 – they were set up for this type of scheme.