A new centre dedicated to developing and uplifting the skills of its local community has opened in Collyhurst.
The Community Construction Skills Centre will offer a series of training courses and hands-on classes that will give learners vital work experience and confidence in order to create employment opportunities.
The learning hub, which will advance “community upskilling,” will make Collyhurst residents’ accessibility and travelling needs easier with training delivered on site.
The employability training will take place in a 4-week period and equip learners with accredited qualifications in health and safety and construction skills, including Trade Techniques and Health Safety and Welfare in the Workplace. Over 50 new students are expected to enrol on training courses running up until December.
The centre boasts a unique training model that is adaptable to people who are unemployed, ex-offenders and ex-military members as part of learning basic, but crucial DIY skills to increase employability.
The Community Construction Skills Centre project was initiated in partnership with FEC and Manchester City Council who identified the need for construction skills to support local people to access training into the sector.
Working in collaboration with YES and the Construction Skills People and their Greater Manchester Skills Academy, the project first opened to students in September as part of wider investment through the Victoria North Development. The project will significantly transform and advance the North of Manchester by developing 15,000 homes over the next 20 years with new and improved transport links, parks, healthcare facilities and retail spaces.
The region has been hit the hardest by unemployment and mental-health related illness. Long-term and embedded worklessness has affected over 16,500 working-age adults receiving out-of-work benefits.
In Manchester, workers are on low wages with a median annual earning of £24,055 while the worst family poverty rates are in North Manchester and East Manchester with over 43% of children and young people growing up in poverty.
To ensure training at the Community Skills Centre continues to work for the needs of Collyhurst residents, the model has been localised which means that partner groups are required to undertake employability assessments and adequately advise and support those who want to take part in training.
Following this, successful candidates will be invited to attend civil engineering and groundworks Bootcamps which will enhance employability and training with the Ride on Roller, Forward Tipping Dumper and Plant Vehicle Marshall certifications.
There are also opportunities to undertake trade specific training such as Bricklaying, Plastering and Joinery, while being guaranteed an interview with local contractors.
Community days will also be held at the centre to encourage residents to learn new skills such as painting preparation and general DIY.
More information about training opportunities at the Community Construction Skills Centre is available at Construction Skills People.
John Hacking, Executive Member for Employment, Skills and Leisure, said: “I’m thrilled to see the opening of the Community Skills Centre in Collyhurst which has been created to upskill residents and build confidence as they enter into the workforce.
“This has been a significant collaborative effort with important partners who are all working towards the same goal of advancing Collyhurst residents and fully recognise the struggle the North Manchester region has had to deal with poverty and unemployment.
“By increasing the accessibility for hands-on training, this centre gives eager learners the encouragement and support they need to work through the training to employment pipeline with robust skills and confidence.”
Rebecca Kirkland, Community Liaison Manager for FEC, said: “The Community Construction Skills Centre will provide local residents with a first hand insight into the construction industry and give them access to unique employment opportunities.
The Centre has been in the works for a long time and we couldn’t have opened its doors without the support of our partners who will continue to help us find the next generation of talent from right across the community.”
James Broome, 38, from Moston, said: “The Collyhurst Community Skills Centre has been a brilliant learning experience. I’m in the final week of training for a CSCS Greencard which is giving me important skills in labouring. Once I’ve completed that I will then go on to train for the Bootcamp Dump Truck License.
“The course has been really helpful, it’s opened my eyes and broadened my horizons massively. My tutor on the course is fantastic; she’s really clear and easy to understand when she’s teaching and is also helping me write my CV for jobs.
I’ve been working in production and in warehouses too so my confidence has really grown with my hands-on skills and with all the different types of people you meet, it has really boosted my self-esteem socially.
“For anyone considering joining a course, I’d say give it a go and throw yourself into it to get the most out of it.”
