Northern Construction Training academy is good news for region
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A NEW training academy has been established in our region to help reduce youth unemployment and ensure the construction sector does not face a skills shortage when the economy recovers.
Northern Construction Training (NCT) is the not-for-profit arm of Northern Construction Group (NCG) and is the only provider of full-time apprenticeships for the building sector in the East End of Newcastle.
Managing director of NCG, Jamie Paterson, a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), says the idea behind getting involved in vocational training came from the company’s experience with newly qualified or apprentice tradesmen in the industry.
“Many had the required knowledge to do their job, yet they lacked the life skills needed to be successful in their role, such as punctuality and working to deadlines in all weather conditions and adhering to quality standards,” said Mr Paterson.
Located at its newly-refurbished construction training centre at Benfield Business Park, 10 young people aged 16 to 18 are currently undertaking the firm’s 18-month apprenticeship pathway in bricklaying or joinery with a further 40 signed up to its “alternative apprenticeship”.
Rob Morton, operations director of NCG, says the problem facing a lot of new entrants is the lack of employment opportunities in the industry, and subsequently apprenticeships.
“The apprenticeship pathway is still the entry point for those wanting to work as a skilled tradesman in the industry and one of the prerequisites of a traditional apprenticeship, is sector specific employment to complement the taught element of the programme,” he said.
“However, in the current economic climate, chances for our future workforce to get an early foothold in the construction industry are few and far between.”
It was with this in mind that the team at NCT first started to look at their alternative apprenticeship. It consists of practical workshops, including preparation for interviews, as well as essential on-site work experience provided by local firms.
Upon successful completion of the course, candidates gain a level two City & Guilds diploma from Tyne Metropolitan College.
Mr Paterson said: “By completing the diploma, school-leavers not only get a useful stand alone qualification, but they also learn the ‘taught’ element of the apprenticeship framework, which, alongside the work experience that they get really makes the students work-ready and a genuine prospect for employers.”
Going forward, NCT hope to offer management apprenticeships in surveying and are currently engaging interest.
“Apprenticeships are ultimately the future for our industry and we need to utilise them to ensure we keep new, talented individuals coming through the ranks,” Mr Paterson added.