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The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is joining forces with Construction Youth Trust and funding ‘The Lighthouse Learner Project’ which will offer 20 disadvantaged young people to access training and employment opportunities in the construction industry.
The ‘Lighthouse Learners’ will join the Trust’s Budding Builders Programme, based out of their training centre in Bermondsey. The nine day course, set over three weeks will see the 20 Lighthouse Learners acquire their OCN London accredited Level 1 Award in ‘Health and Safety in a Construction Environment’ and preparation to achieve a five year CSCS card.
The young people on the course will also be supported with ongoing employability skills and one-to-one progression which will include CV and interview support. Another important element of the course is the opportunity to meet industry role models, going on site visits and connecting with potential employers.
The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity’s primary aim is to provide financial aid and emotional support to construction families in crisis situations. The charity’s services are provided through a 24/7 confidential helpline that is supported by the Considerate Constructors Scheme and allows those in crisis access to a wide portfolio of services including financial aid, advice on occupational health and mental wellbeing and support on legal, tax and debt management matters.
The charity also supports educational initiatives aimed at improving employment conditions and career opportunities within the construction industry and so, both charities share a common purpose in supporting those who face significant barriers to work.
Bill Hill, Chief Executive at Lighthouse said: “We are delighted to be able to provide this funding and work with Construction Youth Trust. As with everything we do, we can only do this with the support of our industry and so I would like to say a special thank you to Canary Wharf Contractors, Morgan Sindall and Laing O’Rourke for committing to site visits, work placements and mentoring, Randstad CPE for helping with CV and employability advice and Work and Wear for making sure that our learners are safely kitted out with PPE.
“We want to make sure that young people from diverse backgrounds are offered the chance to find out more about careers in construction and working with Construction Youth Trust allows us to do this. This collaboration means that we can offer our ‘Lighthouse Learners’ invaluable first -hand experience, the opportunity to meet top employers in the industry and enable them take part in informative and practical courses.”
Carol Lynch, Chief Executive at Construction Youth Trust commented: “We are excited to be partnering up with a fellow construction charity who are as passionate about opportunities in the industry as we are. This is a real chance to reach out to the huge untapped and under-represented talent of diverse young people.”
