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More success at Building Futures

Published: 11/12/2018

Flintshire County Council and its partner, Wates Residential North, are celebrating the success of the third “Building Futures” programme which has been run in the county.

This intensive two-week training course has seen local people move on to jobs in labouring, groundwork and window fitting or apprenticehips in various fields including bricklaying and electrical.

Candidates were recruited through Flintshire’s Communities for Work Plus programme which works with people who face the greatest barriers to becoming employable.

The training programme comprised construction skills trade sessions, including joinery and maintenance as well as CV and interview workshops with Wates Residential and its supply chain partners. Each candidate also received a certificate at an award ceremony at the end of the two week course.

The delivery of Building Futures forms part of Wates Residential North’s role as lead developer for the Council’s Strategic Housing and Regeneration Programme (SHARP), which will see the creation of 500 news homes across Flintshire in the next five years.

Flintshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Bernie Attridge, said:

“Flintshire County Council is facilitating the introduction of more apprenticeships in the county, especially in construction.  Well done to all of you for taking the first step and completing this programme.  You all turned up every day and you have achieved some useful qualifications.  We need people like you and there are lots of opportunities for you to build on what you have achieved so far.”

Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning, Eluned Morgan, said:

“I want everyone, regardless of background, to have the opportunity to contribute to our society. While it’s really encouraging to see the recent rise in employment in Wales, economic inactivity is still an issue.

“Programmes such as Communities for Work Plus show our commitment to tackling this through engaging with people in our most deprived areas to provide training opportunities and employment support to those who need it most. This programme has already helped over 1,000 people into employment since its launch in April of this year. By 2020 it will receive a total of £24m in support to build on this success."

Accredited by the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). Building Futures rewards candidates with a QCF Level 1 Award in Construction and a CSCS registration to help secure future training and work experience on building sites.

Apprentices left to right: Luke Hollinrake, Thomas Eyes, Georgia Jones, Sean Mason, Dylan O’Shaughnessy, Leon Jones, Jason Pugh, Kim Lewis, Callum Draper

Apprentices with left to right: Colin Morris - Welsh Government, Dean Dillon and Mick Cunningham - Wates, Andrew Farrow - Chief Officer Flintshire County Council, Alys Hale - DWP and Cllr Bernie Attridge