Royal Borough of Greenwich Construction Skills Centre SMT Update Aug/Sep 2014 Barry Langfield Director Adult and Community Learning
Contents 1 Introduction... 3 2 Strategic Priorities... 3 3 Strategy... 4
1 Introduction The Royal Borough of Greenwich Construction Skills Centre is focusing on entry level skills such as ground works, manual handling, traffic marshalling and mobile elevated working platforms and will provide the basis for Greenwich residents to gain the basic qualifications and permits to work on a construction site. The skills gained are very practical and when delivered with employers will provide a direct route into employment for people wanting to work in construction. The close proximity of the skills centre to the Kidbrooke Village redevelopment project will provide direct access to building contractors and their supply chain. Greenwich Community College will work with Greenwich Local Labour and Business, the Council s employment brokerage service, and other council officers, and other partners, to serve the 25+ construction sites and their contractors/subcontractors across the borough. An Employer Board will be established to oversee the operation of the centre. This will help to ensure demand-led training, but also offer an entry route into employment with contractors and their supply chain. The project will establish The Royal Borough of Greenwich Construction Skills Centre as a Vocational Centre for civil engineering specifically designed to connect directly to large scale construction projects within the region. It will provide a focus and vehicle for economic regeneration within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The Royal Borough of Greenwich Construction Skills Centre will be the focus for an industry-led skills consortium for civil engineering which will link industry demand with training provision, to significantly assist delivery of the agenda for economic regeneration. It will take advantage of major projects and programmes, some of which are listed below follows: Thames Tideway Tunnel; Berkeley Homes; Crossrail; Woolwich Estates regeneration project; Redevelopments on the Greenwich Peninsula. 2 Strategic Priorities The strategic priorities of Royal Borough of Greenwich Construction Skills Centre are focussed on alignment with the Royal Borough of Greenwich s commitment to maximise the opportunities for local residents from the projected growth in construction jobs in both the borough and wider area. The Royal Borough of Greenwich Construction Skills Centre will focus its delivery plan on the needs
of construction businesses that are seeking to support employment from citizens of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. This means that we will deliver: Education and training that support the creation of civil engineering jobs in deprived areas of the Royal Borough of Greenwich; An industry-led skills training and showcase facility which will support the civil engineering sector, brokering in best provision and targeting industry and employer needs; Meet the growing demand in the Royal Borough of Greenwich for trained construction personnel that are required to meet the developing needs of the regeneration projects taking place and create a specific curriculum that is relevant for major employers and the supply chain. Its learning and skills priorities will be to: 1. Take advantage of apprenticeships and training programmes written into Royal Borough of Greenwich public sector contracts and arising from S.106 planning agreements to skill new entrants to construction and also up-skill the existing workforce; 2. Deliver an integrated, civil engineering programme which links training with innovation, product, technology and supply chain development; 3. Develop a work-based learning programme focussed on civil engineering; 4. Provide accessible training focused on the legislative requirements of working within the construction sector; 5. Deliver fully accredited courses and CPD programme, provided by established and approved private sector and education sector suppliers. 3 Strategy The Construction Skills Centre is the first phase of a two phase project, the second phase is already in planning and will focus on the traditional trades such as trowel trades (brickwork and plastering), wood occupations (site carpentry and bench joinery), painting and decorating and tiling. It will also provide specialist training associated with modern methods of construction including energy efficiency. The first phase which is now in place is delivering: The level 1 H&S Awareness in a Construction Environment Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Working at heights Emergency First Aid at Work
Abrasive Wheels Street Works Customer Service Employability Skills Training Drugs and Alcohol Awareness Environmental Awareness The first cohort of learners (19) all achieved the qualifications listed above and all have secured employment on conclusion of their course. The centre is starting to attract funding a recent bid secured 162,000 for a two year programme, we are expecting to do more innovative work. The key strategy for Greenwich Community College is to bring long term security and sustainability for the college and place the college at the centre of all major construction training, to do this we will: 1. Deliver high quality teaching and learning recognising the costs; 2. Engage fully with the employer board and deliver Employer Led training; 3. Focus on outcomes, in particular jobs; 4. Target pockets of funding that will allow GCC to deliver new and innovative construction programmes; 5. Win the hearts and minds of GLLaB, RBG and employers