Help for construction trainees

A grant of £384,000 has been pumped into helping youngsters from areas including  Conisbrough and Mexborough to get into work.

The funding has come from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) which was set up to improve the lives of those living in in ex-mining communities.

Barnsley Community Build (BCB) has been tasked with delivering training for people of working age who are looking to develop a career in the construction industry.

Peter McNestry, chairman of CRT, said: “This valuable scheme will actively target young people who are NEETs (not in employment, education or training) from deprived areas across the South Yorkshire coalfield areas.

“The vast majority of people who will access the service will have had no work experience and will have limited skills.

“This is a scheme that has proved to be very successful at the real coalface of regeneration, getting people into work.”

Trainees will work at companies in the building trade looking to expand their workforce, where they gain the relevant experience to compete for employment in the construction industry.

All trainees will be placed with an employer from day one and will be paid employees.

The employer will be financially supported via a contribution from CRT towards the employee’s wage.

BCB expect more than 80 young people will be helped into work and more than 60 young people will achieve an NVQ Level 2 certificate in the next two years through the project.

The training will be delivered through a variety of venues across South Yorkshire including BCB’s base on Sheffield Road in Barnsley.

For more information visit www.coalfields-regen.org.uk.