A COLLEGE has teamed up with Job Centrer Plus to help people join the construction industry.

Fareham College's Civil Engineering Training Centre has partnered with the agency to establish a Sector-Based Work Academy.

This is aimed at helping people gain the skills and knowledge required for pursuing a career in the construction industries.

Potential applicants including those who have been made redundant and are receiving unemployment benefit, or have been out of work for some time, enrol on a four-week training programme, giving them real-world experience in civil engineering.

Lesley Roberts, Managing Director of Business Plus at Fareham College, said: “We are delighted to be working in collaboration with Job Centre Plus (JCP) to benefit local people and offer them the opportunity to refresh, refocus, retrain and gain valuable skills and knowledge to pursue careers in the construction industry."

The programme has already seen learners from the first two cohorts progressing into employment and Apprenticeships.

The college is now planning a third cohort to start in January 2021.

Every learner is said to be guaranteed a job interview at the end of the programme, they obtain their CSCS Green Card, as well as gaining a Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment and a Level 1 Award in Bricklaying.

If required, they can also gain a functional skills qualification in Maths and English, which enables them to graduate the programme site ready.

John Stevens, JCP Employer Adviser, said: "We would like to see the Sector-Based Work Academies grow and in collaboration with Fareham College we are continuing to look at ways we can change the programme to suit industry needs and standards.

"We want to meet the needs of the local and wider community and bridge the gap in the skills shortages in specific areas."