A network of partners including the Greater London Authority, Job Centre Plus, The London Probation Trust, the City of London Corporation, and major UK contractors, will help Londoners access training and employment opportunities with a focus on the long-term unemployed, young people, offenders and ex-offenders.
In the first instance, Land Securities is setting aside 100 job opportunities, 60 national vocational qualifications [NVQs], and five full-time apprenticeships on construction of the 525ft-high Walkie Talkie being built at 20 Fenchurch Street. Jobs will also be ring-fenced at 30 Old Bailey over the next three years, a new development in the City of London incorporating 375,000 sq ft of new office and retail space.
With 9.5% unemployment rate in the capital, the new partnership will give Londoners access to construction training leading to job opportunities with contractors at non-Land Securities sites across London. Colleges and other education providers will be able to make referrals for potential trainees and job seekers through the scheme’s training partner, Alandale Sustainability Solutions.
The launch of the strategy follows completion of a successful pilot with contractor Sir Robert McAlpine at 62 Buckingham Gate in Victoria, a Land Securities development. Over a two month period, 51 unemployed Londoners received training and now have skills to take to the job market. Of these, 23 trainees were offered permanent jobs.
With planned developments and an ageing workforce, the construction industry across the Capital will need an estimated 15,000 new recruits each year to meet demand until 2015.
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