Stephen is City West’s 250th graduate

Jul 2, 2014

City West Housing Trust’s award-winning Skills Programme is celebrating, having helped the 250th person on the scheme to find work and training with a construction firm in Salford.

The initiative helps local and long-term unemployed residents interested in a career in construction to find work and guarantees that, for every £1 million City West spends to improve its homes across Salford, a new job is created for a local person.

The programme offers a series of initial training sessions before candidates team up with organisations and carry out work on their regeneration projects.

18 year old Stephen Bowden from Eccles is the 250th person to have enrolled on the Skills Programme after leaving school with only a handful of qualifications.

Stephen now has a bright new career with City West’s contractor Emanuel Whittaker and is completing a floor laying apprenticeship.

Stephen said: “This apprenticeship is just what I needed. Learning in the classroom didn’t work out for me, but now I feel I have direction and something to aim for.

“Although I’m only at the beginning of my career, I already feel like I’m really achieving something and my confidence is going from strength to strength. I really look forward to going to work every day and it’s fantastic to be getting paid to do something that I love.”

Stephen adds: “I would advise anyone in the area who is struggling to find work to consider joining City West’s Skills Programme. I was really keen to pursue a career in floor laying and securing my apprenticeship has put me on the right path to achieve my aspirations.”

Colette McKune, Deputy Chief Executive at City West, said: “We are very proud to have helped 250 local people to find work and gain qualifications in the construction industry.

“We remain committed to providing employment and training opportunities and we will continue to work with our contractors to help increase the number of job opportunities available in Salford.”

In addition to the Skills Programme, City West has also created 100 jobs, including 19 apprenticeships, through its own repairs and maintenance subsidiary – City West Works – which was established in April 2013.

Oldham apprentices take the lead

May 23, 2014

Emanuel Whittaker apprentices have become the first in the country to enrol on a new qualification to support the construction industry.

The External Wall Insulation (NVQ Level 3) has been launched by North West based regeneration consortium Procure Plus which has worked with Trinity Business Training Group, representatives from housing provider Salix Homes and the awarding body, GQA, to develop the criteria for the qualification before receiving approval from Ofqual.

Apprentices Matt Casey, 22, and Rachel Howarth, 24, have been employed by Emanuel Whittaker for several years and according to Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety and Environment Manager for the company, both are great representatives of our award winning apprenticeship scheme.

“Rachel and Matt are passionate about their work and have always been committed to their training,” he said.  “We are thrilled they are the first in the country to take advantage of this qualification which meets industry demand for the supply of insulation that reduces carbon emissions.  The qualification will play a significant part in their career progression.”

Matt and Rachel have already completed Level 1 and 2 of the qualification and have been honing their skills on tower blocks across Salford with social housing provider Salix Homes as part of its multi-million pound Decent Homes improvement programme.

Colin Goodall, investment delivery manager at Salix Homes (pictured back right), said: “We are carrying out major refurbishments at our tower blocks, but we initially found there was a real skills shortage and we struggled to find tradesman who were qualified in external wall insulation, which is essential to make people’s homes energy efficient.

“We worked with our partners to launch this new qualification and generate a workforce of home-grown talent who could deliver this specialist skill. Matt and Rachel were among the first cohort of apprentices and I’m delighted they are now making history and going on to complete the next level of this much-needed qualification.”

The scheme is expected to be rolled out nationally due to demand from contractors and training providers for higher level insulation qualifications.

Mark Wilson (pictured front middle) is responsible for apprentice and trainee development at Procure Plus.  He said:  “It is a true achievement to have created this new qualification in partnership with our members that will support the construction industry as well as develop new career opportunities for qualified operatives in the construction sector.”

Emanuel Whittaker has a pool of apprentices engaged through its relationship with Procure Plus and has won several awards because of its commitment to training young people.  In its 175 year history the company has supported over 700 apprentices.

First in the Country for NVQ L3 in Insulation and Building Treatments

Apr 25, 2014

Emanuel Whittaker joined forces with procurement framework partners Procure Plus and RP Client Salix Homes to bring a brand new NVQ3 in Insulation & Building Treatments to Salford City College.

The trio of like-minded organisations recognised the need for the skill when Salix Homes embarked on its ambitious multi storey tower block refurbishment programme. During it’s first project at Black Friar Court, it became apparent that there was very little home grown talent to deliver this specialist skill.  With several blocks to insulate to provide greater energy efficiency, the only option appeared to be offering the work to specialist companies who employed European workers, which did little for the local economy.

Identifying the need, Salix Homes, Procure Plus and Emanuel Whittaker were fundamental in bringing the Level 2 NVQ in Insulation & Building Treatments to Salford City College just two years ago. Emanuel Whittaker recruited two local Apprentices to undergo the new course. Matt Casey and Rachel Howarth both breezed through the course, but with no follow up NVQ, their futures looked uncertain.

So the work with Salford City College continued for a further year to develop the Level 3 NVQ. The new course was launched this month at Salford City College’s “Future Skills Centre”, making the college the first in the country to offer the course.

Emanuel Whittaker pledges to take on more apprentices

Mar 4, 2014

Emanuel Whittaker has announced a recruitment drive to employ more apprentices to work on its sites across the North West.

Emanuel works with several local Registered Providers (RP’s) operating in the region, including Salix Homes, Symphony Housing Group, Together Housing Group, and Your Housing Group. Where possible, recruits will be sourced from social housing residents from the local area.

Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety & Environment Manager for the company said: “We are very proud of our record in supporting young people into employment.  The new recruits will join our current pool of apprentices engaged through our relationship with Procure Plus, (the RPs procurement framework serving the North West).”

Lee is currently interviewing young men and women to fill seven construction vacancies and will be awarding employment to locals through the Procure Plus framework.  He is looking for individuals who can show commitment and dedication to the positions across a three to four year period.  The company will work closely with Salford College.

Kate Parker, community investment and training manager at Procure Plus, said: “As part of any contract, we work with our members and contractors to create two training and employment opportunities for every £1 million spent through our regeneration frameworks. These are provided by the contractors on our frameworks and are funded by a transparent 1% levy placed on all goods and services procured through us.

“Emanuel Whittaker trainees have won several awards and we believe this is due to the effort it puts in to supporting apprenticeships and the opportunities that together, we can provide for trainees.”

The latest employment figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed more than 900,000 young people are still unemployed and over 250,000 young people have been unemployed for over a year.

The National Apprenticeship Service Apprenticeships has published figures which show that apprenticeships are growing in popularity among both employers and young people.  February 2014 figures reveal a 24% increase in Apprenticeship vacancies posted online between August and October 2013, compared to the same period the previous year.

Lee said: “Our latest apprenticeship drive highlights just how many people are keen to embrace this type of training.  If we had the funding, we could have filled these posts ten times over. Of the six apprentices who qualified last year, 100% still work for us, and the three who completed their intermediate apprenticeships are going on to advanced qualifications.”

Emanuel Whittaker has top apprentices – it’s official!

Oct 24, 2013

 

Tam Graham starts the event, winning the Mentor Award	Luke Carroll won Best in Trade(multi skilled and joinery)
Matthew Casey won Best in Trade (wet trade)	Rachel Howarth was voted for by her colleagues to win the Apprentices’ Apprentice Award

 

Emanuel Whittaker staff scooped four awards at an inaugural apprenticeship award ceremony recently.

The event hosted by Salford based Salix Homes is designed to celebrate and recognise young people who are working through an apprenticeship programme and Lee Bradbury, Health, Safety & Environment Manager said he was pleased the company have taken so many of the gongs.

“We firmly believe in giving young people the chance to train for a long term career,” he said.  “The Emanuel Whittaker apprenticeship scheme is run in close partnership with our clients and local colleges and we are proud to deliver a programme of modern apprenticeships, work opportunities and work experience.  Clearly we must be doing something right to win so many accolades.”

23 year old Rachel Howarth from Salford was voted for by her apprentice colleagues to win the Apprentices’ Apprentice Award.  She is an external wall insulation apprentice but initially trained in childcare. She swopped life in a predominantly female dominated environment for one with the boys.  She said:  “I absolutely love it and I am seen as one of the lads on site and that is how I like it.

Former Site Manager Tam Graham won the Apprentice Mentor Award.  Tam has now moved on to run his own business, but was delighted to be nominated by so many apprentices for the award.

25 year old Luke Carroll won Best in Trade (multi skilled and joinery) and 22 year old Matthew Casey won Best in Trade (wet trade).

Lee adds:  “We believe we have trained around 700 apprentices in our 175 year history.  The   positive   impact   of apprenticeships on individuals, businesses and the economy should not be under-estimated.

“In this time of record high youth unemployment, apprentices offer a skills-based learning programme which helps young people earn a living and provides employers with access to a pool of talented new recruits.

“We are very proud of our award winning young people and we are also grateful to Salix Homes for developing this award scheme which recognises their hard work and determination.”