Community Construction Project
Mon, 13 May 2013
The latest Tameside College Construction Department’s initiative was recently delivered in the community with great success.
Along with partner, Benchmark Building Supplies, the College was able to link with The Denton Refurbishment Project, an existing Tameside Council project in Haughton Green.
The department was keen to establish an initiative in the local community to provide opportunities for young people who are not currently in training or employment, to experience a realistic working environment whilst acquiring and developing some basic construction skills.
The project ran over a two week period in April providing a number of young people a purpose and a valuable experience to develop a range of transferable and specific vocational skills under the supervision of a qualified trainer from the College, Dave Webb and the Community Link Officer, Daniel O’Shaughnessy.
The participants developed skills and experienced a range of construction related activities such as, Carpentry Skills, Brickwork and Plaster boarding as well as working to instructions on site, ensuring good time-keeping and attendance and working as part of a team. In the time available to this pilot project, the trainees were able to improve the viability of a disused ex-local authority works department facility on the estate. The building will be used for a community-based initiative which will renovate pre-used furniture for donation or re-sale.
During the second week of the project the trainees were pleased to be visited by the Chief Executive of Tameside Council who was tremendously impressed by the impact of the trainees on the initiative.
The key stakeholders were very impressed with the commitment and pride displayed by the young people. The Trainees were proud to be serving their Community.
Currently three of the group are in the process of securing job opportunities. It is hoped that with continued development, the project will see the remaining trainees secure employment locally or attend college to further their training.
The college and its partners will be driving the initiative forward over the coming months as it identifies suitable projects from across the Tameside Borough for projects such as the Denton Refurb and also to provide real working experiences for a range of skilled learners in-training at the College. The College gratefully acknowledges the Partnership between Benchmark Building Supplies and the support of TMBC and the Ward Councillors in this venture.
If you are a local Business owner within Tameside area and are able to provide a realistic job opportunity or can provide support for the project by way of short work experience opportunities, please contact the College.