10 JANUARY 2011
NEW SKILLS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Quantum member Daventry & District Housing (part of Futures Housing Group) is not only transforming homes but also increasing opportunities for employment and training.

So far, nine apprentices have been selected to work on the association's £43m major improvement programme, while a work experience programme has led to 13 placements - a commitment that is set to reach 25. All will be overseen by dedicated work experience ambassadors.

Daventry and District Housing's commitment to the partnership saw it named as part of the first Skills Academy in the East Midlands.

The Skills Academy programme is a Government initiative led by the Learning Skills Council and is designed to drive up the standard of industry training.

One in six construction workers have no formal qualifications and two thirds of employers report problems finding sufficiently skilled and experienced staff. Research also shows that 75 per cent of the industry does not have any training, and the training that does happen is not evenly spread across the supply chain.

Apprentices receive on and off-site atraining and gain qualifications through work-based learning.

Futures Housing Group is also working in the community to promote employment, through construction challenge days in local schools and work experience programmes.

A new Work Experience Co-ordinator is helping to strengthen links with schools in the areas the Group serves.

And in a further new initiative Futures Housing Group successfully bid for money from the Future Jobs Fund to help a previously unemployed young person into full-time employment.

The placement sits predominantly with the Group's Community Development Team in Daventry, but will also cover other areas of the business to offer a well-rounded experience of the housing sector.

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