Construction Skills ‘Boot Camp’

photo Troy Bridges via Unsplash

Young people hoping to start a career in construction are being invited to join a new ‘bootcamp’ launched by Enfield Council after it was awarded a grant from City Hall.

The council has been awarded £93,000 to deliver the construction skills bootcamp, which will offer short, flexible courses to equip residents with the skills to apply for paid jobs in the construction industry. It will train 30 residents aged 19 years or over for ten weeks, who will then be offered a guaranteed interview with an employer.

The funding comes from the £18million ‘Skills Bootcamps for Londoners’ programme to help people into good jobs in the capital’s key sectors. It is part of the Department for Education’s lifetime skills guarantee and is being overseen by City Hall.

Council leader Nesil Caliskan said: “It is important that we use all the means available to help people gain the skills and confidence to apply for jobs in key sectors and to ensure that businesses can benefit from the talent across the breadth of Enfield’s diverse communities.

“In turn, our local economy will be supported by filling vacancies, addressing skills shortages which will boost productivity and creativity.”

Applications can be made online and places are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Training will be focused on the skills required by Enfield-based developers. There will also be an emphasis on inclusivity, including getting women into construction.

Separately, the council is also set to open a construction skills academy at its flagship housing development, Meridian Water, early in the new year.