Winsford training centre, Build Skill Plus, in collaboration with Total People, is celebrating its success in training the industry’s next generation of bricklayers.
The specialist bricklaying training centre has delivered market-leading job success ratios for their learners since they started running their programmes in March 2014.
Build Skill Plus’ managing director, Mark Burgess, saw a gap in the market for a real ‘hands-on’ employment focused bricklaying training centre for local school leavers and apprentices.
“We are delighted but not entirely surprised by our results,” said Mark. “For every ten learners who enrol with us, we find six apprenticeship jobs. This compares to the national average of one apprenticeship job for every ten learners, only 9% will find employment as an apprentice.
“Our success is due to our commitment to provide a very job-focused environment with motivated tutors and to work hard with local builders to ensure that our learners have every opportunity to go into a real job or develop their skills further.”
Cheshire based training provider Total People have worked in partnership with Build Skill Plus since the training centre’s inception in 2014, delivering the Functional Skills and Personal and Social Development aspects of the programme.
Michelle Pickering, associate director at Total People, said: “The conversion rate from education to employment at Build Skill Plus is just excellent, and is testament to the whole company’s ethos and commitment to really high quality, employment - focused work-based learning. We look forward to the future of the partnership and the exciting developments and opportunities that it will bring.”
Brogan Hulme, a former student at the training centre, is a great example of the success of this ‘job-focused approach’.
“I enrolled at Build Skill Plus because I didn’t want to do any more exams at school and wanting training for a real job,” said Brogan. “I really liked the friendly, work-based approach at the training centre and was impressed by the standard of teaching and the quality of materials we had to learn with. I worked hard and now have a job as an apprentice bricklayer which I really enjoy and which has great prospects.”
Building on this success, Build Skill Plus now plans to offer a full-time bricklaying course with a work placement from September 2017.
Open to young people aged 16-18, the programme will enable leaners to study for a City and Guilds Level 1 Diploma in Bricklaying, with the opportunity to progress to Level 2 or an apprenticeship.
