Employers urged to help shape bid

A new employer-led skills training hub could be developed across the region to help more people move into the construction industry.

A special meeting will be held tomorrow (August 14) to look at options to support the Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin construction sector – and draw up a blueprint to be used to apply for Government funding.

Construction industry employers are now being urged to attend the 2pm event at University Centre Shrewsbury so they can be put forward their ideas.

The Government wants to create at least 20 training hubs across the country to help train long-term unemployed, students and people who are looking to make a career change into the construction industry.

The Marches LEP, the body responsible for driving growth across the region, has already registered its interest in bidding for some of the £20.8m available and has been working with the Shropshire Constructing Excellence business network, Shropshire Construction Training Board and other partners to start the ball rolling.

Kathryn Jones, Marches LEP partnership manager, said it was now vital that industry employers came up with ideas and suggestions for the way in which the hub might operate.

“It is essential that any bid we make for funding for a training hub is business-led,” she said. “We have had some excellent input from employers already and would like to give businesses a final opportunity to put forward project ideas that could be included in this application for funding.

“Those ideas need to be in line with the Government’s funding objectives, which stress the project should be employer led, create training interventions to support new entrants to the construction sector and use an on-site training hub model.”

To register for the meeting contact LEPteamsupport@marcheslep.org