Plymouth construction skills programme creates local jobs

A housebuilder at North Prospect is celebrating the success of its innovative Mayflower Leat Skills Academy, as the final cohort of students graduate and the programme comes to an end. 

As part of its Mayflower Leat housing development, which is part of the North Prospect regeneration, Countryside Partnerships delivered the Academy in partnership with training provider Train 4 All. Driven by local demand, the Academy was designed to provide skills and training opportunities to the local community whilst combatting the nationwide skills shortage affecting the construction industry.

Since its establishment, the Academy has seen 58 learners successfully complete the programme, resulting in 16 apprenticeships and creating eight full time jobs. All participants who completed the course are now equipped with a CSCS H&S card, which allows them to work on a construction site for up to five years.

As part of their training, learners were initially based in an on-site classroom studying construction theory and completing practical demonstrations before spending time with Partnerships’ sub-contractors to further develop their practical skills through work experience placements and site visits.

The skills offer was diversified over the course of the programme to cater for the needs of local people wanting to explore a career in construction. This saw the Academy deliver its first women’s only programme in January 2023 to provide a much-needed opportunity for five local women to gain experience on a live construction site. As a result, the women successfully completed their CSCS training with a 100% pass rate, with two looking to progress onto managerial roles and two looking to progress into trade work.

Peter Sadler, Managing Director of Countryside Partnerships South West, said:  “True regeneration is about much more than just providing new homes and we passionately believe in the importance of providing skills and training opportunities for the local community. Working with our partner Train 4 All, we’re delighted that our Mayflower Leat Skills Academy has been so successful, providing almost 60 local people with the skills needed to start a career in construction. Even more pleasing, 24 of these participants have gone on to be employed in the area, which is a great boost for the local economy.”

Mayflower Leat is the final phase of North Prospect, an award-winning regeneration programme in Plymouth and the largest of its kind in the South West. The 196 home development will see Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) provide 125 affordable homes including 87 for rent and 38 for shared ownership, with the remaining 71 for open market sale.