Brickwork Academy group (l-r): Matthew Wong (Brickwork Academy student); Ian Colligan (Cara Group Brickwork); Kian Lewis ( Brickwork Academy student); Richard Potts (Morgan Sindall)
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has launched a pilot brickwork academy to ‘fast-track’ young people into careers in bricklaying, partnering with Morgan Sindall.
Working with colleges and employers, CITB is funding the project with the aim of getting more of those on college courses in brickwork to actually join the industry.
Currently only a quarter of students on construction-related courses move directly into a construction job, and nearly six in ten (59%) of those who unsuccessfully applied for construction jobs since finishing their course said it was because they lacked the work experience that employers wanted.
Brickwork Academy is working with students at Wirral Metropolitan College and Hugh Baird College in the Liverpool city region, and Warwickshire College in the West Midlands, to give students work experience.
They are being paired up with local employers and are completing an additional seven weeks of practical skills training at their college, along with work experience days on local construction sites.
After this they will spend 24 weeks working onsite with their employer, to achieve their NVQ Level 2 brickwork qualification.
In addition to developing their practical trowel skills, the extra college training supports students to be better prepared for the construction sector, covering topics such as employability skills and self-employment.
Morgan Sindall project
In Liverpool, the participants will undertake their work experience and additional pre-site training together at the Knowledge Quad, Morgan Sindall’s learning space located on site at the city’s Paddington Village construction project. Following this, the group will undertake their 24-week placements with three projects the company is delivering for Liverpool John Moores University and Merseyside Police.
CITB said it would consider introducing the academy to more colleges across the country, and to other construction trades, if the pilot proves successful.
Wirral Met student Matthew Wong said: “I’ve learned how to build walls, correct use of the trowel, and the mixing of materials. Brickwork Academy involves working for an employer as a trainee bricklayer on their site for nearly six months and this includes getting a salary and doing my NVQ. After this on-site experience I’ll be much more likely to stay in a job as a bricklayer.”
Sue Higginson, principal of Wirral Metropolitan College, said: “We have recently invested £12 million in building a state-of-the-art Construction Campus that, of course, includes a department that specialises in brickwork and the built environment. Within this campus we have a pool of talented students looking to further their career in the industry. We are delighted to be working with CITB to create pathways to employment and this project will make a real difference to employers and their prospective employees, namely our talented students."
Steve Radley, CITB strategy and policy director, said: “We know that construction employers are struggling to recruit skilled bricklayers, while too many students on construction-related courses lack the onsite experience and employability skills that will get them their first job in construction.
“We’re really encouraged by the enthusiasm shown by the colleges and employers involved in the Brickwork Academy. We hope that its results will make the case for expanding the Academy approach with more employers and into other trades, to join together with other CITB initiatives to help more learners become site-ready for employment.”
