CIOB Manchester Hub committee member Tom Morris MCIOB is celebrating six months of success for the Community Construction Skills Centre in Collyhurst, Manchester.
Morris is a senior construction manager with Far East Consortium (FEC), which opened the centre in partnership with Manchester City Council.
The centre offers a series of training courses and hands-on classes that give learners vital work experience and confidence in order to create employment opportunities.
Employability training takes place over a four-week period and equips learners with accredited qualifications in health and safety and construction skills, including Trade Techniques and Health Safety and Welfare in the Workplace.
Over 50 new students enrolled on training courses in just the first three months.
The centre’s unique training model is adaptable to people who are unemployed, ex-offenders and ex-military members, as part of learning basic but crucial DIY skills to increase employability.
Working in collaboration with Yes and the Construction Skills People and its Greater Manchester Skills Academy, the project first opened to students in September 2024 as part of wider investment through the Victoria North Development.
To ensure training works for Collyhurst residents, the model has been localised, meaning that partner groups are required to undertake employability assessments and advise and support those who want to take part in training.Successful candidates will be invited to attend civil engineering and groundworks bootcamps to enhance employability.
There are also opportunities to undertake trade-specific training such as bricklaying, plastering and joinery, while being guaranteed an interview with local contractors.
Community days are also held to encourage residents to learn new skills such as painting preparation and general DIY.
