Careers help for West Midlands students faces the axe
A programme that helps disadvantaged youngsters across the West Midlands step onto the career ladder may have to be axed due to a lack of funding.
The City Builders scheme run by Made, the regional built environment charity, has given access to the property industry to more than 150 students from across the region.
The Birmingham-based academy has hosted students from schools including Walsall Academy, Cardinal Griffin in Cannock, Dormston School in Dudley and Pool Hayes in Willenhall.
The project, which runs a number of different courses, has been operating successfully for three years and has already started receiving inquiries from schools looking to send students this year.
The one under most severe threat is the popular week-long Academy, which costs around £6,000 to run and sees students undertake a design challenge and work with professionals.
Made said it had exhausted all funding options and may be forced to cancel the project indefinitely.
Sally Robertshaw, community programmes manager, said: "We are enormously grateful to the charities and trusts that have supported us so far, but we are conscious that without significant investment our 2015 City Builders Academy will have to be pulled, disappointing schools and students who were hoping to be part of this and future years activities.
"We are hoping that all regional built environment professions, from architects to quantity surveyors, will consider whether their corporate social responsibility strategies have room to support the project in some way, from funding to becoming a mentor or professional support."
Students undertake a design challenge, work with professionals, visit development sites and learn the basics of good design.
