Building a future with skills from construction academy

The academy will be delivering the Maintenance Operations Apprenticeship Framework which will train young people in various trades to give them broad skills which will allow them to work with housing associations and local authorities to refurbish properties and prepare them to re-let.

LATA is looking for young people (initially 16 to 18 years old) who have the desire to work in the construction sector.

The delivery will teach young people skills in carpentry, bricklaying, plastering, plumbing and tiling.

The training will commence in the LATA centres in Birmingham, Cannock and Kingswinford for the initial stages of the course while the candidates develop their skills in the different trades.

When they have achieved the skills levels required they will then work as a team re-developing empty properties and bringing them back up to standard ready to re-let.

Gary Hawkins, chief executive of LATA, said: "We have been extremely successful with our Logistics Academies which takes young people who generally are Not in Education employment or Training (NEET) and gives them the skills to enter the logistics and retail sectors.

"We have helped to get more than 500 young people into sustainable employment through this initiative and we are now looking at innovative ways that we can help young people enter the construction sector.

"The training that we deliver covers both practical and theoretical skills so that the young people will develop the skills and confidence to be able to work on real properties that will ultimately be rented out."

The initial apprenticeship programme will give general skills and it is anticipated that some of the apprentices will go on to specialise in one of the trades that they have learned. The ultimate goal of the construction academies is to encourage young people to want to work in the construction sector and will give them skills that will allow them to gain employment either with small builders or property maintenance companies right through to housing associations and local authorities.

It is expected that some of the young people will become self employed and may even start the building firms of the future.

If you are interested in an opportunity to enter the construction or logistics sectors contact Laura on 01384 294 437 or drop into one of the academies for a chat and further information.

Alternatively visit www.lataacademy.com for directions.