United Kingdom & Ireland: The Rt. Hon Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Competitiveness, backs launch of ‘BeOnsite’

New national scheme to train the long term unemployed in the construction skills of the future and to provide sustainable employment.

Meurika Stewart is in prison. She has no qualifications, has never had a skilled job and has been ‘inside’ for three years. But now, one day a week, with the help of Bovis Lend Lease’s BeOnsite team, she leaves prison to become trained for the construction industry of the future. When she is released in a year’s time she will walk into a well paid skilled job, fully trained and determined to change her life for ever.
For many people, particularly the long-term unemployed, BeOnsite provides a unique opportunity, providing training for jobs where there is a very real shortage of qualified workers, and the full support of both people in the industry and the community in which the industry operates.

Rt. Hon Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Competitiveness has been visiting the BeOnsite trainees. He says, “We need to bring together people looking for employment and the needs for employment in the construction industry. BeOnsite is incredibly important because it brings those two things together in a way that benefits everybody."

“The construction industry is in great shape, with city centres all across the UK being rebuilt as the sector has benefited enormously from the stability we have had in the economy for the past few years. We need to make sure that this is to the benefit of young people, and others, who are looking for work in our communities."

Bovis Lend Lease UK is setting out to address the growing skills shortage in the construction industry with the establishment of not-for-profit company, BeOnsite. Sponsored by Bovis Lend Lease UK, the organisation aims to offer on-site industry specific training and employment.

Set-up with support from Bovis Lend Lease’s supply chain, BeOnsite has been formed in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, ConstructionSkills, the London Development Agency and the Learning and Skills Council.
ConstructionSkills estimates over 85,000 new entrants per year are needed within the UK construction industry* and many of these entrants will need new skills with an increasing focus on new prefabricated building techniques, smart buildings, sustainable development and environmental technologies.

A key objective for the new organisation is to work hand-in-glove with the supply chain to map the exact skills that are needed and then identify how these skills will be provided through specialist accredited training providers, giving companies a direct opportunity to shape learning provision. BeOnsite will pay particular attention to the skills gaps where no specific training currently exists. It will also provide a co-ordinated single point of contact for access to local labour.

BeOnsite will take full responsibility for supporting and employing the trainees on their journey from worklessness to employment.

Val Lowman, Managing Director of BeOnsite, says: “With BeOnsite we have a very real chance to reach out into the communities within which we work and bring people together. We need skilled workers, people who can meet the needs of the growing construction industry, and with BeOnsite we have this wonderful opportunity to help people who would otherwise be unable to take up this employment by providing training and support in partnership with the community, and solve our skills shortage.

“Small firms with fewer than 14 workers represent 94% of the construction industry and employ 39% of all workers. These firms need all the help they can get. We aim for BeOnsite to eventually grow so that it can offer trainees to the construction industry across the country. This is a long-term solution to the issues of skills shortages and inner city unemployment.”

Murray Coleman, Chief Executive of Bovis Lend Lease UK said, “The idea of BeOnsite is modelled on the job shops which we have been operating on most of our major construction sites over the past 12 years. This linkage of local people to construction training and jobs has resulted in almost 10,000 people finding construction employment, and a further 11,000 people going into retail jobs.

“It’s a great concept because it helps long term unemployed people and overcomes barriers to employment; the local community benefits because the skilled tradespeople remain in the local area long after the construction project has finished; and the construction industry can fill some of the many vacancies attributed to the current skills shortage.”

Lesley Strathie, Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus further endorses the endeavour: “Jobcentre Plus values highly the close and effective working relationship developed with Bovis Lend Lease over a number of years. The relationship provides our disadvantaged customers with genuine opportunities to secure permanent employment and job related training in a sector of the economy that is set to remain buoyant for the foreseeable future.”

BeOnsite was set up in July 2007, there are currently 29 trainees.
www.beonsite.org.uk