Building a better future through multi-skilling

Citation

(2006), "Building a better future through multi-skilling", Education + Training, Vol. 48 No. 7. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2006.00448gab.007

Building a better future through multi-skilling

An apprenticeship scheme that is benefiting the community of Calderdale has won a National Training Award for five Yorkshire organizations from both public and private sectors. Pennine Housing 2000 is investing more than £112 million to bring all its 12,000 homes up to modern standards, with two national construction firms, Lovell Partnerships and Keepmoat plc. The More Than Bricks and Mortar (MTBAM) scheme was initiated by Pennine to combine its five-year improvement programme with job-creation and training opportunities for local people. Both Lovell and Keepmoat are partners in the MBTAM scheme, as are Calderdale Council (providing support through its regeneration section) and Calderdale College (providing training and assessment). The partnership came together to create the multi-skilling NVQ in an area where unemployment was high but the construction industry was having recruitment problems.

Martin Reed, Pennine Housing 2000 workforce-development manager, said: “We needed to develop new practices for work in tenants’ homes. In the past, separate tradesmen followed each other on jobs, often on different days, giving access difficulties and leading to tenant frustration, with disruptive work lasting longer than necessary.”

The partners devised a two-year course in which apprentices were expected to achieve the NVQ level 2, which combines units from trade NVQs. The apprentices spent one day a week at Calderdale College, learning different construction trades. They also benefited from on-the-job training by working on Pennine’s improvement programme. The trainees would work on sites managed by Pennine, Keepmoat and Lovell, and move to different sites each quarter, widening their experience. “The choice now available to trainees to move to particular trades or professions is based on sound experience of what they are involved in, lowering drop-out rates and increasing job satisfaction and retention,” said Martin Reed.

So far, 41 trainees have started the programme, and 18 are still in training. Seventeen apprentices have landed permanent jobs. Two trainees have started their own businesses and others have plans for this in the future.