Two local apprentices are building bright new careers thanks to house builder Story Homes, who have partnered with Calico’s Constructing the Future programme.
Constructing the Future offers placements for young people, who are employed through the scheme and then placed with local contractors for short term work placements.
The key benefit of the shared apprenticeship scheme is that it keeps apprentices working locally, whilst giving an opportunity to work with a range of different contractors.
Bricklayers Lee Kirkham, aged nineteen years old, and Kyle Hendrie, aged eighteen years old, are both from the Blackpool area and have been involved with the Constructing the Future programme since March 2014.
This programme has given Lee and Kyle the opportunities to develop their skills and implement them on a day to day basis whilst in a work environment.
Story Homes have placed the apprentices on their Brookwood Park site in Kirkham, comprising of 117 two to five bedroom high quality and high specification homes, from apartments, terraced houses, semi-detached and detached properties. The site is in the early stages and is estimated to take around two and a half years to complete.
Lee Kirkham, Bricklaying apprentice with CTF and Story Homes said:
“This apprenticeship scheme has helped me to turn my life around, before this opportunity I was hanging around with the wrong people and had no relationship with my family. Now I am away from that crowd of people, I have rebuilt a relationship with my mum and sister and have even afforded to buy myself a car.
“Whilst being on the Story Homes site I have been able to develop and learn new skills and all the tradesmen are really helpful. They pay attention to me and go through things so I can learn rather than just setting me off with a task on my own.”
Shelley Heyward, Learning and Development Manager for Story Homes said:
“Prior to being contacted by Calico I had never heard of the Constructing the Future project. I was very impressed with how they were working in partnership with local businesses to drive apprenticeship opportunities and how simple it was to sign up.
“Story Homes is committed to providing young people with meaningful opportunities that help develop careers within the construction industry and we will be broadening the range of apprenticeships we offer in 2016. It’s great to work with organisations such as Calico who, like us, are passionate about generating talent and opportunities for the local area.”
Rachel Donovan, Business development coordinator for skills and enterprise said:
“Story Homes have been extremely supportive in providing two of our apprentices with quality, supportive placements with so much success that they have extended their support to host an additional apprentice in Joinery, from August 2015 onwards. As the Apprentices’ employer we value Contractors such as Story Homes and enjoy seeing our apprentices happy in their work.”
Through their work with Constructing the Future, contractors are helping to ensure the sector has fully qualified apprentices who will be able to make a significant contribution for years to come.
For more information on Constructing the Future please visit www.calico.org.uk/ctf
For more information about Story Homes visit www.storyhomes.co.uk
