SALIX HOMES AND BUILD SALFORD HELP LOCAL JOB SEEKERS CONSTRUCT THEIR OWN SUCCESS

Build Salford is a group of contractors and local housing providers including Salix Homes supported by Salford City Council, Salford City College, Connexions and third sector organisation known as the Salford Foundation. 

The project develops and delivers a series of construction programmes to support young people in Salford into employment and training within the industry.

The programme aims to prepare young people for careers in construction with the focus on increasing the sector’s workforce.

Build Salford targets young people who may have dropped out of education and are struggling to find work. 

The training initiative has resulted in over 100 apprenticeships so far.

Jackie Crook the Skills and Work Manager at Salix Homes recently visited an innovative eco-friendly new construction site known as Neighbourhood in Kara Street Salford to meet one of the apprentices working on site, Jackie said:

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“Salix Homes are proud to be one of the founding members of Build Salford. It was developed to show that we could offer the best possibilities to young people in the city, this is now our sixth year, and we love it, it’s a great initiative.”

“We provide work placements and apprenticeships jointly with our partners at Build Salford, we also work with our housing partners to help our residents to access training and employment opportunities in the city.

The Build Salford programme means Salix Homes and its partners can offer opportunities to employment as an alternative pathway to those who live in Salford, specifically for anyone who might struggle to access opportunities through more conventional routes.

 

Jackie continued:

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“This year’s group have been fantastic, and I’d like to say well done to them all.”

Watson Homes as a partner organisation were able to work with Salix Homes to offer apprenticeships as part of their social action remit, 17-year-old Lucas Edwards benefitted from the scheme and has been offered an apprenticeship in bricklaying on the site in Kara Street.

Lucas said:

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“It’s great being on a live site like this, there’s loads you can learn and it’s a lot better than what else is on offer. Things didn’t go well for me at college, and when someone told me about Build Salford, I thought it was a really good idea, and through it I got what I wanted which is my dream job.”

Lucas now has bigger dreams of his own property empire, when asked if anyone was thinking of applying for a placement with Build Salford he said:

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“Don’t doubt yourself, just got for it, it’s a good industry, you can have a laugh and the money isn’t bad either.”

Allan Milne, Director of Apprenticeships and Employer Engagement at Salford City College Group, comments:

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“Build Salford is a fantastic scheme allowing young people of Salford to move into careers in the construction industry. Supported by brilliant industry partners such as Salix Homes, the scheme provides a great insight into the sector and paves the way for progression into apprenticeships.

We are incredibly pleased with the outcome of this year’s programme, with many of the trainees, like Lucas, being employed with amazing companies.”

 

As well as benefiting young people, Build Salford gives Salix Homes and its partner contractors the opportunity to fulfil their social value requirements, while also helping to plug the growing skills gap in the construction sector. 

Applications for Build Salford 2023 will open in Spring 2023. For more information, email apprenticeships@salfordcc.ac.uk.

Image: Lucas Edwards working on site.