The Association of Brickwork Contractors’ Assessment Centre partnered with Hartlepool College on a pilot traineeship designed to introduce a new generation of employable bricklayers to the industry.
Aimed at providing a bridge between further education and employment, the bricklaying specific-scheme was developed in partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the Department for Education, the Home Builders Federation (HBF), Association of Colleges (AOC), and the British Association of Construction Heads (BACH). It was trailed in Hartlepool following the government’s announcement earlier this year to fund thousands of extra traineeships.
The 10-week training programme, which ran from June to August, provided an opportunity for 20 bricklaying learners to learn the skills required for a working site environment. This was followed by a work placement with a local construction employer. The ABC Assessment Centre’s short duration courses formed the basis of the bricklaying traineeship at Hartlepool and employers received £1000 for each trainee they took to cover the cost of placements.
Commenting on the traineeships, Simon Livett of the ABC Assessment Centre said: “The shortage of bricklayers across the industry is well documented, with a reported 64% of construction businesses struggling to hire qualified workers. The pilot programme at Hartlepool College is the first of many training programmes that will produce bricklayers who are broadly skilled so that their employability is heightened. We are delighted to be at the forefront of this initiative and look forward to working with many more colleges and bricklaying students in the upcoming months.”
All courses delivered by The ABC Assessment Centre are fully accredited by the CITB.
