Skills People Working Partnership
Established in 2008, Skills People Group were set up to deliver a wide range of vocational qualifications and commercial training courses along with pre-employment training. They are the leading provider of construction-related work-based qualifications, working with over 75% of the UK’s top construction companies (as listed by Construction News magazine). They offer a broad range of NVQs, helping their clients to ensure they are CSCS and CPCS compliant.
They are an organisation who is really helping local people get a foot on the construction ladder and hopefully begin a long and successful career within the industry - their aim is to get people into sustainable employment. Candidates can either be referred to Skills People (for example by The Job Centre or work providers) or they can self refer. They take part in an intensive 4-week Introduction to Construction course, with the first 3 weeks being classroom-based. The last week adopts a hybrid learning approach, covering Health & Safety alongside CITB essentials. Upon successful coursework completion and examination, participants are eligible to apply for their CSCS card, a testament to their proficiency.
Linear teamed up with Skills People in October last year and have been working with them to strengthen our candidate base, with them assisting us in finding candidates who are fully compliant and committed to working in the construction industry on placements with Linear’s clients.
Michael Ryan, who works in our Manchester office, joined Linear last year and partnered up with Barry McTeague, Skills People Group’s Employment Engagement Officer, in November. In that short time, he’s had some great success stories with candidates he’s placed on assignments.
One of the first candidates that Michael met was Jayden at the end of October and straight away got the impression that he was a hard worker. Ever since that day he has been ultra-persistent in his pursuit of employment within the construction industry. Jayden is an absolute credit to Skills People Group; his attitude and endeavor to progress and get a foot on the construction ladder is commendable. Michael and Jayden have been in constant contact from the day they met; Jayden sometimes called 2-3 times a day as he was so determined to get help and support.
This made us determined to land him a role that he could be proud of and give him the sustainability that he truly deserves. Jayden started his first role with Linear in December and the feedback from the Site Manager was nothing short of fantastic. Hard working, reliable, eager to learn and polite.
Chihab Boubaker is a candidate who is now on his fourth placement for us, with every site loving him and always asking for him back. He was even making a 40-mile round trip to work and back and we've now had him in work for around 10 weeks.
Johnny Mckay started a new role with us in February after doing an unbelievable job with one of our Clients on a previous assignment. Our Client gave us some incredible feedback: "Johnny’s endeavors for us throughout his time at George Richard’s Way has been exemplary and my Supervisor has asked me to thank you for providing a Labourer who has been punctual and industrious and who has carried out his duties in a positive and professional manner. In short, Johnny has been the best agency Labourer we’ve had for quite some time."
Liam Murray has just completed a 14th week on this site in what started out as only a 1-week placement. He's currently working 50 + hours weekly and our client cannot fault his attitude; his willingness to stay late, work weekends and complete tasks without being asked are just some of his key attributes.
Louie Knott has now completed his third week on site in what has been his first introduction to life on site. He had been waiting for someone to give him a chance and now he's been given that chance, he is flying. The site team cannot prais him enough - his attitude, temperament and punctuality.
Barry has commented that working with Linear's Manchester office has been a great experience and has found our Regional Manager Gary Jones great to work with and very supportive, along with Michael Ryan and Felix Moore.
These are just some the examples of our partnership with Skills People Group coming to fruition and we're looking forward to developing more, as well as expanding into working with them in the South Yorkshire area. Our task is to find these construction-hungry learners a role in the construction industry.
