Over 1200 local residents in Barking and Dagenham are set to benefit from training opportunities in the construction industry after the region was awarded £917,599 funding by the Department for Education (DfE).
The grant from the DfE’s Construction Skills Fund (CSF) aims to increase the number of local people trained in construction by building a new training centre that will be based in Barking Riverside.
The funding is being matched by an extra £117,211 from the council to meet staffing costs and a contribution of £336,767.90 from Barking Riverside Ltd towards the centre.
More than 1,200 local residents will be able to gain qualifications and work experience at the planned centre, with trainees recruited through partners and community organisations including the Job Centre Plus, colleges, community groups and council job shops.
Councillor Sade Bright, Cabinet member for employment, skills and aspiration, said: “Barking and Dagenham is London’s growth opportunity, and this is evident in the enormous developments taking place.
“This funding is essential to ensuring that growth is not something that happens in isolation but that all of our residents feel a part of so no one gets left behind.”
Matthew Carpen, Barking Riverside boss also expressed his delight at the news, he said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people in the borough, helping them gain qualifications and first-hand experience with the potential of securing a job at Barking Riverside or one of our contractors.”
Amongst a number of opportunities planned for the centre, there will be short-term work experience courses for school pupils, giving them an insight into the industry and offering them chances to meet potential employers, and women only courses to help encourage more women into the industry.
Over the next 20 years, Barking and Dagenham will see 60,000 new homes go up at the Riverside development and thanks to the new centre it is hoped that more local people will be able to work on those projects.
