Mon, 10 Jan 2011
The first 31 apprentices hired to work on the construction of the Olympics site in East London have successfully graduated with their NVQ qualifications.
According to figures from the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), some 250 of the 8,000 people working on the sites are apprentices studying for NVQs over a two or four-year period.
In addition, it says it has created 3,000 training places for people who want to learn at work, develop new skills and get a job working on the Olympic project. John Armitt, the ODA chairman, explained that the positions being created, along with the apprenticeships, are helping to ensure the project is completed to schedule.
He explained that the apprenticeships and training schemes are intended to help people in the local community get back to work and will also provide vital skills that the ODA can utilise. Armitt said, "We are providing a range of work and training opportunities in a challenging time for the UK construction industry and meeting our commitments to an employment and skills legacy for people living around the Olympic Park."
There is also a jobs brokerage service that matches local people, and people from elsewhere in the country, to jobs on the Olympic site.
Armitt added that apprenticeships are not only beneficial to the ODA as an employer but will also help people living in East London to boost their employability within the construction sector. He concluded, "By creating 350 apprentice positions we are helping young people get their first foot on the ladder to a career in construction.”
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The learndirect team