'Get into Construction' Programme Launch
Aston Group have teamed up with Countryside/Vistry and Taylor Wimpey to launch a new employability programme which will support local people into employment, work experience placements and apprenticeships.
On Thursday 20th February, we launched our "Get Into Construction" programme, at Priory Court Community Centre in E17. Open to Waltham Forest residents of all ages and experiences, the programme is designed to get local people work ready, through pre-employment training, on the job experience and upskilling with guaranteed interviews for active roles and apprenticeships.
21 people attended the launch session, where they shared their experiences, educational achievements and aspirations with us, so that we could learn more about them and their dreams and how they could potentially fit into our companies.
We were all highly impressed with the calibre of the cohort, many of them electrical students at Waltham Forest College. Their respectful attitudes and professional behaviours, along with their passion and enthusiasm for their chosen trades put them in good stead to be offered work placements and be considered for apprenticeships in the new academic year.
Day 1 Launch
Participants were given the opportunity on launch day to learn about the various roles within the Construction industry, speak with qualified engineers and find out more about the programme, including how to get free a free COTS (Scaffolding) card which includes CSCS from Simian Risk at LASC.
In addition to colleagues from Aston Group, Countryside/Vistry and Taylor Wimpey who co-created the programme, we were lucky to have representatives from Clarion Futures, Skilled Careers, Simian Risk and Hill to offer guidance and insights on careers in the Built Environment, with Skilled Careers able to sign up attendees for immediate work on site, regardless of experience once they achieved their CSCS card.
Day 2 CV Workshops
The second part of the programme comprised of a CV workshop which we delivered to 18 young people at Waltham Forest College, keen to make a good impression and learn how to approach a company professionally and stand out from the crowd. The Social Value Managers from Aston Group, Countryside and Taylor Wimpey were able to give in-depth advice on how to enhance their CVs and promote themselves on social media platforms. Once again, we were pleased by the mature response we received, the active engagement and keen interest from all.
Day 3 Interview Tips and Mock Interviews
The third day of the programme is focusing on interview skills, learning how to prepare for typical interview questions and how to act and engage with potential employers.
We have invited recruitment companies in, to assist with the mock interviews and hope that our prep work leaves them feeling more confident and comfortable with undergoing an interview at the end of this project.
Testimonial from an attendee
"I just wanted to take a moment to share my gratitude for the apprenticeship event you organised and put on yesterday. Getting the chance to sit down and hear from multiple companies speak about who they are and what they do alongside, the opportunity for us to speak about ourselves and put ourselves forward was truly invaluable.
Having attended some other events, online and in-person, in the last week or two. I can confidently say this has topped them all, completely surpassing my expectations. To be honest, after going to those previous events and being basically disappointed, to put it in simple terms, I almost lost faith and didn’t bother turning up for this event. But I’m glad I kept my spirit and still showed up. because this was the event I’ve been hoping for and wishing to attend. Not only the organisation but the quality of speakers was amazing. I genuinely felt truly inspired by the insight shared and am excited for what the future holds with everyone.
I am beyond grateful for this opportunity, being part of this programme and I cannot wait for future sessions to speak with all the employers again and better our relationships! The networking and exploration of different opportunities, with industry leading companies, has made me very excited!"
Having attended some other events, online and in-person, in the last week or two, I can confidently say this has topped them all, completely surpassing my expectations
It was great meeting you, Charan and also the rest of the groups, thanks for taking time out of your day for yesterday. It was an incredible opportunity to learn more about each company and the opportunities of work experience they offer
Thank you again Rachel the 2 weeks is going to help me out immensely regarding maintenance on old/new systems and just seeing how they work around live water in general.
Firstly I want to say, thank you to both you and Charan for choosing me to have this opportunity. I really appreciate it and I won’t take it for granted, giving it my all throughout my time with Aston Group.
Following attendance at these events, Aston Group has earmarked 5 attendees for the first round of 2-week work experience placements which start on March 17th and are looking forward to offering further placements in the upcoming months.
This is part of our Pipeline to Employment programme where our aim is to identify emerging talent with the hope that we are impressed enough with their performance in the field to offer them an extended trial period and a potential apprenticeship.
We are excited to watch how these work experience placements evolve over the next few months, and are pleased that the majority of people attending the programme will get the opportunity of work experience with at least 3 companies.
This gives them a chance to truly understand the reality of working life in different cultures and teams and make sure that it is the right choice for them before they embark on a multi-year apprenticeship.