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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

Long-term unemployed to benefit from new grants programme to boost construction industry

Seven boroughs and the City of London have joined forces with London Councils to help long-term unemployed workers build a career in the construction industry.

The Borough ESF Employment Construction Careers programme will see £1.85 million made available over the next two years. It will help Londoners improve their employability skills and compete more effectively in the field, which is expected to create thousands of jobs across the capital in the coming years.

Paid for by the European Social Fund programme for 2016-18 and match-funded by Central London Forward, the scheme will encourage long-term unemployed people in Camden, Islington, Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea, Southwark, Wandsworth, Westminster and the City of London to get back into the labour market and build their construction skills and qualifications in a range of areas, from site management to administration and security.

It will be managed on a day-to-day basis by London Councils, which is now accepting applications from companies to run the programme.

A London Councils spokesperson said: “This programme will make a real difference to the employment opportunities, prospects and job sustainment of Londoners in greatest need of support to get back into the jobs market. 

“Across the UK the number of jobs in the construction industry has reached 2.1 million, nearly 100,000 more than two years ago and at levels not seen before summer 2010. London is at the centre of this upturn and construction activity across central London represents one of the largest areas of economic regeneration activity in Europe, offering some great opportunities for disadvantaged Londoners to forge a new career.”

www.londoncouncils.gov.uk