Building jobs project to expand on Merseyside

Feb 13 2008 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

A PIONEERING project helping to provide construction employment for Merseyside people is expanding.

Fusion21 currently works with Merseyside housing associations to make sure local trainees gain employment on their projects – but it is now offering to help other public sector organisations including local authorities, health trusts and education bodies to ensure their building projects directly benefit local people.

The announcement comes after the Daily Post revealed last Saturday that the public sector led Construction for Merseyside initiative has been abandoned.

Fusion21 has already created 456 new jobs for local people through their model that requires private contractors to sign a contract, confirming they will employ the people who are being trained through Fusion21.

The companies pay towards the cost of running Fusion’s construction skills training facilities at the Building Skills Centre in Knowsley, and in turn gain employees who have been chosen on merit and trained to a high standard.

Fusion’s Skills manager Geoff Williams said: “I have been in construction all of my life and this is the best method of getting people into jobs I have come across.

“Our housing association partners are delivering a substantial amount of construction and regeneration activity in Merseyside and beyond, and we have found a way of using our procurement muscle to create employment opportunities for local people.

“The associations pass on the projects to us and we find a construction company for the project, which signs a contract agreeing to employ a certain amount of trainees.

“Best intentions are not good enough, best intentions do not get people trained and employed. A firm contract is essential.

“We have developed training facilities and bespoke courses for both men and women. To date we have provided vocational training for more than 500 people, many of whom have gained NVQs. ”

Housing associations already involved include Arena Housing, Helena Housing, Knowsley Housing Trust, Plus Group, Riverside Housing, The Regenda Group and South Liverpool Housing.

Mr Williams added: “You only have to look across the skyline in Liverpool city centre to get an idea about how much construction activity is taking place on Merseyside. It is absolutely vital that we maximise the benefit of this investment in the local economy.

“Fusion21 has developed a model that is proven to work, and we are keen to share this with public and private sector interests across the city region.”

lizawilliams