Persimmon backs introduction to construction drive

Persimmon Homes West Midlands is backing the Bilston Development Project and City of Wolverhampton College’s ‘Skills in Jobs’ project. The six-week programme is aimed at 19-65 year old people from across the Black Country who attend Bilston Development Projects’ construction workshops at Millfields Road, who are keen to up-skill and get back into employment.

The course provides students with health and safety accreditations, a professional CV and training on plumbing, carpentry, plastering, painting and decorating, health and safety, customer service and interview techniques. Site visits in partnership with key employers in the area form a key area of the programme of activity and this is where Persimmon Homes has become involved.

The UK’s most successful housebuilder invited a group of students to a tour of its Mitchell’s Brook development at Cape Hill Village, Smethwick, to educate them about the range of opportunities in the housebuilding industry and demonstrate construction work in progress.

Mark Penn, Persimmon’s regional construction director said: “Programmes such as ‘Introduction to Construction’ should be commended. There is lots of scope for employment in the construction industry and it’s important we do all we can to promote the range of opportunities whenever possible.”

Cheryl Welsh, project manager for Heantun Housing Association Limited, which is delivering the Bilston Development Project adds: “In a nutshell, the ‘Introduction to Construction’ initiative is about getting local people to a point where they can effectively compete for job and training opportunities and have a portfolio of experience to refer back to.

“We want to raise the confidence of our students to allow them to enter into training or re-enter the employment market and we are grateful to Persimmon for the help and support they have shown towards our students.”

Marie Mathews, project manager skills into jobs, an LSC/ESF co financed project, which funds the project and provides the candidates for the course, said “Skills into Jobs is delighted to be in partnership with Bilston Development Project and even more delighted with the success it is having. It provides quality training and qualifications that prepares the beneficiaries with a ‘stepping stone’ for a move into the career of the construction industry and the chance to take their part in the regeneration of their City.“

Mitchell’s Brook, one of Persimmon’s most successful developments, is situated on the site of the Old Cape Hill Brewery, the northern part of the site in the Sandwell Borough where up to 600 properties are being built while the southern side, called Deers Leap in the Birmingham borough will feature up to 375 homes. Prices currently start from £131,950.

The Bilston Development Project is delivered through New Bilston Limited a subsidiary of Heantun Housing Association Limited. Funded by Advantage West Midlands, ERDF (Wolverhampton Network Consortium) and Wolverhampton Council to the value of £1.7million and contracted to deliver a programme of regeneration projects in Bilston.

The project has a successful track record in delivering regeneration such as Bilston town centre business property investment, Bradley Arm Canal regeneration, creative projects with local secondary schools, construction training and supporting local neighbourhood initiatives.

For further information on the range of homes available at Mitchell’s Brook, visit Persimmonhomes.com online.