Brighton construction job scheme starts at the Amex Stadium

Up to 20 new jobs in the building trade will be on offer to people from Brighton and Hove next week.

They will be offered to some of the 50 students and jobseekers taking part in the “Want to Work in Construction” initiative which is running at the Amex Stadium in Falmer.

The week-long programme includes workshops and masterclasses covering all aspects of construction including architecture and design, civil and structural engineering and sustainability and ecology.

The scheme is being run jointly by Albion in the Community, City College Brighton and Hove and 20 local construction companies.

It has attracted support from a cabinet minister, local MPs and the Mayor of Brighton and Hove Bill Randall.

Councillor Randall, a housing expert, will open the programme on Monday (8 April).

Mayor Bill Randall

By next Friday (12 April) those taking part in the scheme will have heard from experts who worked on the Olympic Park in London and the American Express Community Stadium.

The Amex is home to Brighton and Hove Albion – and the football club has been running Albion in the Community as its community and charitable arm for more than 20 years.

They will also have the opportunity to visit some of the city’s major development sites.

The group will be joined on the final day of the programme by local MPs Mike Weatherley and Caroline Lucas.

And the participants will be asked to draw on their learning throughout the week to present ideas for the development of the King Alfred site on Hove seafront.

Those who impress employers the most during the week will be offered jobs, apprenticeships or work placements.

John Orrell, director of the Hemsley Orrell Partnership in Hove and one of the founding partners of the initiative, said: “This is a truly unique programme bringing together a wealth of experts from all areas of the construction sector to give young people the opportunity to get work in the industry.

“By the end of the week those that have attended will have gained a real insight into working in construction and many of them will go on to get jobs.”

The initiative has won the support of Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the government department that oversees house-building and planning.

Mr Pickles said: “The construction industry is vital to the UK economy and Want to Work in Construction Week is a great way for Brighton and Hove’s 16 to 24-year-olds to get the sort of job advice, work experience or apprenticeship opportunities that could help kick-start a career or inspire a budding entrepreneur to success.

“They’ve shown that all it needs is a little community spirit and some commitment from industry to show young people that if they aspire to work hard at a job they enjoy they’ll get on in life.”