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Colne construction students dig deep for success!
28th April 2008
A group of North Essex students have laid the foundations for their future success by finishing a unique training scheme to qualify them to find work in the growing construction sector.
Colchester-based Colne Housing, which owns and manages over 2,000 affordable homes in Essex, launched its first construction scholarship scheme earlier this year as part of its 35th anniversary year celebrations.
The students, all Colne Housing residents, spent three months learning a range of skills including bricklaying, paving, tiling and guttering. They have refurbished the grounds of one of Colne’s supported housing schemes in Colchester, as part of their training.
The students were jointly funded on the 12-week programme by Colne Housing and the Haven Gateway.
Each student is now on a work placement scheme with leading builders, Trevor Benton, Mersea Homes, R.G.Carter and Rose Builders after having earned their Construction Skills Certification Scheme cards, vital for working on EU construction sites.
The five winning students are Daniel Ashley, aged 18 from Dovercourt; Brian Seager, aged 18, a former St Helena School student of Magdalen Street, Colchester; Carl Rollin aged 22 of Curtis Close, Clacton; Tom Hardie, a former Sir Charles Lucas College student aged 19, of Arnold Drive Colchester and Donna Chisnall, a former Plume School student, aged 20 from Heybridge near Maldon.
Donna Chisnall said: “It’s been a great opportunity to learn construction skills with professional people on a real site.
I have always wanted to work in construction and my success with this scheme shows that you can do anything if you have the will power and ambition to do it for yourself!”
All the students were trained on site by Ken Cane and Len Johnson of United Skills at Maldon.
Colne Housing’s Chief Executive Mark Powell Davies said: “We are very proud of our first graduates who are now set to find jobs in the wider construction sector on which the future of affordable housing depends.
Colne is one of a very limited number of housing associations in the country who have sent up an apprenticeship scheme invest in the future of our residents and local industry in this way.
Construction is a priority sector for North Essex and there is great demand for qualified workers.”
The students will be honoured later this summer at a special presentation at Colchester Town Hall.
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