An on-site training facility at the Sighthill TRA Contract 2 Project has been officially launched. The training facility is a partnership between Morgan Sindall Infrastructure and training provider TIGERS Ltd (Training Initiatives Generating Effective Results Scotland).
The training facility will be used to train 15 young people in construction-related skills such laying modular paving, setting out kerbs/channels and placing and finishing concrete whilst also completing abrasive wheels, asbestos awareness and first aid qualifications over an eight week period. The young people will undertake Health and Safety awareness training over the duration of the programme and will sit their CSCS test on successful completion of this before undertaking a work placement with subcontractors working on the Sighthill TRA Contract 2 project with the aim that an offer of employment will follow.
The trainees will also benefit from an emotional wellbeing award consisting of social and cultural wellbeing, nutritional wellbeing and physical wellbeing modules as part of the course.
The £250 million Sighthill Transformational Regeneration Area (TRA) is the biggest project of its type in the UK outside of London. When complete, the project will have created a new neighbourhood on the north side of the city centre, just 15 minutes’ walk from Glasgow City Centre. The Sighthill TRA is being delivered by Transforming Communities: Glasgow, a partnership between Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Housing Association and the Scottish Government. Glasgow City Region City Deal funding of £89.3 million will deliver the Canal and North element of the project which includes site remediation, servicing, new bridges, roads access and public realm improvements. The new training facility will help to deliver community benefits agreements under the Morgan Sindall Infrastructure City Deal contract.
Sighthill TRA Contract 2 is being undertaken by Morgan Sindall Infrastructure and will deliver new utilities and roads infrastructure, the new Sighthill Park and improved public realm. So far the regeneration has delivered 141 units of social rented housing for Glasgow Housing Association with future plans including 826 homes for sale and mid-market rent along with a new pedestrian bridge to improve connectivity across the M8.
This innovative on-site training facility, designed to introduce young people to the construction industry, is a first for Scotland and is a unique and innovative way to introduce young people to construction. Employees and visitors to the site are also able to see the young people at work in the training area on a day-to-day basis, promoting interaction and learning.
The young people taking part in the scheme will benefit from being involved in normal site activities, such as tool box talks and the requesting of permits to work, and will mix with the site workforce in the on-site canteen. This method of training really allows the young people to feel a part of a live construction environment.
Roger Reid, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure project director, said: “Morgan Sindall Infrastructure is proud to have provided this on-site training area for our project partners TIGERS.
“This has given TIGERS a unique opportunity to give their trainees real experience of construction works in a controlled environment within an active site.
“We hope their experience of authentic site life will inspire the trainees to complete their course and move forward into permanent employment.”
Mandy McDonald, assistant head, Glasgow City Region City Deal PMO, said, “Glasgow City Region City Deal was pleased to support this event. It is really important that City Deal projects encourage and promote opportunities for our young people to enable them to gain skills and equip them for the future.
“We look forward to seeing the positive results that will be achieved through the partnership between TIGERS, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure and their supply chain partners.”
Morgan Sindall Infrastructure and TIGERS plan to train a second group at Sighthill before the end of the project, and will also roll out this training model on future projects.