A number of 16 and 17-year-olds in Falkirk have benefited from work experience in the construction sector thanks to the region’s local authority’s approach to procurement.
Each Falkirk Council infrastructure contract includes a local community benefit clause that requires firms to provide wider social values alongside delivering on their main contractural obligations.
These benefits can be social, economic, or environmental, with the minimum requirement being that they engage with the local authority’s employment and training unit (ETU) to offer meaningful work experience, apprenticeships, and even jobs.
Over the past six months, a number of youngsters have embarked on a work experience journey that the council said has not only paid them a fair wage, but also given them skills for life.
One such collaboration is with Balfour Beatty, which is delivering the A9/A904 Westfield project – the largest and most significant infrastructure investment under the councils tax incremental finance programme.
Balfour Beatty has thus far provided two youngsters with four weeks of structured, hands-on training that involved them receiving an industry-recognised qualified. One of the ETU trainees, Cameron Elliott (16) from Bo’ness, gained a wealth on site and also developed a desire to work in the construction sector.
After completing his initial placement, Cameron returned to the site to undertake a further two weeks of work experience, this time in the concrete testing lab.
Cameron said, “I got so much out of my time on-site, working with lots of different people, getting the chance to learn about groundworks and how it all fits together. I was working with graduate engineers, as well as site operatives and the site manager and got a qualification too – Gold Industrial Cadet Award. The ETU made this all possible for me and I really enjoyed the additional time I had on site.”
David Murray, senior agent at Balfour Beatty, added, “By embedding the community benefit clause into the contract, we are committing not just to build infrastructure, but to build better – better skills, better opportunities and better futures for the young people in Falkirk.”
Balfour Beatty has also worked directly with three local high schools – Braes, Falkirk and Grangemouth – to provide week-long work placements to three pupils who each gained a Bronze Industrial Cadet Award. The company has also created a job on site for a local person.
Further to this, three youngsters who joined RJ McLeod, which delivered the Denny eastern access road, gained full-time employment thanks to the experience.
Christina McKitrick, corporate social responsibility manager at RJ McLeod, said, “Delivering community benefit, in particular work placements and jobs, is about giving people a chance to see what they’re good at, and more importantly, what they can become good at. For RJ McLeod, it’s not just about filling roles temporarily; it’s about building futures.”
For Cameron Bell (17), from Brightons, his experience working on another of the council’s TIF projects at Cadgers Brae has now led to an offer of an engineering apprenticeship with the contractor, Hillhouse Group.
Cameron said, “When my employment and training co-ordinator, Jimmy Montgomery phoned to tell me I was starting the six-weeks work experience – I was buzzing! It has been so good being on-site, working with people who’ve been doing this for years; I’ve learned so much. And I’m properly buzzing now getting offered an apprenticeship; it’s brilliant.”
Andy Stevenson, project manager for Cadgers Brae, Hillhouse Group, said, “We were so impressed with his work ethic and approach to the job that an apprenticeship seemed the obvious next step. Being able to provide that experience and the first step onto the career ladder is something we are very proud of. We get a young enthusiastic new member of our team; he gets the opportunity to work, earn a wage and learn skills that will help him have a fulfilling career in our industry.”
Malcolm Bennie, director of place services at Falkirk Council, commented, “These projects are not just improving our infrastructure they are laying the foundations for future generations to thrive. By ensuring the companies that work with us deliver wider community value while enhancing our physical infrastructure, we also equip local people with the vital skills they need to succeed.”
