21/12/2011

Solar Powers Bright Future For Unemployed

More than 50 unemployed people are building sustainable careers on a construction site in North Tyneside thanks to training delivered by Gateshead College and renewable energy training specialist Group Horizon.

The new recruits will work on social housing stock across the North Tyneside area, after securing employment through building services company, Optimal Systems. The Yorkshire-based company worked with Ingeus and Group Horizon to recruit the new workers to carry out their contract for property group Kier.

Group Horizon and Gateshead College work with Job Centre Plus and welfare-to-work organisations, such as Ingeus, to identify candidates for the unemployed training programme. They then work with the trainees to provide them with the skills employers demand including solar PV installation, construction, engineering, security, IT and administration.

Paul Gough, Head of commercial operations at Gateshead College said: "We are at the forefront of low carbon training in the North East. The main purpose of this work programme is to develop ‘green skills’ for unemployed people who want to get back into the job market. We work closely with a wide range of employers in the region including manufacturers, installers, local councils and social housing companies, so that we can meet the local demand for skills that get people back into work and help the economy to grow."

The new recruits spent two weeks training at Gateshead College’s Skills Academy for Construction at Team Valley, Gateshead.

(CD)

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