Inspiring the next generation of young people by celebrating this one
Five young people picked up awards last week (see News Round up) from The Duke of Gloucester’s Young Achievers Scheme. Construction Youth Trust executive director Christine Townley explains what the awards are all about.
Construction Youth Trust is a registered charity working with young people (aged 14 – 30) to help them access opportunities in the construction industry at both trade and professional level.
The Trust supports young people from all walks of life whose journey to work can be challenging, owing to their financial circumstances, lack of awareness of opportunities, low self-esteem, gender or ethnicity.
By aligning with high-profile infrastructure projects, the Trust has developed unique and sustainable programmes which offer young people the chance to learn first hand about exciting developments in their own communities
Each year the Trust works with over 7,000 young people; many of whom are the hardest to reach. Its mission is to improve the life chances of these young people by exposing them to the wealth of opportunity the construction industry has to offer, offering a route out of social exclusion and poverty, and enabling them to reach their full potential.
In doing so, it helps the industry to reach out to hidden talent, helping create a construction industry which better reflects the skill, industry and social needs of a Britain that’s building again
Construction Youth Trust believes that developing strategic partnerships is crucial for the industry to nurture the talent we need to grow and maintain our industry. This year the Trust is working with more supporters than ever before, enabling it to grow our programmes across all its regions, helping more young people to gain the skills and knowledge they need to begin a career in construction.
By aligning with high-profile infrastructure projects, the Trust has developed unique and sustainable programmes which offer young people the chance to learn first hand about exciting developments in their own communities – inspiring the next generation of commuters to be the next generation of constructors.
Part of inspiring the next generation is celebrating this one. That’s why, three years ago, the Trust launched The Duke of Gloucester’s Young Achievers Scheme which champions young people who have not only achieved excellence in their careers so far, but who have had to overcome barriers and challenges or social disadvantage to get to where they are.
This year’s awards, attended by the Trust’s Patron HRH The Duke of Gloucester, were held at the sumptuous Underglobe on London’s South Bank and were sponsored by CITB, KPMG, AECOM, Byrne Group, EC Harris and John Rowan & Partners. Overall winner, 28-year-old Gary Fowler, started his career as a footballer and played for Suffolk County FA. However, an injury brought his career to an early end. As he and the rest of the shortlisted candidates and category winners would attest, there’s no better place to be working than in a thriving construction industry.
The Duke of Gloucester’s Young Achievers Scheme grows every year, and every awards night is the best yet! But the glitz and glamour is just a way to celebrate what is a scheme to engage with and mobilize our industry’s leaders of tomorrow. This cannot be achieved without support from the employers of today. Together we can make a difference.