Graham’s pre-employment scheme promotes local skills

Graham’s pre-employment programme, CRE8, has been delivered at a site in Liverpool to support employment opportunities for local disadvantaged people. 

Working collaboratively with Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Nobody Left Behind and Building Careers UK, five candidates completed the programme, gaining work experience on the new Mossley Hill Mental Health Facility’s construction site. 

Graham, SCS, Kinlan Brickwork and A+B Engineering hosted the candidates, providing each of them with a five-day work placement. 

The aim of the programme is to address local unemployment and attract emerging talent to work in the construction industry. 

A key element of CRE8 is the inclusion of local recruitment and employability service partners, who are responsible and accountable for their specialisms.

This involves recruiting suitable delegates, providing pre-employment training, matching delegates with host employers, delivering CSCS-accredited site-based work experience, offering sustainable local employment opportunities and providing follow-on career advice.

At the end of the programme in Liverpool, one delegate received a full-time employment offer from their CRE8 host employer. The other delegates have enrolled with Building Careers UK, which will provide support by sourcing suitable local employment opportunities. 

Peter Reavey, regional director at Graham, said: “Having just delivered our ninth CRE8 programme, this evidences the positive impact social value initiatives can have on the local communities we work in. 

“By developing strong collaborative partnerships, CRE8 is leading the way to support disadvantaged people help gain local sustainable employment opportunities.”