Young people in the local area are being trained in trades ranging from bricklaying to project management thanks to the Construction Futures training scheme.

The groundbreaking Construction Futures scheme is the first in the UK to directly link construction training with the determination of planning applications. It enables local young people to directly benefit from new development, learning new skills and gaining vital work experience.

Several trainees have been working with Northampton based contractor Winvic, which has been appointed to construct the iCon centre for sustainable construction in Daventry.

Chloe Gardner, 18, from Northamptonshire is one of these trainees. She is studying for a foundation degree in construction management: “My dad already works in construction and I want to follow in his footsteps and show that females can be successful in this industry too. I’m getting a huge amount out of the training scheme. I’m part of a great team and have got to meet lots of talented people and get contacts which may prove useful in the future. I haven’t been here long but already I’ve been involved in tendering and design, and gained a lot of valuable experience.”

Further trainees are also working with Interserve on the Prospect Way factory redevelopment in Daventry. Joe Monaghan, 20, also from Northamptonshire, has been placed with Interserve while studying for a foundation degree in construction management: “The site experience has been really good. At college there’s only so much you can learn. On site you can actually put things into practice and learn how different equipment works. We’ve been involved in everything from the paperwork to on-site hands-on experience. It’s been good just to be on a real site and work around professionals.”

Construction Futures has been established by West Northamptonshire Development Corporation in partnership with Northamptonshire Enterprise Limited (NEL), Moulton College and ConstructionSkills.