How you can get involved - Local Authorities

Local authorities can play a pivotal role in encouraging greater diversity in construction, both within their own workforce and in construction projects as a whole.

Local authorities can play a pivotal role in encouraging greater diversity in construction, both within their own workforce and in construction projects as a whole.

This can be achieved through their building and maintenance departments, capital works projects and their responsibility for procurement, equalities, skills and economic development.

Enhancing diversity among the construction workforce can be a way of maximising the benefits of regeneration projects and providing jobs for people in deprived areas.

Local Authorities set out their priorities for their local communities in their Local Area Agreements (LAA'S) document. This framework of priorities allows greater flexibility for local authorities to find local solutions for local circumstances.

The Trust works hard to make sure the projects that we run support the Local Area Agreement priorities to improve and help the local communities.

How our projects help

• Our Toolkit for Life programme has been developed in order to secure work placements and employment in the construction sector for offenders up to the age of 25 who have served a custodial sentence and are seeking to use their skills and talents to gain employment and avoid a cycle of re-offending. (NI 045)
• A key local area agreement priority for many councils is to reduce worklessness by reducing the numbers of working age people on out of work benefits (N1 152) our mobile classrooms in England and Wales support by taking training to disadvantaged communities.
• Our Re:Building Potential project is an action learning project working throughout England with key players in the homelessness and the construction sectors to help get jobs and training in construction for homeless people (NI 142)

Activities that can help

• Perception: Local authorities need to be proactive and ensure advertisements reflect that opportunities are open to people from all backgrounds as well as going into schools to get messages about apprenticeships across to girls as well as boys.
• Taster schemes: Local authorities can run taster schemes to take women out on site or to teach them construction skills to learn about the range of jobs available.
• Work closely with contractors: Local authority contracts are increasingly being tendered in a way that sets targets for greater diversity in the workforce, often incorporating equality and diversity as core requirements of contracts.
• Construction champions: Local authorities can both enhance their own reputation and encourage more women to join construction by enabling women who already work in the construction industry for a local authority to talk to others and explain what they can achieve.

How can you help us?

If you work for a local authority or a local public service and you think we can help you achieve some of your LAA priorities contact us to find out how we can work in partnership to help improve your communities.