Daniel* was referred onto our Building Opportunities programme when he was 20 years old and serving his order from prison. He wanted to turn his life around but needed support building up his confidence and identifying a pathway that would motivate him.

One of our experienced employability coaches introduced Daniel to the diverse range of careers available in the industry, researching them with him in his 1-2-1 sessions, debunking his understanding of the industry as just building and inspiring him to aim for progression in his career path.
He then went on to secure work experience on a site and began to see laboring as a great next step. He loved being hands-on and able to interact with and learn from different trades on site. His motivation began to soar – he viewed this as a prime opportunity to get his foot in the door and start to build a career for himself in an industry he loved.

Once he’d identified a role he was excited about, the next step was to help him develop his professional skills with CV, cover letter writing and job application support, as well as gaining the necessary qualifications to access site-based work. He was determined to secure his Level 1 Health and Safety qualification and CSCS card, and with his disciplined attitude, passed both tests on the first attempt!

Daniel finished our programme with a wave of newfound confidence. Having excelled in his qualifications and gained valuable experience on site, all while being encouraged by his coach, Daniel felt ready to seize an opportunity to kickstart his career – and he soon secured a labouring role on site.

Having overcome so many barriers, Daniel is now thriving in his new role and looking forward to building a brighter future for himself.

*Name changed to protect anonymity.

Construction Youth Trust works in local communities across London and North Kent, targeting areas with a high proportion of low-income households and significant construction and regeneration.

Building Opportunities is an intensive coaching programme for disadvantaged young people who are unemployed or at-risk of falling out of the system. Our programme targets the very hardest-to-reach young people in our hub areas and encourages them to take positive next steps towards rewarding work suited to their individual abilities and interests.