North Kent Construction Skills Project (NoKCS)

North Kent Construction Skills Project (NoKCS)

There is an ambitious programme of development and regeneration planned for the Thames Gateway area of North Kent over the next 20 years.  The NoKCS project was set up by a number of local and regional authorities, employment agencies and employers to tackle the forecast resulting skills gap.  It aims to achieve a radical shift in the approach to training and employment, to benefit both local businesses and local communities.  

Outline details of initiative

Sector: Cross-sectoral within construction.

 

Scope:NoKCS aims to help bridge the forecast shortfall in the industry workforce in the region by:

  • Improving existing training opportunities
  • Reducing the shortfall in training provision
  • Increasing the qualifications held by the existing workforce
  • Encouraging local take-up in construction trainingPromoting the industry as a career choice.

Workforce Development Programme

Target communities

The existing and potential construction workforce in North Kent, particularly in the Thames Gateway area, with a special focus on women, the long-term unemployed, mature but unqualified workers, young people at school.

Target skills/abilities to be  developed: All those required to underpin regeneration across North Kent

Target levels of qualification to be achieved: Generally to raise the levels of qualification achieved and hence employability.

Target numbers to be involved: A significant contribution towards meeting the forecast increase in the number of construction jobs in the South East (13,000 new recruits pa), in particular meeting the need in North Kent.

Partners/stakeholders: Local and regional authorities; private sector developers; employment agencies; Colleges of Further Education and other training providers; employers in the industry supply chain.

Implementation – approach, methodology

Overall strategy: To act as catalyst in regeneration by a process of defining specific needs, encouraging and coordinating all the stakeholders and securing their commitment by means of signed pledges.

Monitoring: NoKCS publishes a quarterly progress report on actions taken and outputs delivered.