Kier Sheffield LLP: Education, Training and Employment Plan

Kier Sheffield LLP is a limited liability partnership formed in 2003 between the Kier Group and Sheffield City Council to undertake repairs and maintenance of all Council buildings, including the 50,000 housing stock.  The partnership was established with an explicit strategic objective of providing a vehicle for community regeneration.  An ‘Education, Training and Employment Plan’ was established at the outset and reviewed for 2007-2013 to reinforce the importance of employment and training in the delivery of the city’s regeneration objectives.

Outline details of initiative

Sector:Social Housing; Local Government

Client:Sheffield City Council

Scope, value: Repairs and maintenance of 50,000 housing stock and city buildings, valued at approx £700m over 10 years

Project structure: Partnering arrangement between City Council and Kier Group PLC, formalised as Limited Liability Partnership.  Construction contracts negotiated between City Council and Kier Sheffield LLP

Programme Dates: 2003 for 10 years

Workforce Development Programme

Target communities:

• Local unemployed
• The most disadvantaged, in five target groups:
  • Claiming incapacity benefit / severe disability allowance
  • Lone parents
  • Partners of benefits claimants
  • BME communities
  • Resident in disadvantaged wards
• Young people:
  • 14-16 (to take construction as their vocational option at key stage 4 (KS4) in full-time education)
  • 16-24 (for modern apprenticeships)
  • 16-18 (to move into training/education/employment)
• 18+, all age groups (for training up to NVQ level 2)

Target skills / abilities to be developed:

• Trade and technical skills
• Estimating, surveying site management

Target numbers and levels of qualification:

A number of initiatives are in place under the Education, Employment and Training Programme:

• Construction Design Centre – training for 14-16 year-olds in connection with vocational option at KS4, for school-leaving certification.  Target: 300 per annum
• Modern Apprenticeships for 16-24 year-olds.  Target: 2 apprentices per £1m pa for Job Compact Schemes
• Construction JobMatch – training to NVQ Level 2.  Target: 26 (although overall programme for South Yorkshire has 380 trainees on the programme)
• City Stewardship – disengaged 16-18 year olds into full-time training/education/employment.  Target: 120 for 2006-9
• Workstep (Supported Employment) – for the disabled.  Target: 18-22 at any one time
• Pilot Scheme for BME community – 4 trainees
• Pilot Scheme for young adults who have been in care – 4 traineesPartners / stakeholders

Partners/stakeholders: Sheffield City Council; Sheffield Homes; Kier Group; Learning and Skills Council; Community Training Services Ltd.

Implementation – approach, methodology

Overall strategy:

• Five-year Education, Training and Employment Plan established at outset, renewed in 2007. Plan now in place for 2007 – 2013.
• Employer-led Work and Skills Board coordinating employment and skills-related activity across the city
• Range of initiatives with specific groups and outcomes.

At tender stage:Positive outputs in education, training and employment were identified as a clear objective in the procurement strategy and part of the commitment in the ‘Best and final offer’ (BAFO) from Kier Group PLC

For further information contact:

T: Christine Wilson, 0114 273 5119
E:  christine.wilson@kier.co.uk