Find out how Maggie Walsh from A Fairer Chance was able to join the dots between her ex-offender clients and apprenticeship opportunities.
A Fairer
Chance supports a number of priority groups of people in the UK, particularly
ex-offenders and prisoners, to find meaningful employment and develop
sustainable skills through partnerships with employers.
As a
member of our Ex-offenders Community, Maggie Walsh met Dan Cook from Forward
Trust through one of our Community meetings. The Forward Trust assists people
with a drug or alcohol addiction. Maggie was looking to upskill two of her
clients to work in recruitment and HR, but the cost of doing so - particularly
with an apprenticeship - was out of Maggie's budget.
Fortunately,
Dan was able to offer a solution. He knew that Thames Tideway Tunnel, a project
to build a 'super sewer' below central London, had underspent their
apprenticeship levy. This meant that Maggie's clients could have their Level 4
Employability Practitioner apprenticeship funded by the scheme, while the
qualification was being delivered by The Forward Trust - only one of two
organisations offering this programme. When they finish their apprenticeships,
Maggie's clients will boast a foundation degree.
Maggie is
pleased to say that her clients are now six months into their apprenticeship
and doing well. She says that she and Dan work well together, and have
continued to collaborate on other projects.
Thanks to
Building People, Maggie was able to get her clients the employment they needed
to get back on their feet, while addressing a skills shortage in the built
environment.