Bramall Construction throws lifeline of support to Preston teenagers

Published by Claire Tinston for IPB Communications in Housing and also in Communities

TWO teenagers who had been excluded from mainstream school have successfully turned their lives around after being offered an apprenticeship with regeneration specialist Bramall Construction and Preston Vocational Centre.

Tom Vickers and Connor Lowe, both 16, were handpicked from their short stay school Larches House in Preston to embark on a 16 month training contract in bricklaying.

The pair impressed Bramall Construction and Preston Vocational Centre at interview stage, and were also recommended for an apprenticeship by teachers at Larches House who praised their punctuality and high attendance levels.

Preston Vocational Centre has trained over 80 pupils from Larches House since it opened two and a half years ago, but thanks to Bramall Construction, the first apprenticeship scheme has now been rolled out to pupils. 

The project was also initiated by Lancashire Housing Partnership which supports young people into employment and training.

Tom and Connor, who are both Preston Community Gateway Association tenants, are now laying the bricks to their landlord’s first new build scheme at Crummock Road under the guidance of Bramall Construction.

Community Gateway Association’s first housing development will bring about the construction of 25 new social rented family homes to replace former flats which were demolished in 2007.

The £2.7 million investment package will help plug the shortage of homes in the city and the project has been supported by the Homes and Communities Agency.

Since being taken on by Bramall Construction (part of Keepmoat) and Preston Vocational Centre, Tom and Connor have achieved a BTEC level 1 award in construction and have been presented with their CSCS cards – the industry benchmark for competency.

They are currently being assessed on site for their NVQ Level 1 in bricklaying and will have experienced everything from general labouring to plastering, painting and decorating by the time their contracts end next year.

Connor, who was excluded from Moor Park High School before attending Larches House, has since gone from strength to strength at Preston Vocational Centre and was crowned ‘Student of the Year 2010/2011’.

“I hated sitting behind a desk all day at school and as a result I started messing about and couldn’t settle into mainstream school,” said Connor, who lives at Rose Lane in Preston.

“As a result I got expelled when I was in Year 10. This is the perfect job for me as I get to work outside in a job I love and I get paid for it at the end of the month which makes it even more worthwhile.

“My confidence levels dropped considerably before starting my apprenticeship but I’ve definitely got more self esteem now – I get a lot of support from my college and the centre manager motivates us to work.”

He added: “My mum can’t work as she’s got a disability but I think I became interested in building through her boyfriend who’s a scaffolder. He used to take me out on jobs which gave me a good insight into the type of work I’m doing now.”

Connor’s childhood friend Tom attended Fulwood High School in Preston before getting excluded and sent to Larches House not long after his father died.

Now, the pair are so dedicated to their new roles that they get up early to cycle the 20 minute journey to work every day. 

“The neighbourhood we live in means that not many people work and a lot of people are on benefits – people just look at our postcode area and it makes it impossible to get a job.

“We’re extremely grateful to Bramall Construction, Lancashire Housing Partnership and Preston Vocational College for the opportunities they have given us. If we weren’t going out to work we’d be sitting at home playing on our X-Box all day like a lot of other young people around here.”

Connor and Tom are being mentored by Amanda Lester at Bramall Construction who has climbed the ranks from plasterer to Site Supervisor and won a ‘Trainee of the Year’ award at Keepmoat’s Apprenticeship Awards earlier this year.

Amanda has praised the pair for their “excellent bricklaying” skills.

Martin Grayston, teacher and Centre Manager at Preston Vocational Centre added: “The apprenticeship is a massive opportunity for them, it’s probably the best opportunity they’ve had.

“Tom and Connor are both very mature and hard working and they’re fantastic examples of what can be achieved at the college.

"They both help each other out and we’re delighted they’re going to come away with strong qualifications following their training period. Tom is looking to enroll at Preston College from September to gain more qualifications to add to the ones he's achieved at Preston Vocational Centre.

“We’re also going to be doing all we can alongside Bramall Construction to help them find permanent employment at the end of it all.”