Viv to support Airport Group’s employment drive take off

Published by Bobbie Hough for City West Housing Trust in Housing

Viv Simon, Head of Enterprise at City West Housing Trust, has been appointed by the Airport Group to Chair the Employment and Skills Group and help drive forward the skills and employment agenda within the housing sector across theNorth Westand Pennine regions.

The Airport Group is an alliance of 14North Westhousing associations which collaborate on common interests, from anti-social behaviour to employment and training provision. Collectively, the group’s members manage 175,000 social homes.

As the new Chair of the group’s Employment and Skills Group, Viv will co-ordinate efforts to create new job and training opportunities in local communities, boost apprentice and work placement numbers, and forge new partnerships with like-minded organisations. She will also help the Airport Group provide a strong, united voice for the region on key national policy issues affecting employment and training.

In the past 12 months members of the Airport Group have created 188 permanent jobs between them, and safeguarded 63 apprenticeships.  They have also created 131 construction apprenticeships and 631 work placement opportunities.

One of Viv’s first tasks will be to assist in supporting and promoting the Foundations in Housing scheme, across the region.  Foundations in Housing combines the creation of apprenticeships with provision of training for current employees.   Funded by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, through their Employer Ownership of Skills Programme, the scheme is already proving successful in parts of Greater Manchester. It sees social housing providers create training and apprentice opportunities for young people, with skills focused on the needs of the modern housing industry – from construction to customer service.

She will also oversee final preparations for the 2013 Young Flyer awards, which recognises the achievements of young apprentices, volunteers and learners in the North Westsocial housing sector. This year’s ceremony will be held at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium on Friday, 10^th May 2013.

Viv has been with City West Housing Trust since 2009. She has 16 years’ experience in housing and has worked on a wide range of projects including stock transfer, New Deal for Communities and Housing Market Renewal. As the Trust’s Head of Enterprise, she is tasked with helping to maximise training, employment and enterprise opportunities for local residents – directly through opportunities with City West, and indirectly with its partners and local businesses.

She said: “I’m honoured to be leading the Airport Group’s Employment and Skills Group. This is a very influential group, with members providing housing for more than 400,000 people across our region.

“By pooling our collective knowledge and experience, we can create employment and training opportunities that will help to strengthen local communities across theNorth West.”