The fact that this course is free is amazing!” said 22-year-old Rohan Amir who signed up for the sector-based work academy programme in construction and groundworks after losing his job in the hospitality industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rohan added: “People moan about the standard of education in the country but to offer things like this is brilliant and I’m learning so much.
“It’s a great way to get into the construction industry as you learn different terms and procedures and the correct way to do things and the tutors tailor the training to your personal strengths and interests.
“Already I’m better at working independently and am more confident in brickwork – and I feel proud when I see what Ive done during the day and proud when I’m tired when I get home as it shows I’ve worked hard.
“I want to become a bricklayer eventually but I know I’ll still have a lot to learn so, when I’ve finished the course, I want to work as a labourer on a building site to develop my skills further by watching and working alongside others in the industry.
“To anyone who’s in a similar position to me I’d say definitely try a course like this as a lot of the skills you learn – such as managing your workload, time management and communication – can be transferred to whatever you do in the future.”
