Landlords urged to save construction apprenticeships

Building Lives, a not-for-profit social enterprise that teaches unemployed people around London construction skills, faces a race against time after a major chunk of its funding was cut abruptly by the Construction Industry Training Board in February due to a change to its funding criteria.

The organisation trained nearly a quarter of construction apprentices in the capital last year, and partnered Inside Housing in its Homes Work campaign which closed last summer with 78 social landlords pledging to provide at least 1,892 apprenticeships and training opportunities during 2014/15.

Building Lives is now desperately seeking to raise £400,000 by 1 June to keep 200 young people in training until a new financial model comes into effect in September.

Construction and development firms have backed the Love Lives campaign led by the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, Construction News and KPMG to raise the interim funding, so far raising £230,000.

Affinity Sutton has become the first social landlord to lend its support, pledging £5,000. The 57,000-home association joins companies including Laing O’Rourke, Great Portland Estates, Kier, Morgan Sindall, Lakehouse and Interserve in donating money.

If the campaign is unsuccessful in raising the full £400,000 by 1 June, donors can choose to have their money returned or invested in a similar cause.

Donate here.