Meadowhall to invest £100k in new programme to train Sheffield workforce

Meadowhall is set to provide £100k of pre-employability training and capacity building to help individuals and companies in Sheffield benefit from the proposed £300m Leisure Hall.

Subject to planning approval, but prior to work starting on-site, the Meadowhall work-ready programme will help local people take advantage of the jobs and business opportunities created by the development.

The Leisure Hall will create up to 1,400 permanent jobs once completed and 550 temporary jobs during construction.

The work ready programme will be delivered by The Source, the on-site recruitment and training facility created in partnership with Sheffield City Council, working in conjunction with Meadowhall’s contractors, and will focus on people living in Darnall, Tinsley and Wincobank.

Working with The Source, Meadowhall will focus the employment opportunities on people living in the local area, having set a target of 50% of the jobs being filled locally, with up to 90% from the wider Sheffield City Region.

The work ready programme is comprised of three initiatives:

- Pre-employability support for young people not in education, employment or training, such as face-to-face interviewing, job searching, CV writing, confidence building, presentation guidance, interview practice and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) training.

- Pre-apprenticeship training to maximise local young people’s ability to take-up apprenticeship opportunities. This will include classroom based activities to provide insight into working on a construction site and industry-led training, such as trade based skills and on awareness of health and safety regulations. Participants will also be able to select a specialist trade and be matched with a contractor for work experience

- Capacity building for businesses in the area, particularly SMEs, such as the provision of information regarding future contracts and support to achieve the appropriate accreditation.

Darren Pearce, centre director, said: “This significant commitment to a work ready programme will ensure the local community is ready to access the employment opportunities the Leisure Hall will create.

“Working at a grass roots level, the three elements will not only build awareness of what will be available, but ensure the community has direct access to the opportunities, providing a head start to jobs, training and contracts.

“As the refurbishment demonstrates, many people and businesses benefit from investment in Meadowhall.”

Clive Betts, member of Parliament for Sheffield South East, added: “Ensuring the proposed Leisure Hall helps local people get work and businesses win contracts is a priority.

“Key, however, is making jobs easily available to people living in the community, particularly those in hard-to-engage areas.

“Building on the excellent work done by The Source, this investment by Meadowhall will provide people with the skills they need to be employed and is very welcome.”

To date, the £60m refurbishment of Meadowhall has created 400 new jobs, with 36% of the workforce employed living within Sheffield City postcodes and 44% in the Sheffield City Region.

In addition, 63% of the construction spend to date is with companies within 25 miles of Meadowhall, including companies such as Dearneside, EE Ingleton Engineering, Clear Line and EMR from Sheffield, Ron Hull Group in Rotherham, and SCS Group from Wakefield.

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