• Long-term unemployed residents gained civil engineering skills during a hands-on, two-day workshop.
• The session was delivered as part of RSK Group’s social value commitment in partnership with the Combined Authority’s Households into Work programme
• One of the workshop participants secured a six-week paid engineering placement with the firm

Nine Liverpool City Region residents recently attended a two-day hands-on workshop to develop skills and foster engagement in civil engineering among long-term unemployed people.

The session was hosted by RSK Group engineering and construction company SCP at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority offices in Mann Island. It was delivered in partnership with the Combined Authority’s Active Travel team and its Households into Work Programmes, which supports people who have difficulty finding and sustaining employment.

The workshop, which was part of the social value commitment in RSK Group’s contract with the Combined Authority, focused on three key engineering disciplines: surveying, engineering design, and contracting.

Attendees had a diverse range of educational and professional backgrounds, from engineering graduates to those with no prior construction experience.

The second day of the workshop involved a CV and interview skills session, along with interviews conducted by Tracy and Associate Director Stuart McIndoe. The successful applicant would have the opportunity to carry out work experience at SCP.

Alex Campbell, one of the candidates, impressed with his enthusiasm during the workshop and interview despite having no prior background in design. He has now been invited to join SCP for a six-week paid placement as an engineering technician.

The placement will allow Alex to develop practical skills, including producing AutoCAD drawings and technical notes, and gaining on-site experience through site inspections, ground investigations, and meetings with contractors.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, portfolio holder for Education and Skills at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said: “The region’s Households into Work programme has supported more than 4000 people since it began in 2018, and this project is yet another example of how powerful and successful it can be.

“Workshops, like the one hosted by RSK Group, show the tangible benefits of ensuring our partners deliver social value in all the projects they undertake

“Working closely with contractors and suppliers we can ensure that not only that vital infrastructure is built and services are delivered, but also that we help improve lives and drive economic resilience across the entire city region.”

SCP Regional Director Tracy Magee said: “Giving something back to the community in which we operate in practical terms is a priority for SCP and RSK. We were pleased to be able to work with the partners and to supply useful skills to get the project off the ground. It was rewarding to showcase the key skills needed to build a career in the field, as well as the opportunities on offer.

“At the start of this process we realised that while not all the candidates had specific design or construction experience, it was important to look beyond this and instead at the softer skills that make a good engineer/technician. These include an appreciation of the construction and design process, being able to work as part of a team, demonstrating good communication skills and above all, having an enquiring mind with problem-solving abilities.

“The quality of all the candidates we interviewed was exceptional, with each displaying a lot of the soft skills we were looking for.”

Alex Campbell, who was selected for a work placement following the two-day session, said: “The workshop gave me knowledge and insight into civil engineering, and it was great getting first-hand experience of computer-aided design (CAD).

“I found the interview process relaxed and was overjoyed when I found out I’d successfully secured the placement. I’m looking forward to learning more from the team at SCP and making the most of the opportunity.”

RSK Group have been contracted by the Combined Authority as construction partner delivering the ‘Missing Links’ project which aims to develop new infrastructure to better connect existing walking and cycling routes across the Liverpool City Region.

At the workshop, SCP were joined by workshop partners CMS Surveys and A E Yates Civil Engineering in demonstrating with a live project, the level of information that is produced at each stage. This approach enabled candidates to express an interest in any of the construction stages, not just limiting exposure to design only.