Eric Wright Civil Engineering (EWCE) has won the Civil Engineering Contractors Association North West Awards (CECA NW) for social value for the second year running. The award is in recognition of the positive impact the Eric Wright Learning Foundation (EWLF) has had in inspiring, training and providing opportunities for young people and adults to take up successful careers in the construction industry.
The Learning Foundation was established in 2005 by Mr Eric Wright to provide construction industry career paths to local young people and futureproof the pipeline of talent entering the sector. Through the programme the Eric Wright Group employs a full-time educational coordinator and has over 30 staff who are trained as careers ambassadors, delivering careers and motivational talks across schools and colleges in the NW.
The Learning Foundation also sponsors a ‘real work environment’ programme in partnership with Preston’s College for students studying vocational courses from age 14+ through to adult learners. It provides bursaries for 14-16 year olds to attend to study Level 1-3 vocational skills programmes which are taught in real work environments within a purpose-built construction centre that replicates a live site.
Currently in enrolment for 2018 there are 94 learners aged 14-16 of which 71 have bursaries. There are also 640 17-19 year olds either attending the Learning Foundation or on Apprenticeship programmes. The number of adults also attending is 709. Last year the EWLF had the best achievement rates in the country and in May this year an awards event was held to celebrate the achievements of almost 60 students on the programme.
Commenting on the CECA NW award, EWCE managing director Diane Bourne said: “The purpose of the Foundation is to train, inspire and educate young people and support their successful progression into work. We are delighted that CECA has chosen to recognise the impact of our contribution to social value for a second year running and we look forward to building on that success again next year. There are great opportunities for people of all backgrounds, especially women, in civil engineering and the wider construction industry and we are starting to see many of the trainees now taking up senior roles in companies which is, of course, the ultimate accolade for us.”
The EWCE team was also highly commended in the Collaborative Partnership category for its work with the Cumbria Infrastructure Recovery programme after the devastation caused to the region by floods in 2015.