Midland Metro Alliance showcases construction careers available during National Apprenticeship Week

In recognition of a looming skills gap within the construction and rail industries, the Midland Metro Alliance (MMA) has shone a light on careers accessible in this sector via apprenticeship standards during activities planned to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2023.

Since forming in 2016, the MMA, which is building a number of new tram extensions for the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), has worked regularly with schools and colleges in the West Midlands to raise awareness of the span of roles within construction and light rail in a bid to break down old industry stereotypes.

MMA staff member Stuart Fowkes, who is a previous Level 2 Tramway Construction Operative apprentice.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, said: “A key part of my mayoral mission is to ensure local people right across our region have the skills they need to succeed. Apprenticeships are central to that mission - offering a clear route into work including in our booming construction sector. It’s wonderful to see the success of the apprentices at the Midland Metro Alliance - building up their skills whilst working on some of our region’s largest infrastructure projects.”

Determined to help fill the skills and labour gap, the Midland Metro Alliance brought employers together from the UK’s Light Rail industry to design a level two apprenticeship specifically for the sector, aimed at those individuals who want to develop a career in the tramway construction environment. The standard was approved in March 2019 and since then two separate cohorts have studied the standard with the first group completing their studies and achieving the qualification in 2021.

Rose Rees, head of engagement and skills for the Midland Metro Alliance, explains more: “We wanted to ensure that the region benefitted as early as possible from our construction programme, and not just when the tramways are open. And there was no denying the fact that the construction industry was facing a skills shortage, with an aging workforce and growing demand for a youthful influence, so we recognised that something needed to be done. It was important to us to design an inclusive apprenticeship accessible for candidates without previous academic qualifications.”

In addition, the organisation, which is working closely with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the WMCA, on the extensions, has also given other local people their first job in the industry by employing apprentices in areas such as customer service, business administration and digital marketing.

To mark National Apprenticeship Week, the alliance took the opportunity to showcase their dedication to nurturing future generations through their apprentices, T-Level students, and commitment to life-long education. Across five fun-filled days activities were planned, including:

• beginning with showcasing two colleagues, Finley Brittle and Evans Addae. The pair are Assistant Quantity Surveyors at the MMA and are in the second year of their Degree Apprenticeship in partnership with the University of Wolverhampton.
• “Employer Tuesday” provided the chance to showcase the work that typically goes unseen. Firstly, by focusing on events held by The Black Country Consortium to inform teachers on the benefits of alternative routes into industry. And then another event at Aston University Engineering Academy, giving students the chance to ‘ask the employer’ burning questions they might have about “earning whilst learning”.

• The latter half of the week celebrated alliance apprentices both past and present, particularly the first cohort of the Level 2 Tramway Construction Operative apprentices, along with apprenticeship success stories from key members of the team’s back-office support functions.     
• And to wrap up the celebration, the MMA showcased their employees studying T-Level qualifications. This technical qualification is the equivalent to three A-Levels and includes a meaningful industry placement.

The showcase on degree apprenticeships aired on Local TV West Midlands but for those who missed it, the content created for National Apprenticeship Week 2023 was uploaded to the MMA’s online career’s platform, Connecting Futures, allowing even more local young people to find out more about how you can earn as you learn.

Developed with the aim to inspire the next generation in mind, Connecting Futures, allows users to hear MMA staff members to tell their personal journeys into different aspects of construction and light rail, including insights from Stuart Fowkes, a previous Level 2 Tramway Construction Operative apprentice, who accredits his success at the MMA to his time as an apprentice.

Stuart said: “The apprenticeship prepared me for what it is like on site and the tasks I would be doing. Everyone is so supportive; they really want you to succeed and progress in your role.”

To access Connecting Futures, visit: www.metroalliance.co.uk/connecting-futures.