The Building Heroes initiative offers army leavers training

The support comes through the Building Heroes initiative, which recently saw a group of learners visit the Benwell Dene construction site in Newcastle.

The programme offers veterans and service leavers a five-week Multi Trade Construction Skills course at Darlington College, sponsored by Lovell and Morgan Sindall Construction.

Phil Jones, director of land and partnerships for Lovell in the North East, said: “Partnering with and supporting Building Heroes is very important to us at Lovell.

“Providing opportunities for former military personnel to retrain and find new careers post-service not only shows appreciation for the service they have given but also helps the construction industry by increasing the number of skilled individuals available.”

The Benwell Dene development, where 146 homes are being built in partnership with Placefirst, hosted the visit last month.

Helen Potter, corporate relationships manager for Building Heroes, said: “It is incredibly valuable for Building Heroes to have leading organisations like Lovell and Morgan Sindall Construction on side supporting the charity, sharing their expertise, demonstrating confidence in our learners, and recognising the transferable skills that Service Leavers and veterans bring to the construction industry.”

She said that site visits help learners “visualise their learning in a live environment” and give “greater context” by seeing their skills in practice.

During the visit, veterans took part in a hands-on bricklaying workshop, a site tour, and heard a presentation from the Lovell team.

Feedback from participants was positive, with one learner describing the visit as “really informative” and praising the team for making them “feel like part of their team.”

Building Heroes, a UK charity, supports service leavers, veterans, and their families into construction careers through training and employment support.

The course covers bricklaying, plumbing, plastering, tiling, painting and decorating, joinery, and health and safety.

Graduates earn a City and Guilds Level 1 Diploma in Basic Construction, a Level 1 Award in health and safety, and a CSCS Green Card – the entry requirement for labouring on UK construction sites.

Mr Jones said the skills and mindset of former military personnel make them well-suited to construction careers.

He said: “Construction is a very good fit for former military personnel, as both require discipline, leadership and a practical approach.

“We were very happy to host the visit to Benwell Dene, and I hope that those taking part enjoyed it and found it useful.”