CONTENTS. Introducing the Charter page 2. Charter in Action page 3. Key Partners page 3. Challenge to Employers page 4. Voluntary Commitments page 4

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2 CONTENTS Introducing the Charter page 2 Charter in Action page 3 Key Partners page 3 Challenge to Employers page 4 Voluntary Commitments page 4 Benefits to Employers page 5 Management of the Charter page 5 Special Measures for Construction Recruitment page 6 Health and Safety page 6 Equal Opportunities page 7

3 INTRODUCING THE NEWPORT CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT CHARTER Newport City Council, in partnership with Jobcentre Plus and CITB ConstructionSkills, introduced the Construction Employment Charter, a voluntary code of practice which invites employers to recruit and train local people in their businesses. The Charter is a conduit for construction business in Newport, helping the public, private and third sectors to work together to address employment issues, training needs and business development. It seeks to create job opportunities for the local community, to offer employers opportunities to work more closely with local schools and to support the local supply chain. Major projects in the city s regeneration present employment opportunities for Newport residents. The Construction Employment Charter provides the key to ensuring that Newport can meet the skills and workforce requirements of these construction projects and realise the employment benefits. It also provides a foundation for bringing Newport s social housing stock up to the required Welsh Housing Quality Standard. Specifically, the aim of the Charter is to support: a single point of contact for local construction employment apprenticeships and routes into training for young people technical and management training jobs for local residents currently under represented in the construction industry, including female and ethnic minorities The Charter provides a firm basis for true and effective partnership. The key partners involved will have different responsibilities that lead to common goals. 2 The Newport Construction Employment Charter

4 The Charter in action The Newport Construction Employment Charter is designed to operate through the creation of project specific partnerships with developers and their main contractors, bringing in a network of experienced practitioners - funding bodies, sector skills councils, colleges, training providers and job brokers - as required. What we ask of you as a developer or contractor by way of engagement with the Charter is entirely dependent on the size, capacity and duration of the development project. We would prefer to begin discussions with you as early in the development process as possible. This helps to get the right people involved from the outset and to keep them involved. Naturally, early discussion aids planning for social inclusion activity and resources. The Key Partners: The Charter is underpinned by effective partnership working. The key partners involved have different responsibilities, which lead to common goals for employment and training. The key partners include: Employers Newport City Council Jobcentre Plus Newport Unlimited ConstructionSkills Wales (CITB) Summit Skills Careers (Wales) Training Providers, including Colleges of Further and Higher Education Communities First Residents of Newport City Small businesses Welsh Government The Newport Construction Employment Charter 3

5 By working together it is possible to create and help maintain a highly skilled and motivated workforce in the Newport area. THE NEWPORT Construction Employment Charter A Challenge to Employers The Employment Charter is designed to encourage employers to employ local people. By working together it is possible to create and maintain a skilled and highly motivated workforce in Newport. By subscribing to the Charter, you will make a voluntary commitment to the following principles: To open up employment and training opportunities to job seekers and unemployed people living in Newport; To work with the Charter Manager to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of any regeneration and development projects, publicly supported initiatives or public sector procurement your business may benefit from.; To use local suppliers as much as possible. The Charter Manager will be able to provide you with up to date information on local businesses and suppliers; To adopt and work within the objectives and values of the Charter and in particular demonstrate a commitment to employee development and training. Voluntary Commitments Employers will be encouraged to agree voluntary commitments for: Providing the Charter Manager with early notification of planned vacancies in respect of new or major developments. Placing employment and training vacancies with the Newport Construction Initiative, Jobcentre Plus and/or other designated partner(s). Recruiting local people into new job opportunities. Employers in the construction and building sector will also be encouraged to look at additional targets for: Utilising the local supply chain. Extending the number of employees studying for and achieving National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) through the On Site Assessment and Training (OSAT) programme. Increasing the number of employees registered with the Skills Certificate Scheme for construction and building employers Offering apprenticeships. 4 The Newport Construction Employment Charter

6 Benefits for Employers Direct Benefits On signing up to the Charter, you will be encouraged to discuss your recruitment needs and identify how the Newport Construction Initiative and other designated partners might assist you to target local residents. A free Vacancy Promotion Service will ensure maximum circulation of all your job details within local communities. You will be able to access rooms for job interviews and the assessment of prospective employees. This will facilitate an efficient, cost effective recruitment process that targets local people for local vacancies. The final decision on who to appoint will always remain with you. It is, however, the aim of the Charter to ensure that local people are fully informed, prepared and developed to provide the best match to any new employment opportunities. Up to date information on skills available within Newport will be available to you. You will receive assistance to develop your new employees including identifying and offering relevant training and support. Informal information sessions can be organised to allow you to meet potential applicants for any vacancies you may have. This will ensure that they meet your company s standards, thus saving you time and money. You can also be sure that applicants will have access to professional advice on the completion of application forms and interview techniques. Management of the Charter An annual review will be undertaken by the Charter Manager with each employer who has signed up to the Charter. In addition, employers will be asked to keep some basic statistical information on the total number of vacancies, distinguished between those filled by local residents and those local residents who were unemployed or in training prior to gaining a job. The Charter Manager will encourage companies endorsing the Charter to send representatives to an Employers Forum which will meet regularly. Companies will also be encouraged to participate in promotional activities and special events to promote the effectiveness of the Charter and raise its profile within the local community. All information collected will be used to evaluate commitment to the Charter, also to shape training provision should employers find that local people do not have skills to compete equally for jobs. Employers will be asked to specify the benefits and value of the Construction Employment Charter to their company, in order that the Charter Manager might continually improve the initiative. Details of Employers who sign up to the Charter will be publicised in a range of promotional channels including the Newport City Council website. Indirect Benefits Employing local workers means that there is more money in the local economy which in turn drives local consumer spending. This helps sustain and promote economic prosperity in the area. When business development and economic regeneration fully includes surrounding communities it improves social inclusion. This leads to lower levels of crime and higher levels of social cohesion. These outcomes will have a direct impact on the quality of life in the city of Newport and the willingness of other businesses to invest in the area. An annual competition will operate to establish the Charter Company of the Year with full local and regional publicity. The Newport Construction Employment Charter 5

7 Special Measures for Construction Recruitment The high level of infrastructure investment set to take place over the next five years creates a special relationship between the construction industry and regeneration. It is the aim of the Construction Employment Charter to ensure that communities within the immediate locality of construction projects gain maximum benefits. Therefore in the case of construction the priority will be to engage with the Communities First Local Partnership Board to identify local construction issues. At the contract pre-start meeting, the contractor will provide the Newport Construction Initiative with details of the labour requirements and contracts for recruitment and site management. The Charter Manager will target experienced and qualified local people. Although it is recognised that certain sections of the workforce may be difficult to recruit locally due to their specialist skills, we are confident that many appropriately skilled people can be identified locally. Health and Safety It is the policy of the key organisations comprising the Charter partnership that the activities of their entire operating and subsidiary organisation will be carried out in accordance with the relevant statutory provision and that all reasonable practicable measures will be taken to assess and avoid risks to their employees and others who may be affected. Management and supervisory staff of those participating organisations have the responsibility for developing and implementing policies for ensuring that the health, safety and welfare considerations are always given priority in planning day to day supervision at work. All employees/trainees and subcontractors are required to co-operate in carrying out these policies and must ensure that their own work, so far as is reasonably practicable, is carried out without risks to themselves and others. Organisations will ensure that such information, instruction, training and supervision are provided as is necessary to maintain health, safety and welfare of all their employees/trainees and other persons, who may be affected at their workplace, or as a consequence of their work. 6 The Newport Construction Employment Charter

8 EQUAL Opportunities Organisations which participate in the Newport Construction Employment Charter must demonstrate their commitment to equal opportunities and be determined to ensure that they oppose all forms of unfair and unlawful discrimination. All employees should be recruited, trained and developed on the basis of their ability and the requirements of the job. It is recognised that a policy statement on its own is insufficient to secure genuine quality in employment. Therefore, organisations must take the following steps: a) develop, implement, monitor and evaluate a comprehensive equal opportunities policy; b) job advertisements will make reference to the organisation s equal opportunities policy. All employees of the various organisations will be informed that an equal opportunities policy is in operation and will be made clear of their responsibilities under the policy and be instructed to comply with its requirements. This policy will be displayed in a prominent position within the organisation.

9 Celtic Springs, Newport

10 Further Information For further details on the work of the Initiative please contact: Project Manager Newport Construction Initiative Tel:

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