Supporting Young People Through the Cardiff Commitment ‘What’s Next?’ Award Programme
We were delighted to support the Cardiff Commitment’s ‘What’s Next?’ Award Programme, providing work experience opportunities for young people with care experience and helping them gain valuable insight into careers within the construction industry.
The programme is designed to support young people as they prepare for their next steps, offering practical workplace experience, mentoring and the opportunity to develop skills, confidence and an understanding of different career pathways.
As part of our involvement, three care-experienced young people signed up to undertake work experience placements with Cardo. While individual circumstances meant that not all participants were able to complete the full programme, the experience provided an important introduction to the workplace and the opportunities available within the sector.
In early June, AnneMarie Jenkins, Social Value Manager, and Brian Jones, Health & Safety Advisor, attended a Meet the Host session at Hafan Gobaith. The event provided an opportunity to meet the young people ahead of their placements, discuss what they could expect during their work experience, answer any questions they had and ensure they felt comfortable and supported before entering the workplace.
The session also allowed participants to learn more about the construction industry, the variety of roles available and the support network that would be in place throughout their placements.
One participant completed a full week of work experience alongside Paul James, Site Manager, at the University of South Wales student accommodation project. During the placement, they gained first-hand experience of a live construction environment, learning about site operations, health and safety requirements, project delivery and the diverse range of careers involved in maintaining and improving residential accommodation.
The placement provided a valuable insight into the day-to-day responsibilities of a site management team and offered the young person an opportunity to develop workplace skills, build confidence and explore future career options within the industry.
Through initiatives such as the Cardiff Commitment programme, we remain committed to creating opportunities for local people, supporting those who may face additional barriers to employment and helping to inspire the next generation of talent within the construction and maintenance sectors.
We would like to thank Cardiff Commitment, Hafan Gobaith and our colleagues involved in supporting the placements, particularly Paul James and Brian Jones, for helping to create a positive and welcoming experience for the young people involved.