750 get a job thanks to Bob’s build team

A construction employment initiative set up to make the most of major investment and development opportunities in Oldham and Rochdale has reached a major milestone.

The J21 Local Labour into Construction project, which has provided almost 2,000 training courses across a range of construction skills, has placed its 750th local resident into work.

J21 was set up five years ago by Oldham and Rochdale Councils, Hopwood Hall College and The Oldham College alongside the area’s Housing Market Renewal team to tackle skills shortages across the two boroughs.

Project manager Bob Barber said: “This is a significant milestone for the project as J21 goes from strength to strength. More importantly, it’s a very clear sign that developers investing in Oldham and Rochdale can now tap into a substantial supply of site-ready construction skills.”

J21 has adopted an industry-led approach to skills development, setting up partnerships to provide everything from key skills and accreditation to university courses.

The project provides business support to more than 400 local construction small and medium-sized enterprises registered with J21.