Waterways initiative 'great opportunity' for youths to enter skilled employment

Published on 8th February 2007 in News

A new-look workshop which will help young people achieve qualifications in engineering has been declared officially open by Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency, this week.

Volunteers have spent more than two months transforming a new workshop at the Yorkshire Waterways Museum on Dutch River Side, with help from the Hull Training Engineering Centre and the Learning and Skills Council.

And on Tuesday, Sarah Pearson, head of the Humber Region of Yorkshire Forward, met the volunteers, trustees, staff and heads of local and regional organisations that the museum's Sobriety Project has links with.

The workshops will be used for training young people in basic engineering skills to NVQ Level One in Performing Engineering Operations and a full-time tutor will in post by the end of March.

Students will be recruited from the Goole and Howdenshire area and the workshops will also be open to youngsters following an alternative learning or youth inclusion programme.

The development fits with the learning and skills strategy of Goole Renaissance, which is promoted by Yorkshire Forward, and with the Sobriety Project's aim of contributing to the education and training of disadvantaged young people.

"There is a market demand for young people to get into engineering trades, and these workshops will create a great opportunity for this," said Bob Watson MBE, director of the Waterways Museum.

Sarah Pearson added: "Yorkshire Forward has supported this because it is an excellent example of how social enterprise can generate jobs and improve skills in the area.

"It show a pride in the local community and gives young people aspirations."