Academy number six for Mears

Social housing repairs and maintenance provider Mears Group has opened its sixth training academy and skills centre in Birmingham.

Mears has so far set up five academies and skills centres in Peterborough, Ealing, Wigan, Sedgefield and Hackney – which recently received an award from the London Assembly – to provide manual trades training, life-skills workshops and educational seminars to local residents, especially young people.

Bob Holt, chairman of Mears Group, said: “The academies are designed to provide a valuable source of learning for people interested in vocational careers, increase the employability of British students and young people, especially during such an unforgiving financial era, and to create opportunities for those who may have struggled in traditional forms of education or with finding employment.

“It is the Mears culture to be involved in the development of the local community in every way possible,” he continued. “In encouraging learning and ambition, passing on our expertise and battling worklessness in the areas in which we work, we take an active part in transforming communities. We are far more to our residents than just a service provider. Our commitment to setting up an academy is about contributing in every way possible to the development and improvement of the local community.”

The academies are the result of a partnership between Mears, its clients, the local authority and a number of organisations, including schools, charities, colleges, local Job Centres and Connexions.

While they differ in some way with a variety of unique courses and services from location to location, the fundamental formula of all of the facilities is to provide a community centre where local people can learn a variety of manual trades skills from experts in their fields.

Academies are structured around practical learning areas where repairs and maintenance operatives from Mears teach a range of workshops and seminars such as fencing, joinery, electrical maintenance, plumbing, bricklaying, woodwork and painting and decorating. The academies often offer a range of supplementary classes, computer facilities, apprenticeships and a community resource for all age groups and levels of ability, in addition to DIY training taught by Mears’ operatives.

Mears has worked in Birmingham since 2008 after winning a response and void homes contract for Birmingham City Council and founded its academy in the city in conjunction with the council and a number of local organisations, businesses and colleges.

Pupils from Small Heath School took part in a skills competition to celebrate its launch and it was officially opened by Bob Brown, assistant director of asset management and maintenance from Birmingham City Council.

He said: “I am so proud to be here today on behalf of Birmingham City Council to officially open the Mears Community Skills Academy. This is a great example of partnership between Mears, the tenant housing board team, Birmingham City Council and the local community. Seeing the academy teaching young pupils from Small Heath School skills such as tiling, wall papering and joinery has really inspired me. This is a unique community project for Birmingham and one that I strongly believe will grow from strength to strength providing much-needed skills development training for the local community."