Summary
Outlined below is RSS Infrastructure/INFRA Skills (RSSI/IFS) sustainable recruitment initiatives designed to support the Welsh Government through the application of the National TOMs Framework.
National TOMs Themes: Jobs/Innovation
What: This fully-funded 4- week course supports local wales-based communities by developing skills and employment through Local Enterprise Partnerships. The baseline competencies that learners are trained in include: Personal Track Safety (PTS) AC, DCCR, Track Induction, Sharps and Needles, Conflict Management, IOSH (Working Safely), Customer Service, Manual Handling, CSCS, Environmental/Asbestos/Invasive Species Awareness Training, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training, Mental Health First Aid (England) Spills Kit, Banksman, Traffic Marshall, Strimmer/Chainsaw, OLEC1, Small Tools, and Dust Mask Training.
How: RSSI/IFS utilised funding streams attained through the ‘Adult Education Budget,’ ‘Black Country Impact,’ and ‘Department for Work and Pensions.’ Through this funding, as well as future awards, RSSI/IFS estimates that it will be able to deliver at a minimum one course a month with 8 learners attending (in accordance with COVID-19 restrictions), resulting in an additional 864 new entrants from the local community over the course of the next 5-years.
National TOMs Theme: Social
Beneficiaries: RSSI/IFS bilingual training programme provide new career pathways for women, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups as well as those not in employment, education, training or classed as economically inactive.
Since 2019, the programme has delivered 368 new frontline staff and produced a workforce with an average age of 35 and where minority groups represent 28% of the overall group many of which are now supporting major infrastructure projects for Amey Infrastructure Wales, Transport for Wales and Network Rail (Wales).
‘The Future Generations Act’ highlights the different standards of living for those on the social economic spectrum. RSSI’s strategy reduces inequalities through additional training, such as
Institute of Leadership Management Level 3/5, to further upskill personnel.
National TOMs Theme: Growth
The number of people who have undertaken the training is projected to have grown by a minimum of 40% by 2022 in line with recent contract awards for Transport for Wales and Network Rail (Wales). This initiative has also helped to increase the number of female workers throughout the company by 20%. RSSI/IFS have been able to provide clients such as Amey Infrastructure Wales (AIW), Network Rail (Wales) and Transport for Wales (TFW), with a new stream of talent who have the skills/knowledge to position the rail sector within Wales as an ‘engine for growth.’
National TOMs Theme: Environment
As part of its delivery model for TFW/AIW Vegetation Management Framework, personnel who have successfully completed this programme are supporting RSSI’s ‘Ecological Resilience Programme’ designed to increase biodiversity through habitat creation and protecting ecological sources (i.e., bats, birds, water.).
Social value outcomes
To measure the effectiveness of RSSI/IFS delivery/social value strategy for Wales the business has set the following objective:
- To support TFW in ‘the development of apprenticeship programmes and skilled jobs’ as well as supporting the Welsh Government’s ‘Flexible Skills Programme,’ through the delivery of RSSI’s Apprenticeship /Training/Welfare/Procurement strategies designed to increase diversity and reduce inequalities/poverty within the next 10 years, as specified in the ‘Wales and Sustainable Development Goals Report 2019’.
Through IFS’s training capability, RSSI has been able to work towards achieving the above objective by embedding positive environmental/sustainability behaviours within staff/subcontractors, enhancing employability prospects. Furthermore, As part of its current operational delivery model, RSSI will continue to support the continued revival of the Welsh language through these bilingual training programmes.
This places RSSI/IFS in a unique position in that it can influence societal changes by empowering, equipping and engaging with employees, subcontractors, learners, local community, businesses, and industry regulators to provide each with the knowledge and skills to assist the Welsh Government in attaining global sustainable development beyond this its frameworks and contract awards.
Submission by Matthew Cardiff, Technical Bid Manager, INFRA Skills Ltd & RSS Infrastructure Ltd
Judging comments by Vincent Hanly
I am delighted to be asked to award the Pioneering Equality award to the Journey in Rail Project.
The judges felt this was a very worthy winner of the award for the following reason and I’m sure you will share in their achievement.
The ‘Journey into Rail’ programmes upskill members of local communities through a 4-week fully funded courses which consist of; rail, construction/civils/fencing, OLE, Arboriculture and Health & Safety competencies.
Since 2019, this initiative has provided 368 new frontline staff and produced a workforce with an average age of 35 and where minority groups represent 28% of the overall group. This initiative resulted in RSSI/IFS being certified as a ‘Disability Confident Leader’ and has been awarded silver certification by the ‘Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion’ (ENEI) through its Talent, Inclusion and Diversity Evaluation.
RSSI/IFS bilingual training programme provides new career pathways for women, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups as well as those not in employment, education, training or classed as economically inactive. This fully-funded 4- week course supports local communities by developing skills and employment through Local Enterprise Partnerships. The number of people who have undertaken the training is projected to have grown by a minimum of 40% by 2022 in line with recent contract awards for Transport for Wales and Network Rail (Wales). This initiative has also helped to increase the number of female workers throughout the company by 20%. Since 2019, the programme has delivered 368 new frontline staff and produced a workforce with an average age of 35 and where minority groups represent 28% of the overall group many of which are now supporting major infrastructure projects for Amey Infrastructure Wales, Transport for Wales and Network Rail (Wales).
