Bovis and Mace aim to swap skilled workers

An employment scheme backed by Bovis Lend Lease and Mace, aims to create a cross-London network capable of transferring skilled people from site-to-site.

Other contractors will be encouraged to get on board at a seminar later this month.

Building London: Creating Futures (BLCF), a London Development Agency funded initiative, has secured £2m of European funding and is ready to role out the scheme across London.

"Many construction employers report inherent labour supply problems, while at the same time, many local residents are without work. BLCF is a practical initiative that has been created to overcome this," explained Katrina Currie, chair of the BLCF steering group.

"We already have Bovis and Mace on board, but we need more construction companies to sign up so we can take the scheme to the next stage. We need to identify contractors that have sites ready in central London and have places available," said BLCF project manager Fraser Liggett.

Pilot programmes at Bovis' Paddington Central site and the More London Bridge site earlier this year managed to place 17 people, against a target of 20.

The seminar, to be held later this month, will explain to contractors how the scheme works and the benefits it brings.