Olympics development falling short of apprentice target

Only 87 construction apprentices are currently working on the Olympics development despite official targets to have 350 places filled on the Stratford site.

Olympic minister Tessa Jowell announced plans in January to create another 250 apprenticeships to bring the total number to 350.

But Contract Journal understands that the actual number currently working on the job is only 87.

One Olympic source said: "They have been talking about this figure of 350 since the start of the year, but the reality is that last week only 87 apprentices were on site.

"There is also a problem if they say that they are going to take on a lot more," the source added. "For a start, most of the contracts have now been awarded, and apprentices studying for NVQs have to complete a three-year course for their qualification. That would mean apprentices being made redundant because the job will have finished by 2012 before they have completed their course."

Jowell said that Olympic apprentices could "transfer to other major infrastructure projects such as Crossrail" to complete their training.

But the source dismissed the idea as "ridiculous" because the two jobs are very different. "One is a building job, while Crossrail is a civil engineering project with totally different skill sets."

An ODA spokesman said: "We are on track to create 350 apprenticeship opportunities on the Olympic Park and Village 'big build' which will cover a range of disciplines crucial to the civil engineering and building sectors. There are currently 87 apprentices on the Olympic Park site and Village and the numbers will continue to increase throughout this year and next as we work closely with our contractors and training bodies to identify opportunities.

"The Olympic Park development is a project with a short lifespan, so the ODA is working with contractors, training bodies and upcoming major projects to help ensure that apprentices are able to complete the training they have started on the Olympic Park."

The apprentice numbers come as latest statistics from the ODA show that 7,270 people are currently working on the construction of the Olympic Park and Village.

One of the ODA's targets is for "2,250 trainees, apprenticeships and work placements working on the Olympic park and Village".

The source said: "That is more than one in four, which is not happening."