21/03/2018

BCC Partners With Translink To Deliver 'Buy Social' Clauses

Belfast City Council (BCC) has announced a new partnership with Translink to deliver the 'Buy Social' clauses during the construction and engineering phase of the new station and associated infrastructure at Weavers Cross, which aims to maximise social and economic benefits for communities across the city.

The partnership will see the creation of a Construction Employment Academy (CEA) which will host and deliver local interventions to promote these opportunities to local people. The CEA will provide information, training and on-going support to potential new entrants to ensure readiness in nearby communities for these construction jobs.

Through 'Targeted Recruitment and Training clauses', the Weavers Cross project could see up to 100 'Buy Social' opportunities generated within the local construction sector through the build and engineering of the new station and associated engineering contracts.

Belfast Lord Mayor, Councillor Nuala McAllister said: "Weavers Cross is a key economic asset which will make a significant contribution to our city's revitalisation and along with our partner, Translink, we want to make sure that everyone in Belfast has fair access to the resulting job opportunities and that investors have direct access to the skills base available here.

"We made a commitment in The Belfast Agenda to making this a city where everyone benefits from a thriving and prosperous economy, and where everyone fulfils their potential. Our new Construction Employment Academy will be instrumental in helping us to achieve those ambitions for Belfast."

Chris Conway, Translink Group CEO, added: "Translink is delighted to have agreed this important and innovative partnership with the Belfast City Council. As a key flagship project for the NI Executive, Weavers Cross is an ambitious and exciting scheme with potential to provide many years of employment and training opportunities for local people.

"The formation of a bespoke Construction Employment Academy will ensure we can support potential new entrants into the many opportunities around skills, training, work placement and apprenticeships – its aim is to simply provide real training for real construction jobs in Belfast.

"We have had much engagement with the surrounding communities in relation to the Buy Social scheme and feedback has been very positive. We are looking forward to building on this as we progress this important project for Belfast and Northern Ireland".

(MH)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

18 January 2005
Council helps companies face challenge of exporting to ‘New Europe’
Belfast City Council is encouraging local companies to take advantage of the business opportunities afforded by the expanded Europe by helping them to develop links with the ten new member states which joined the EU last year.
28 January 2011
Size 'No Barrier to the Green Deal'
Small construction companies must not be excluded from the Green New Deal was the message from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Northern Ireland to the Minister for Department of Social Development (DSD) & Housing, Alex Attwood MLA, when they met this week.
11 April 2024
NI Firms To Attend National Construction Summit In Dublin
Hundreds of construction companies and experts are set to travel to Dublin next week for the annual National Construction Summit at the Sport Ireland Campus, Blanchardstown.
31 March 2016
Women In Non-Traditional Skills Trading Attend WOMEN'STEC Awards
Women in non-traditional skills trading have attended the annual WOMEN'STEC awards which took place at Belfast City Hall.
15 June 2011
Sales Rising As House Prices Continue Falling
The volume of house sales in Northern Ireland have 'bucked the trend' and increased in May and - despite the recession - are set to rise over the next three months, according to a new survey. However, that is at a cost as prices being paid continue to fall.