Offenders get back 'on track'

Offenders at HMP Lindholme get to work with
Trackwork Ltd.

Offenders in a Yorkshire prison have been given specialist training to help them gain employment on Britain's railway network after they are released.

The railtrack repair scheme, run by Trackwork Ltd, aims to train prisoners to maintain and replace railway tracks, plugging a current skills gap in the employment market.

Trackwork Ltd offers an important employment opportunity for offenders who are drug free and have been assessed at Level 1 in literacy and numeracy. The project was set up to provide the railway industry with a highly motivated and skilled workforce, the demand for which is set to rise significantly.

At Lindholme Prison, near Doncaster, the project is delivering the rail industry specific NVQ level 2 through a 12-week training programme to enable offenders to achieve a skills-based qualification. The training is provided in conjunction with City College Manchester, the region's OLASS provider for prison learning and skills, and a key player behind this exciting initiative.

The programme also gives prospective employers the opportunity to develop and evaluate future employees. It allows for joint working with Moorland Open Prison which currently has 12 learners who have received training at the company's own training site in Doncaster. Out of the 12 completers in the first cohort, 11 are already in employment following their release.

The actual rail track needed for the training has been installed at Lindholme Prison and delivery of the first course is well under way. A diesel engine and carriages have also now been purchased to run along the railway.

Philippa Lester, skills development director for offender learning, skills for life and employability at the LSC, said, "This programme really works. Not only does it help offender learners secure sustainable jobs but it is also helping an industry with significant skills shortages. This is something we definitely need more of."

Capital funding for the scheme originally came from Yorkshire Forward, which supplied £2.5million to set-up a series of work-based courses inside the jail. The courses included a construction training course and a bakery scheme.

Four courses can be run simultaneously providing a total of 192 training places per year and it is hoped that 90% of recruits will gain employment in the industry. Recruitment has been very positive so far with demand increasing significantly.

As trainees will need a minimum of level 1 skills in numeracy and literacy on entry to the programme, they have been pre-assessed using Target Skills. The prisoners' response to the offer has been extremely positive with a considerable number showing a strong commitment to improving their basic skills and overcoming a range of behavioural issues to ensure they can access and complete the training. In fact, the project has been so successful that long-term funding has now been agreed with the LSC.