Construction students are set to gain essential qualifications as part of an online initiative.

The Construction Youth Trust partnered with North Kent College, based in Dartford, to deliver online courses in health and safety to complement the students' college learning.

The programme will help 26 painting and decorating and carpentry students to gain industry recognised qualifications for free.

For people taking part in these types of courses, an essential stepping stone on their employment journey is attaining a Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification and their CSCS card.

In the current Covid-19 climate, the college says, it is more important than ever to ensure young people are fully equipped with the necessary skills and qualifications to make a successful transition from education to the working world.

Curriculum manager for construction crafts at the college in Oakfield Lane, Derek Rutherford, said: "We'd like to thank the Construction Youth Trust for giving our students the opportunity to start their careers on the best possible footing.

"Not only will our students gain their qualifications in carpentry or painting and decorating, but the CYT's National Lottery Funded programme gives them a Level 1 qualification in Health and Safety, and crucially their CSCS card which allows them to start work on construction sites.

"Ordinarily students would have to pay to sit their CSCS Card qualification and exam and at a time when 16-24 year-olds have been hit harder by Covid-19 than any other age group in terms of employment, this extra help from the Construction Youth Trust is invaluable for our young people."

Alongside delivering the free online course, funded by National Lottery Community Fund, the trust also gifted students with the CITB CSCS revision app and will be arranging CSCS card tests for the students.

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