00:00Training, certification and opportunities for those out of work.
00:06That's what a new skills hub that has just opened at the Hermitage Quarry is designed to deliver
00:13in an industry forecasted to need nearly 240,000 new workers over the next five years.
00:21We're expecting that we can train up to 24 to 30 people at a time.
00:27And I would think in the static classroom, we'd be looking to do maybe at least a session
00:34once a month and try and get people through.
00:37And then from the mobile unit, even more than that.
00:40Right now, nearly one million young people are not in employment, education or training,
00:48with more than 100,000 estimated to be living across the South East.
00:53Those behind this skills hub hope to capitalise on successes elsewhere to bring down those numbers.
01:00The last couple of years, working around other skills hubs nationally,
01:05we've had 2,500 successful achievements.
01:0727% of all those achievers have been NEATS.
01:11The hub has already been making a difference.
01:15In fact, this building here was converted from a container into a training centre by NEATS
01:21while on placement here at the quarry.
01:23It makes me feel very accomplished, very proud.
01:26I've got family, I've got friends who have struggled.
01:29They've gone into uni and they've almost gone two, three years without a proper job.
01:35And it's very hard since they asked for experience.
01:38And it's hard because not many are looking for experience.
01:41Thankfully, at Kent Skills Hub, they are looking for experience.
01:45They're looking to give experience to young people.
01:47The skills hub was built in partnership with the Lower Thames Crossing.
01:52The long-awaited construction project to create a second road connection to Essex from Kent.
02:00The training provided here could be critical in getting the tunnel delivered on schedule.
02:07Our target is to get at least minimum of that 45% of your local workforce.
02:11We would really like to try and increase that percentage
02:15because we do think that there are the opportunities here
02:17and there's people here in the local area in order to be able to do that.
02:20But with the number of young people out of work and employment at a 12-year high,
02:26this hub could make all the difference in helping people out of work access those opportunities.
02:34Olly Lieder at the Homestage Quarry.
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