Since January 2012 TfL and the London Work Programme Prime Providers – A4e, Ingeus, MAXIMUS, Reed in Partnership, Seetec, Shaw Trust – have been successfully piloting a new approach to employer engagement using TfL’s purchasing leverage and responsible procurement commitment to open employment opportunities within its supply chain.
The unique partnership between TfL and the six London Work Programme Primes has seen usual commercial rivalries put to one side to maximise the employment opportunities arising from TfL works for work programme candidates. In particular for those from disadvantaged and deprived groups and those facing additional barriers to accessing work such as women, Black, Asian, and minority ethnic people (BAME), people with disabilities and ex-offenders.
The partnership has resulted in 138 unemployed job starts to date.
Kieran is a 25 year old ex-Work Programme apprentice with TfL suppliers, Cleshar Support Services Group, she said:
“The Apprenticeship is just the start for me, I can see that I’ve got a real opportunity to get somewhere in my career, next stop for me is to become a site manager and take charge of my own rail engineering project”.
