Engineering job skills workshop helps City Region residents back into employment

9 Liverpool City Region residents recently attended a 2 day hands on workshop to develop skills and foster engagement in civil engineering among long term unemployed people.

The session was hosted by RSK Group engineering and construction company SCP at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority offices in Mann Island. It was delivered in partnership with the Combined Authority's Active Travel team and its Households into Work Programme, which supports people who have difficulty finding and sustaining employment.

The workshop, which was part of the social value commitment in RSK Group's contract with the Combined Authority, focused on 3 key engineering disciplines: surveying, engineering design, and contracting.

Attendees had a diverse range of educational and professional backgrounds, from engineering graduates to those with no prior construction experience.

The second day of the workshop involved a CV and interview skills session, along with interviews conducted by Tracy and Associate Director Stuart McIndoe. The successful applicant would have the opportunity to carry out work experience at SCP.

Alex Campbell, 1 of the candidates, impressed with his enthusiasm during the workshop and interview despite having no prior background in design. He has now been invited to join SCP for a six-week paid placement as an engineering technician.

The placement will allow Alex to develop practical skills, including:- producing AutoCAD drawings and technical notes, and gaining on-site experience through site inspections, ground investigations, and meetings with contractors.

Cllr Marion Atkinson, portfolio holder for Education and Skills at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority said:- "The Region's Households into Work programme has supported more than 4000 people since it began in 2018, and this project is yet another example of how powerful and successful it can be. Workshops, like the 1 hosted by RSK Group, show the tangible benefits of ensuring our partners deliver social value in all the projects they undertake. Working closely with contractors and suppliers we can ensure that not only that vital infrastructure is built and services are delivered, but also that we help improve lives and drive economic resilience across the entire City Region."

SCP Regional Director Tracy Magee said:- "Giving something back to the community in which we operate in practical terms is a priority for SCP and RSK. We were pleased to be able to work with the partners and to supply useful skills to get the project off the ground. It was rewarding to showcase the key skills needed to build a career in the field, as well as the opportunities on offer. At the start of this process we realised that while not all the candidates had specific design or construction experience, it was important to look beyond this and instead at the softer skills that make a good engineer/technician. These include an appreciation of the construction and design process, being able to work as part of a team, demonstrating good communication skills and above all, having an enquiring mind with problem-solving abilities. The quality of all the candidates we interviewed was exceptional, with each displaying a lot of the soft skills we were looking for."

Alex Campbell, who was selected for a work placement following the 2 day session, said:- "The workshop gave me knowledge and insight into civil engineering, and it was great getting first-hand experience of computer aided design (CAD). I found the interview process relaxed and was overjoyed when I found out I'd successfully secured the placement. I'm looking forward to learning more from the team at SCP and making the most of the opportunity."

RSK Group have been contracted by the Combined Authority as construction partner delivering the:- 'Missing Links' project which aims to develop new infrastructure to better connect existing walking and cycling routes across the Liverpool City Region.

At the workshop, SCP were joined by workshop partners CMS Surveys and A E Yates Civil Engineering in demonstrating with a live project, the level of information that is produced at each stage. This approach enabled candidates to express an interest in any of the construction stages, not just limiting exposure to design only.

Mirror, signal, manoeuvres: Military driving examiners mobilised to cut test backlog

MILITARY driving examiners will help deliver up to 6,500 more tests in tough new measures to tackle the driving test backlog, the Government announced. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has said that there will also be a new limit on rearranging tests and a ban on third parties booking on behalf of learners in order to make the system fairer.

The Department for Transport, working in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, has announced 36 Defence Driving Examiners (DDEs) made up of civilian MoD personnel, will help conduct driving tests 1 day a week for 12 months.

The extra personnel will be focusing primarily on car driving tests, but with flexibility to carry out vocational tests, for bus and lorry drivers, if needed. They will be based at the driving test centres with the highest demand near their MOD base or home location.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:- "We inherited an enormous backlog of learners ready to ditch their L-Plates, who have been sadly forced to endure record waiting times for their tests. Every learner should have an equal and fair opportunity to take a test. We're taking decisive action, and these new measures will deliver thousands of extra tests over the next year, helping learners get on the road sooner. This will ease pressure on the system, removing barriers to opportunity and supporting economic growth as part of our Plan for Change."

Military driving examiners usually test service personnel, covering cars as well as fuel tankers and armoured carriers. The new arrangement will benefit both parties, helping tackle the driving test backlog and keeping DDEs skills sharp.

The Minister for the Armed Forces, Al Carns, has authorised the deployment of military driving examiners to help bring down the backlog, with no negative impact on military operations.

Minister for the Armed Forces, Al Carns said:- "The Armed Forces and civilians working within the Ministry of Defence have always been ready to step up when the country needs them; and this is another example of that commitment in action. Our military driving examiners bring skill and professionalism from testing Service personnel to prepare them for some of the toughest conditions imaginable. By supporting civilian testing, they're helping to get more learners on the road, keep Britain moving, and deliver for the public."

Alongside military support, the Government is introducing new rules to tackle unfair booking practices that have allowed bots and resellers to profit at learners' expense.

New rules will mean that:-

Learner drivers will only be able to make up to 2 changes to the driving test in total; including:- moves, swaps and location changes; before it must be cancelled and rebooked.
Learner drivers will be restricted to a limited number of test centres which are located close to the original booking.
Only learner drivers will be able to book their own test, and not instructors on their behalf.

Limiting who can book a test and the number of changes made will mean 3rd parties will no longer be able to resell tests at inflated prices. Learners will only pay the actual fee DVSA charges; �62 on weekdays and �75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays; giving them greater control and confidence when booking a driving test.

Steve Gooding, Director of the RAC Foundation, said:- "It is good to see steps being put in place to put a stop to those touting tests to frustrated learners; candidates stuck in the queue should at least be reassured that they aren't being elbowed aside by those simply seeking to make a quick buck. What will really deter the touts and tackle the queues would be a return to the more reasonable pre-covid waiting time for tests which we hope the arrival of a platoon of military examiners alongside the new DVSA recruits will help deliver. The Government instructed the DVSA to take further measures this year, and is now beginning to see early signs of improvement. We saw an increase in the number of tests over summer 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, and have nearly doubled the number of trainers available to train new examiners, to help unlock more tests. The Government remains committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, particularly in rural areas where a driving licence is vital for accessing jobs and training."

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Engineering job skills workshop helps City Region residents back into employment

Mirror, signal, manoeuvres: Military driving examiners mobilised to cut test backlog