Employment Opportunities in Construction for Two Former Learners

At Novus, we provide education and training programmes so that learners can gain the skills and qualifications needed to find employment upon release and be successfully rehabilitated.

Our technical and vocational training programmes provide learners with industry-relevant training and work experience for their chosen career path, meaning that they can find employment or further training upon release.

Two former learners from HMP Hewell and HMP Stoke Heath were successful in finding employment upon release thanks to the support they received from the Novus Works team, as well as completing vocational courses in construction whilst in prison. Their stories reflect a wider trend: construction is fast becoming one of the strongest routes into stable work for people leaving custody.

Employment opportunities in construction

A former learner at HMP Hewell found employment upon release thanks to the employment support he received whilst in education. Whilst in prison, the learner completed the construction gateway course with Novus but was released before he could complete the CSCS element.

However, after speaking with our Novus Works account manager, Nic, during his resettlement one-to-one, Nic saw how much the former learner wanted to get back into work, so arranged for him to attend an interview with a new employer partner, Gorilla Scaffolding.

The company was looking for a yard labourer. The former learner interviewed for the role and was successful. He became such a great member of the team that the company put him through his CSCS test.

Following the employment success of the former learner from HMP Hewell, Gorilla Scaffolding advertised for another yard labourer. The Novus Works account manager for HMP Stoke Heath had been working with a former learner during his resettlement. The account manager thought he would be a good fit for the role and arranged an interview for him with Gorilla Scaffolding.

The learner had completed the construction pathway and gained his CSCS card whilst in prison. His interview went extremely well, and he was offered the job. He has now become an integral part of the team.

It is a pattern we see across the estate. Read Mike’s story of building a career through bricklaying for another example of construction turning a Novus qualification into a job on release.

Why construction is a growing opportunity for prison leavers

These two success stories reflect a much bigger picture across the construction industry. According to the Construction Industry Training Board’s Construction Workforce Outlook 2026 to 2030, the sector needs an average of 41,200 extra workers every year over the next five years, more than 206,000 additional people in total, just to keep pace with demand. Roles such as the yard labourer positions secured by both former learners sit within the trades under the most pressure, including scaffolding, bricklaying and roofing.

That scale of demand is exactly why partnerships between prisons and construction employers matter. The Ministry of Justice has previously run dedicated Unlocking Construction events across the prison estate, connecting prisoners with scaffolders, crane operatives and site managers, and offering hands-on workshops, CV support and interview training ahead of release.

At HMP Wormwood Scrubs, prisoners have even used virtual reality technology to experience working at height on a scaffold, helping them decide whether the trade is right for them before committing to training.

Gaining a CSCS card, the industry-standard credential needed to work on almost any UK construction site, is often the single most valuable qualification a learner can leave prison with. This qualification helped both former learners move straight into paid work with Gorilla Scaffolding.

Employers benefit too. Ministry of Justice research has found that 90% of businesses that employ ex-offenders describe them as good attenders, motivated and trustworthy, and that having a job to go to makes prison leavers nine percentage points less likely to reoffend.

Working with local businesses to support prison leavers

By partnering with Gorilla Scaffolding, both former learners were able to find employment upon release and contribute positively to their rehabilitation. The company was also able to fill two positions by tapping into a new pool of talent.

At Novus, we often work with national employers to provide employment opportunities for learners, but this is a fantastic example of how working with a local company has enabled two former learners to find employment in their local area. You can read more about how Novus supports learners into employment after release for further examples of this work in action.

Whether you are a national, regional or local employer, if you are interested in employing prison leavers, please get in touch via our website or social media channels.