Kimberley McGinty, VGC Group
As the corporate social responsibility manager for VGC Group, I write and deliver programmes supporting under-represented groups into sustainable employment on our sites across the UK.
After developing our own successful programme Go beyond the Gates, which works with serving and ex-offenders, I realised that to make the biggest impact required a larger voice. Teaming up with Dave, Megan, Natalie and Wayne, who each run their own programmes, allowed us to put all our experience and expertise to good use, and also to bring more roles to the service users we meet.
I’m always astounded at the transferable skills each person can bring to the industry and delighted with our many success stories of bright futures ahead!
Natalie Sultana
Having started to explore the talent of serving and ex-offenders with David a few years ago, I was quite unsure about who we would find and how the entire process from engaging to securing employment would be. I quickly realised the huge number of talented and hardworking people in prison.
Being part of careers fairs and CV workshops up and down UK prisons has been a wonderful experience and a huge learning curve for me. It’s so rewarding to work with someone who leaves prison with no confidence in themselves or others to guiding them into secured employment and seeing them flourish. My mission for the IEF with my current employer is to showcase how much it can really change someone’s life. Not only from a financial aspect for that individual, but a change in their quality of life, their family’s life, and beyond.
Wayne Lewis
I’ve worked in London CRC’s Employment and Skills Team for the last 14 years.
My job is threefold: developing a network of organisations that are open to employing people with un-spent criminal convictions; working with our offender managers to identify service users who are actively looking for work, and are a good match for the current vacancies our employer network has; providing the necessary support that service users need to prepare themselves to look for work and attend job interviews.
David Smith
Since the start of my journey in 2016, when I began helping to define a route into employment for serving and ex-offenders, it has been a true honour to see real people turn their lives around and enjoy the successes, which most in society see as the norm.
I initially worked in partnership with Wayne Lewis from the London Community Rehabilitation Company (formerly London Probation) , a factor that has been incredibly important in the scheme’s success. By working with Wayne, who is responsible for serving and ex-offender management across the entirety of London, we have had access to a wide talent pool, as well as charitable organisations that provide additional support.
However we soon realised that by working with others from similar companies, we could really broaden our knowledge, opportunities and support network. It was at this point the Infrastructure Employment Forum (IEF) was founded, empowering us to move forward and make a difference.
Megan Prigmore
Having worked within the legacy team on major infrastructure projects, I have been exposed to the barriers and difficulties some in our communities face when it comes to upskilling or gaining employment. For many, just the application process can be enough to put them off applying for their dream role or getting that step in the right career, in particular those with a criminal conviction.
By attending events at prisons and working with charities, I have been able to understand the process of eliminating these barriers and encourage more people into the industry whilst educating them on STEM roles through workshops and ongoing engagement.
Through collaboration with like-minded individuals with a passion for changing peoples lives for the better, we were able to form the IEF. I hope to continue to support and implement its work, and encourage other construction projects to do the same.