News Archive
Core Highways’ ROTL Training and Recruitment Programme
- Monday April 8, 2024
Our Professional Development Partner, Core Highways, have taken the initiative in their search for training potential new recruits from a previously unlikely talent pool. By working with a local prison, they offer serving offenders a life changing training program with the chance of future employment in the highways sector.
Faced with an employment skills shortage and presented with the opportunity to break the cycle of reoffending for prisoners, the company have been approved as a ROTL employer and completed Lantra training with three inmates at Kirklevington Grange prison in March 2024. Release on Temporary Licence means being able to leave prison for a short time and is called ROTL for short.
Local Core Highways Area Manager, Ian Stafford, had personally led an information session and interview sessions with a wider group of inmates before signing up the successful candidates to the scheme. With a Core Highways internal trainer delivering in-person Lantra TTMBC and T1/T2 training at the prison.
Mr Stafford said “I was pleased with how many candidates were interested in our offer having never had a TM provider within the prison before. The final three have been really engaged throughout and have made a brilliant start, settling in well with the wider team. I hope this pilot can be repeated elsewhere in Core Highways and the wider TM sector and I’m confident these candidates will have a long and rewarding career with Core Highways.”
Feedback from the prison has been equally positive, with the Prison Employment Lead at HMP Kirklevington, Nia Collins, adding “Core Highways has been a great addition to the businesses and employers we currently work with at Kirklevington, providing career opportunities that align with many prisoners’ aspirations upon release.
“By offering ROTL placements, we ensure that prisoners can transition smoothly into employment before rejoining the community. We eagerly anticipate the continued growth of our relationship with Core Highways and the opportunities they provide for our men here at HMP Kirklevington.”