Skills Bootcamps
in Construction and Rail
Build your future workforce with Skills Bootcamps
Recruiting skills motivated staff is one of the biggest challenges facing the construction and rail sectors today. Skills shortages, high turnover and competition for talent make it harder to keep projects on time and within budget.
That’s where Skills Bootcamps and ETS can help.
What Are Skills Bootcamps?
Skills Bootcamps are part of the Government’s Skills for Life initiative, funded by the Department for Education. They provide free, sector-specific training for adults to prepare them for immediate employment. Programmes run for up to 16 weeks and every learner is guaranteed a job interview with a relevant employer upon completion.
For businesses, this means, therefore, a direct pipeline of candidates who are trained to meet your needs. Additionally, there is no cost for their training if they are new to your organization.
Key benefits for employers include:
- Access to job-ready talent trained in industry-relevant skills
- Reduced onboarding time and costs
- Opportunities to meet social value commitments for public sector contracts
- Support in tackling hard-to-fill vacancies in construction and rail
- Flexible, employer-led course design to meet project and regional needs
How the ETS Skills Bootcamp Works for Employers
Our Skills Bootcamp programmes are built to achieve measurable outcomes for rail and construction. We help individuals move into employment or progress within their current roles. For employers, this means every participant is on a clearly defined path, with evidence of progress collected at each stage to ensure the training delivers real, demonstrable results.
Throughout the course, we ask learners to engage fully, providing feedback and evidence of their development. This not only helps us track progress but also ensures the training is aligned to your recruitment and workforce needs. Your input as an employer partner strengthens this process and helps us maintain the highest professional standards.
The programme combines classroom-based theory with practical training, including the opportunity for learners to gain additional industry-recognised certifications. ETS provides comprehensive information, advice and guidance (IAG) to keep learners motivated, engaged and fully informed. Our experience has shown that learners who truly understand all aspects of the job on offer, along with future opportunities, results in higher completion rates and better-prepared candidates for your business.
Upon completion, learners have the required understanding of health and safety for construction and rail environments: PTS and CSCS accredited along with the industry recognised NPORS Vehicle Marshall.
Each course runs over ten training days spread across three weeks. Attendance at all scheduled sessions is mandatory to successfully complete and pass the programme. The course concludes with a two-day unpaid work experience placement (where required by the employer) that enables the learner and employer to gain a greater
Skills Bootcamp in action
We currently deliver across Kent and the South East, helping employers meet regional labour demands and contributing to local economic growth. Our programmes meet national training standards while being tailored to the realities of local projects, labour availability and infrastructure priorities.
By partnering with ETS, you can:
- Build a sustainable workforce pipeline
- Support your corporate social responsibility goals
- Demonstrate commitment to local skills development when tendering for contracts
The programme is delivered at various locations across Kent in partnership with Kent County Council.
Why Partner with ETS?
We’ve built our Skills Bootcamps specifically to deliver for both learners and employers. We work with businesses to understand their recruitment needs, then design training programmes that align with those requirements. This means the people you meet at the end of a Bootcamp are not just qualified, they’re ready to contribute from day one.
Our areas of specialism include:
- Construction – covering core site skills, safety, and productivity
- Rail infrastructure – including rail safety, site awareness, and compliance
- Employability – ensuring learners arrive with the right behaviours, punctuality, and communication skills to thrive in your workplace
“Our approach is simple,” says Lee Johnson, CEO of ETS. “We listen to employers, we design training around real industry needs to make sure candidates are work-ready before they step on site.”
Work with ETS to Build Your Workforce
If your organisation is looking for skilled, motivated staff in construction or rail, and wants to reduce recruitment risks, contact ETS today to discuss how our Skills Bootcamps can deliver for you. Together, we can help your business grow and keep Britain’s infrastructure moving.
