Rod Bennion 2014Former Construction Youth Trust Chairman, Rod Bennion, has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List.

Rod was Chairman of the Trust for 12 years, handing over the position to Andy Wates of Wates Construction Group in Spring 2014. 

Rod sat on the board of Construction Youth Trust for 14 years and his work and dedication helped the charity to transform into one of the construction industry’s most effective recruiting vehicles, providing career pathways for thousands of disadvantaged young people and raising the profile of the sector.
 
Christine Townley, Executive Director of the Trust said: “It was a privilege to work with Rod during his time as Chairman of Construction Youth Trust. He was deeply instrumental in the growth and development of the Trust over the last 12 years. We were able to change countless young lives for the better due to his passion for providing young people with a second chance and it is great that his hard work has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list.”  

Construction Youth Trust works with young people aged 16 to 30 to help them overcome barriers and access employment opportunities in the construction industry. The Trust works with young people from challenging backgrounds including young offenders, care leavers, the long-term unemployed and also those who are just unaware of the opportunities available to them within construction industry. It offer young people the chance to find out more about careers in construction by giving them experience, the opportunity to meet employers in the industry and take part in informative and practical courses.