Local Supply Chain officially launches Work Radar

We’re proud to announce that we’ve officially launched Work Radar, our new, ground-breaking online platform that’s going to link local workforces across the country with the top tiers of the UK’s construction industry.

What is Work Radar and why have we launched it?

Launched with the backing of Morgan Sindall, we’ve created Work Radar because all too often skilled, experienced tradespeople miss out on the chance to work on big commercial construction projects in their local area.

Work Radar solves this problem by enabling local workforces to see upcoming construction work within a nearby radius of where they live. Details of projects are posted on Work Radar by clients and main contractors using the platform, and those looking for work will be able to register their interest in the projects through their own Work Radar profile, which is free to create.

Grant Walters, a Work Radar user, said: “Due to covid-19 and recently being laid off from my previous employer, I was looking for new ways of seeking construction work on larger projects.

“I came across the Local Supply Chain website and noticed that they have introduced a new service called ‘Work Radar’, a scheme that connects a tradesperson like myself to local businesses for local projects.

“The service is free, will help me promote my skillsets and could gain me more work. The registration process is very quick and easy, I would recommend that anyone searching for work register.”

Work Radar also removes barriers to entry for social enterprises, microbusinesses and tradespeople, and makes finding work on big projects simple, finally giving local workforces up and down the country the chance to gain employment on some of the UK’s biggest and most exciting construction projects.

Richard Ratcliffe, Local Supply Chain CEO, said: “We’re delighted to have launched Work Radar. This scheme has been a long time in the making, and represents a fantastic opportunity to local tradespeople by giving them a chance to become employed on projects they might’ve had trouble getting work on in the past.

“The service is free-to-join for local social enterprises, microbusinesses and tradespeople, and allows people to get their foot in the door and introduce themselves to clients, main contractors and subcontractors during this challenging period.”

Launched with backing from the industry

Work Radar has been launched with the support of a number of key industry figures in addition to the Morgan Sindall, including Henry Boot, Southern Construction Frameworks, the DWP, Safety Management Advisory Services (SMAS) and more.

Mims Davies, Minister for Employment, said: “Ensuring our workforce is agile and importantly can meet the needs of employers is vital to our pandemic recovery, so it's great to see Morgan Sindall Construction and Local Supply Chain come together to provide an effective route into construction.

“By providing integrated support in local communities, much like we’re doing across our nationwide network of jobcentres, we're helping people get into key sectors and find new employment allowing us to build back better and stronger.”

Gavin Jamieson, Head of Supply Chain at Morgan Sindall, said: “Morgan Sindall Construction believes in increasing the diversity of our supply chain and see Work Radar as a refreshing and engaging way of helping tradespeople gain work on projects local to them.

“We are delighted to be a founding member of Work Radar, helping individual tradespeople, microbusinesses and social enterprises gain local work in our sector.”

Giving something back to local communities

As well as providing lucrative jobs for local people, Work Radar enables clients to really give something back to the area in which they operate.

By employing local people to work on projects through Work Radar, clients can ensure that the money generated by their project is spent in the local economy. This drives value into the area around the project, and by giving the local economy a boost, clients using Work Radar can ensure that the benefits of their construction projects are shared with local communities.

What’s more, clients will receive full visibility over local engagement, and receive evidence of the social value their project is bringing through the Work Radar platform. With real-time information and data about the project fed back to them (or their preferred project partner), clients using Work Radar will be provided with a bank of evidence throughout the project which shows how they’ve given something back to the local area.

Richard said: “Work Radar is a fantastic innovation for everyone involved in the supply chain, from clients and main contractors down to microbusinesses, social enterprises and individual tradespeople looking for work.

“It gives clients and main contractors a bank of evidence to prove that the work they’re doing benefits everyone in the local area, and highlights the social value that they bring to the table as an employer.

“Couple this with the fact Work Radar breaks down barriers to entry for workforces across the country and ensures a fair, equal playing field for people looking for construction work, and I think we’ve got an exciting new platform that could really be a game-changer in how construction work is awarded in this country.”

How to sign up for Work Radar

There are two ways to sign up for Work Radar depending on where you fit into the supply chain. If you’re a social enterprise, microbusiness or skilled tradesperson, then you can create a free Work Radar account today and begin looking for big construction projects local to you.

If you’re a client or main contractor looking to meet your social value targets and support local people into work, you can join Work Radar as a partner and begin giving something back to the area you work in today.

If you’d like to know more about Work Radar, please get in touch by leaving your details on our contact page for a call back, or give us a call at a time that suits you on 0800 197 6958.