- Corby Business Centre, Corby, Northants
About Us
About Dormant Trade Skills
Dormant Trade Skills exists to address two connected challenges: a growing shortage of skilled tradespeople and a lack of effective routes into work for young adults aged 18+ who are not in education, employment, or training.
The organisation was created to reconnect experience with opportunity — enabling experienced tradespeople to pass on skills through real work, while supporting young adults to build practical capability and confidence in real working environments.
WHY DORMANT TRADE SKILLS EXISTS
Why The Programme Was Created
Across the UK, experienced tradespeople hold decades of practical knowledge that is no longer being systematically passed on.
At the same time, many young adults struggle to engage with classroom-based training and are left without realistic pathways into skilled work.
Dormant Trade Skills was developed as a practical response to this gap — embedding training within real maintenance work and supporting learning through supervision, repetition, and professional standards.
Our Approach
A work-led approach
Dormant Trade Skills delivers training through real maintenance jobs carried out for households, organisations, and partners.
Experienced tradespeople are employed as Trade Mentors to supervise work and teach Trade Associates on site. Learning happens through doing the work properly, not through simulated tasks or abstract instruction.
This approach reflects how skills are actually developed in the trades and supports stronger engagement and progression.
Professional and Accountable Delivery
The programme is designed to operate with clear governance, safeguarding arrangements, and accountability.
- Trade Mentors are employed professionals with defined roles
- All work is supervised and delivered to appropriate standards
- Safeguarding and quality assurance are embedded into delivery
- Monitoring and reporting align with funding partner requirements
This structure protects participants, mentors, customers, and partners.
Who We Work With
Working in partnership
Dormant Trade Skills works with:
- Local authorities and commissioning bodies
- National and regional funding partners
- Housing providers and community organisations
- Experienced tradespeople and local employers
The programme is designed to complement existing provision and adapt to local needs.
OUR VALUES
What Guides Our Work
Dormant Trade Skills is guided by a small number of clear principles:
- Practical skills matter
- Experience has value
- Learning works best in real environments
- Public funding should deliver clear outcomes
- Professional boundaries protect everyone involved
These principles inform how the programme is designed and delivered.
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Learn more about Dormant Trade Skills
To find out more about how the programme works, who it is for, or how to work with us, please explore the site or get in touch.
Dormant Trade Skills connects experienced tradespeople with young adults who want to learn trade skills as a practical route into work — delivering paid training, real maintenance jobs, and measurable outcomes.
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Contact Details
If you have questions you can contact us
- Corby Business Centre, Corby, Northants
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