Apprentices graduate on 2012 Olympic Park site

Thousands of local people work on the Olympic sites

More than 30 apprentices helping to build the London Olympics site have successfully graduated, adding to the skilled workforce, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) says.

There are about 250 apprentices on training courses among the 8,000 working on Olympic Park.

Another 3,000 people are employed on the Olympic Village development.

The ODA says 20% of the park team live in the five host boroughs and over half of the workforce comes from London.

More than 3,000 training places have been created to cater for the Olympic builds and other construction work.

'Skills legacy'

ODA Chairman John Armitt said: "The Olympic Park 'big build' is on track and set to peak as we progress through this year, the toughest period for the project.

"We are providing a range of work and training opportunities in a challenging time for the UK construction industry and meeting our commitments to an employment and skills legacy for people living around the Olympic Park."

He added that by creating the apprentice positions they were helping young people get their first foot on the ladder to a career in construction.

A jobs brokerage service that matches candidates living locally and elsewhere in the UK with Olympic Park job opportunities has filled nearly 1,000 jobs since May 2008.