More than 100 Tower Hamlets residents have graduated from a series of different training programmes facilitated by Swan Housing and its partners.

Students received qualifications including a Level 3 certificate in construction skills, childcare Level 1 and 2 and English for speakers of other languages.

Swan is running the programme as part of its £500 million regeneration scheme Blackwall Reach.

Blackwall Reach is also being supported by London Borough of Tower Hamlets and the Greater London Authority.

Jules Pipe, deputy mayor of LOndon for planning, regeneration and skills, said: “It’s great news that local residents in Tower Hamlets are seeing the real benefits of partnership working and gaining the skills that they need to get on in work and life.

“Construction skills are particularly important right now, and initiatives like this chime well with what we at City Hall are developing through the Mayor’s construction academy - getting more people trained and into jobs in construction.”

Partners to the education scheme include New City College, Job Centre Plus, education provider Learning Curve, Bromley-by-Bow Community Centre, the bank JP Morgan and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing.