David Lammy, the skills minister, yesterday announced that £450,000 of funding would go towards construction training, in the build up to the 2012 London Olympics.

Speaking at a visit to the Building Crafts College, near the Olympic park site in east London, he said £250,00 would go towards training people on incapacity and health benefits for employment as construction trade assessors. A further £200,000 would be spent on a construction apprenticeship preparation programme through which 100 people aged 16-18 would get jobs with Carillion.

Lammy said: “As skills minister I want to ensure we use the Games to motivate people into work or training and help them compete for London 2012 opportunities and good jobs beyond.”

The money is part of a £5m Learning and Skills Council fund.

At a meeting of the Major Contractors Group (MCG) last week chaired by Costain chief executive Andrew Wyllie, members said they would help supply chain executives find funding for training ahead of the Olympics.

Last year the MCG pledged to make 1,000 job placements available to young people on construction courses in FE colleges and sponsor 50 undergraduates on construction related degrees.

In adult education, the target is 1,000 training placements for local people over 21 and training for 500 people to upgrade their skills to NVG Level 2.