Culture Change in Construction Crucial Calls from Industry Experts at Exclusive Event on First Night of UK Construction Week Leading construction industry intelligence provider, Barbour ABI, brought top industry experts together at an exclusive event after the first day of the UK Construction Week exhibition in London to discuss the
Leading national contractor, Novus Property Solutions, has promoted long-serving former senior operations manager Ray Fielder to Head of Operations for its Southern region – making him responsible for the company’s largest geographic area, stretching from Cornwall to Norfolk. Ray Fielder embodies Novus’ ethos of recognising and rewarding talented people at
Yorkshire based multi-disciplinary construction company Harris CM has completed a board-level restructure and appointed a new managing director as it targets strong operational growth and £70 million turnover this year. Neil Silcock has been appointed as managing director and will assume overall operational responsibility from Jason Adlam, who will continue
Westgate situated in Stafford are pleased to announce the arrival of Nathan Barr as their new Managing Director. Nathan joins the business following a successful career at ODL Europe where he has driven revenue growth through market share and introduction of new products via various channels. Having established his career
A national trade body is launching its summer 2022 apprenticeship programme, developed to tackle a skills gap in a specialist area of construction that often goes under the radar as a potential career choice. The property care sector can offer a lifetime of learning and a varied, interesting and rewarding career,
To help create a sustainable community, Hull City Council and Hull Citywide Developer Partnership, a consortium of developers that includes Keepmoat Homes and Strata Homes, is supporting skills for prisoners by providing them with old pallets from their new housing developments. These are then upcycled into planters and used to
Vital Energi has partnered with The City of Liverpool College for the second year to deliver bespoke renewable energy and heat network apprenticeship programmes across the country. Scaling up heat networks and generating energy from renewable technologies is at the heart of the Government’s plans to boost the UK’s energy
Hayfield has appointed Sam Foglia as a Contracts Manager to oversee three of the award-winning housebuilder’s developments, located in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The expansion of the construction team is in line with Hayfield seeking to deliver a turnover of £150m during the current financial year. Sam Foglia joins from Barratt/David
Baxi apprentice service engineers took part in a week-long team building course this month, designed to develop the next generation of installers with activities focusing on personal development and problem solving. The programme was tailored to Baxi’s visions and values, with apprentices undertaking team-based exercises linked to their Level 3
West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, visited the Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) Skills Academy at South and City College Birmingham’s Bordesley Green campus yesterday and welcomed the news that 3,000 more local people are set to benefit from employment opportunities on HS2. The Balfour Beatty VINCI Skills Academy, which sits within
Culture Change in Construction Crucial Calls from Industry Experts at Exclusive Event on First Night of UK Construction Week Leading construction industry intelligence provider, Barbour ABI, brought top industry experts together at an exclusive event after the first day of the UK Construction Week exhibition in London to discuss the need for culture change. Dr David Hancock, Construction Director at Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) highlighted the scale of the issue: “The construction industry has to educate and source locally, teach more trades and skills to improve communities and put the heart back. We have to care what we build and want to do better. That’s the change this industry needs. We measure costs, not benefits, and the concern is that with rising inflation hitting construction projects, that could become worse. Our industry must not revert to the old ways.” Trudi Sully, Impact Director at Construction Innovation Hub said: “I deliberately avoided construction for a long time, because it seemed a scary place to work. The Construction Innovation Hub is all about culture change. Enabling, educating and empowering the industry is what we do. Over the last four years of the hub we have worked with more than 400 construction supply chain companies to support research and innovation. Much of transformation is about partnerships, to mitigate risk, bring about change more quickly and enable better decision-based outcomes. Better manufacturing processes are leading to those processes being adopted in construction too. Advances in other industries are providing construction with a playbook to follow to make improvements.” Rebecca Lovelace, Founder and Chief Dot-Joiner at Building People said: “The built environment is about a world of amazing opportunities, and we need to get out of fragmented silos to realise its potential. We need boarder diversity in construction, not just more women as diversity brings more innovation and helps culture change. We need to enable anyone who is interested to become involved in the built environment. Barbour ABI is one of the sponsors and a major exhibitor at the UK’s largest construction industry event. UKCW is a new exhibition held at London’s ExCel from May 3-5, 2022. It brings together the whole construction supply chain and aims to support the industry’s recovery from COVID.
Leading national contractor, Novus Property Solutions, has promoted long-serving former senior operations manager Ray Fielder to Head of Operations for its Southern region – making him responsible for the company’s largest geographic area, stretching from Cornwall to Norfolk. Ray Fielder embodies Novus’ ethos of recognising and rewarding talented people at every level: he began working with Novus as a joiner 16 years ago, and having excelled at a number of site and contract roles, he progressed through the ranks to join the company’s senior team. Most recently, he achieved great success when managing Novus’ Southampton operation, priming him for this latest step up. Speaking of Ray’s promotion, Executive Director Lee Hartley said “We have always had a strong ‘grow our own talent’ ethos at Novus, and seeing Ray progress through the company is absolute proof of this. From the moment our colleagues join us, we continually strive to develop and maximise their personal and professional potential to allow them to progress. One of our key values as a business is to nurture, and this applies to both our people and our relationships with clients and suppliers. Year after year, Ray has excelled in each of his roles and it gives me incredible satisfaction to see him reach this highpoint in his career. I have every confidence that Ray will continue to excel and drive our growth throughout the region.” In line with the wider business, Ray’s immediate focus is on rolling out the company’s recently-launched Sustain service to new and existing clients from across the south of England, as well as expanding the reach of the Assure service in recognition of the need for improved passive fire protection across public sector buildings and housing associations. Ray will also oversee the full roll-out of Novus’ innovative Oneserve system, a cloud-based application which offers Novus’ clients and their residents or customers full transparency on any given project, providing real-time updates and acting as an information hub for both contractor and client. Commenting on his appointment and ambition for the region, Ray said: “This is an exciting time for Novus, with new services and technological leaps forward, and I’m proud to be stepping up to a more senior role in this crucial period. Having worked with Novus on both site and office-based positions for 16 years, I feel I know the company very well and it is impressive to see the business taking such ambitious strides whilst managing to retain its family feel – that’s what makes Novus special. I’m looking forward to supporting the new services as they take root in the Southern region and building valuable partnerships with our new and existing customers.” The Southern region will also continue to support Novus’ social value initiatives, which have so far included a mobile foodbank created in partnership with Guinness Homes and designed to serve hard-to-reach rural communities in the South West, which was spearheaded by senior operations manager Mark Noad with Ray’s full support. Ray has also encouraged customer liaison officers (CLOs) across the region to come up with creative ways to keep in touch with residents and build good relations – such as a recent Easter egg donation which saw six CLOs drop off chocolate eggs for local charities.
Yorkshire based multi-disciplinary construction company Harris CM has completed a board-level restructure and appointed a new managing director as it targets strong operational growth and £70 million turnover this year. Neil Silcock has been appointed as managing director and will assume overall operational responsibility from Jason Adlam, who will continue as Harris CM’s CEO, focussing on building new and existing stakeholder relationships. In addition, Jason will continue to deliver property development projects, which has become a key growth area for the company in recent years. Silcock brings a wealth of experience to the role after spending the last 14 years at construction company Simpson (York) Limited, where he was managing director for the past five years. In addition, Rhys Davies has been appointed as finance director at Harris CM. The position will form part of his wider role as group CFO for Tate Group, which is headed up by Harris CM’s chairman Shane Tate, who provides strategic direction, whilst delivering opportunities in the industrial, commercial and residential development sectors. The board also comprises of commercial director, Jason Collins and construction director, James Phillips. Silcock commented: “I am thrilled to be joining Harris CM and to be working alongside such a respected and successful group of people. The business has an excellent reputation and an authenticity which I have found to be particularly appealing and relatable. I’m looking forward to supporting the team in their current roles and in doing so, strengthening the business as a whole as we continue to expand.” Jason Adlam, CEO, said: “Whilst all construction contractors are facing challenges as a result of inflationary pressures, Harris CM remains committed to providing the best possible value for money on its projects and it’s an exciting time for the business. We have already secured a strong pipeline of work for the next 18 months across a wide spectrum of sectors, and we’re on track to hit £70 million turnover in 2022. “To deliver this effectively and continue our growth trajectory, we needed to expand our senior team. We are very pleased to welcome Neil and Rhys to Harris CM and look forward to their experience and industry knowledge helping to shape our strategic direction going forward.” Harris CM is a privately owned construction company that provides new-build and refurbishment property solutions throughout the UK, with nearly 50 employees in 2022.
Westgate situated in Stafford are pleased to announce the arrival of Nathan Barr as their new Managing Director. Nathan joins the business following a successful career at ODL Europe where he has driven revenue growth through market share and introduction of new products via various channels. Having established his career credentials within the manufacturing sector working both nationally and internationally over a number of years, Nathan looks to spearhead the continued growth of Westgate’s business. The move comes as part of extensive expansion plans for Westgate, which has seen significant growth through new market and product developments over the past five years. Nathan’s experience within the manufacturing sector, combined with his achievements in previous roles, strengthens Westgate’s commitment to its future aspirations, its customers, suppliers, and employees. Commenting on his appointment, Nathan said “I am excited to join Westgate at this time to build on the great work and foundations the team has put in place. With an extensive product range, new products in development, ambitious plans and a phenomenal culture we will continue on our growth journey.” Gerrard Gates, Director said “It is a very exciting time here at Westgate and with the arrival of Nathan I am confident that the business will further grow and develop. Nathans specific skills and experience when combined with his ‘can do’ approach fits nicely with culture here at Westgate and, both I and our board, look forward to the positive changes that Nathan’s arrival will bring.”
A national trade body is launching its summer 2022 apprenticeship programme, developed to tackle a skills gap in a specialist area of construction that often goes under the radar as a potential career choice. The property care sector can offer a lifetime of learning and a varied, interesting and rewarding career, but it is not as widely known or recognised as other trades. To tackle the issue, the Property Care Association (PCA) launched its damp and timber apprenticeship in 2015, to develop a new generation of professionals with the important skills necessary to preserve and protect properties nationwide. Open to both PCA members and non-members alike across the UK, the programme takes a company employee or apprentice working in the damp, timber and building preservation sector through the award of the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 2 Diploma in ‘Insulation and Building Treatments (Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing)’ Qualification. The programme is structured in a modularised manner, through a mix of formal instruction “off-the-job” training, followed by supervised “on-the-job” training. It offers an insight into subjects including wet and dry rot, wood boring insects, rising damp and timber treatments. Jade Stocker, PCA Training Manager, said: “The damp and timber apprenticeship is delivered over a period of 18 months, with the programme divided into two main sections, training and assessment. Over the first 12 months, all apprenticeship training is delivered at our Practical Training Centre in Huntingdon, which is specifically kitted out for hands-on training. “Apprentices visit us five times over the first 12 months in four-day blocks. Once all apprenticeship training has been completed, a specialist assessor is assigned for the candidate, with six months allocated to complete the assessment process.” The PCA is now taking bookings for its June intake. Jade added: “Since its launch in 2015, the apprenticeship has achieved one of the highest retention rates in the construction sector. We look forward to welcoming our new trainees in June and supporting their training and development journey into the property care sector.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
To help create a sustainable community, Hull City Council and Hull Citywide Developer Partnership, a consortium of developers that includes Keepmoat Homes and Strata Homes, is supporting skills for prisoners by providing them with old pallets from their new housing developments. These are then upcycled into planters and used to grow food in the local community. The scheme is the first of its kind and aims to reduce site waste whilst providing offenders with key skills for future employment, as well as help them position themselves for greater work and volunteering opportunities upon release. The first planters have been handed over to the new Cropton Park Community Allotment off Bricknell Avenue, which is being developed by EMS with the support of Hull City Council’s Wyke Area Team. All parties, including Keepmoat Homes, are working in collaboration with Investors in Community, allowing the prisoners to accurately record the hours they work on the planters, which they’ll be able to access on release. Having launched earlier this year, the prisoners have spent over 85 hours in total and made 52 planters to date. At HMP Hull, we’re driven to provide prisoners with meaningful employment opportunities whilst in custody, along with relevant skills and training that they will be able to use on release, with an aim to help them find work and live law-abiding lives, and this project fits perfectly with everything we are trying to achieve,” said Thomas Leech, Industries Manager at HMP Hull. “Prisoners are learning new skills and working hard to produce planters from items that would have essentially gone to landfill. These planters are then given to people in the local community that have earned them through community credits doing things such as volunteering time to do litter picking within the community. The fact that prisoners are giving something back to the community creates a sense of pride and are real sense of purpose for the prisoners.” Once made, the planters are donated to EMS, a local charity in Hull that works with residents, community groups and local businesses to alleviate food and fuel poverty. The charity sets up community vegetable gardens that aim to promote a healthy lifestyle, allowing residents and families without a garden or allotment to grow their own produce. The planters, food growing and support to become more sustainable are part of a recognition scheme for local volunteers working with EMS. “This project ticks all the boxes for everyone involved and demonstrates our collective commitment to establishing a more biodiverse and sustainable environment for our community. It was an inspirational initiative from Keepmoat Homes, the council’s long term development partner, for the wood to be repurposed, rather than sending it to landfill,” said Cllr Peter North, Chair of Hull City Council’s Wyke Area. “The training and work experience gained enhances prisoners’ employment prospects on release, and our residents benefit from well-crafted planters for the community garden with EMS. I look forward to working on future projects alongside our partners to ensure we make best use of our precious green spaces for the benefit of our communities.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
Vital Energi has partnered with The City of Liverpool College for the second year to deliver bespoke renewable energy and heat network apprenticeship programmes across the country. Scaling up heat networks and generating energy from renewable technologies is at the heart of the Government’s plans to boost the UK’s energy security and achieve the country’s Net Zero target by 2050. To achieve this, 18% of heat will need to come from heat networks. As it stands today, connections to heat networks represents just 2%, so we need the resource and skills to deliver this infrastructure. In response to this, Vital – which has over 30 years’ experience in delivering heat networks – is joining forces with The City of Liverpool College, which will deliver the curriculum from the £2m state-of-the-art Training Academy located at Vital’s Blackburn headquarters, for two pathways: Craft and Technical. Both pathways will enable apprentices to learn and work within the renewable energy and heat networks market. They will discover how energy is generated and distributed, and how to manage and reduce consumption for residential and commercial clients. Apprentices will also learn how carbon emissions are reduced through Vital’s renewable technologies and the innovative products they have developed. The initiative follows an incredibly successful first year for the programmes, which demonstrate the organisations’ commitments to developing the key industry skills required to achieve net zero and create a sustainable workforce to shape the energy landscape for the future. Liverpool City Region has an ambition to reach net zero carbon by 2040 and The City of Liverpool College is focussed on developing its curriculum around the needs of industry, creating a workforce for the future by developing the skills needed to enter the world of work in sustainable careers. Lindsay Meadows, Head of Apprenticeships at The City of Liverpool College, said: “Our partnership with Vital Energi is built on the knowledge and skills of its engineers and our innovative curriculum leaders at The City of Liverpool College. Working with progressive, exciting organisations such as Vital Energi helps us to continue to innovate and provide our students with the skills they need to enter the workforce and forge successful, sustainable careers. “The apprenticeships will play an essential role in developing the skills needed to deliver our low carbon future, while giving apprentices the skills and knowledge they need to thrive and forge sustainable careers in the industry.” The programmes will be delivered via a blended mix of virtual online teaching and a minimum of 25 days curriculum learning each year within the Training Academy. Apprentices will spend the majority of their time on-site working on real projects, where they will pick up a wealth of skills through hands-on experience and support from Vital’s expert team. During the three-year Craft programme, apprentices will study for a Level 3 Building Services Engineering Craftsperson qualification. They will learn a range of key skills from pipework fabrication and jointing techniques such as electro fusion jointing, to welding, the installation of plumbing and heating systems, and more. At the end of the Technical programme, apprentices will achieve a Level 3 Building Services Design Technician qualification, after developing their understanding of building services design principles. On his experience of the programme, Harvey Hudson, Technical Apprentice, commented: “As well as a better understanding of the job and career, spending time in a variety of departments has helped broaden my knowledge of the industry and the many different aspects required for a successful project. I’m also able to gain valuable, practical experience and learn from site-based professionals, which I know will help me to hit the ground running in my career.” Chris Roach, a site-based Project Manager at Vital Energi, started his career journey at The City of Liverpool College when he was 18 years old, where he completed a four-year Mechanical Building Engineering apprenticeship. He studied Building Services Engineering in the first two years before focussing on Mechanical Building Services Engineering in the last two. As well as achieving a HND, Chris won the North West HVAC Student Engineer of the year in 2005, and the National CIBSE HVAC Student Engineer of the year in 2005. His hard work and determination throughout his apprenticeship formed a solid platform for his future career. Chris Roach, Project Manager at Vital Energi, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed my time as an apprentice at The City of Liverpool College, and as well as gaining a wealth of skills through hands on experience and support from tutors, it allowed me to discover the career path I wanted to follow. “I strongly believe that my apprenticeship formed a great foundation for my career path. Here at Vital, we’re working on exciting projects across the whole of the UK to help our clients reach net zero. We’ve connected over 82,000 homes to heat networks so far and in my opinion, there is no better time to join us!” During the three-year Craft programme, apprentices will study for a Level 3 Building Services Engineering Craftsperson qualification. They will learn a range of key skills from pipework fabrication and jointing techniques such as electro fusion jointing, to welding, the installation of plumbing and heating systems, and more. At the end of the Technical programme, apprentices will achieve a Level 3 Building Services Design Technician qualification, after developing their understanding of building services design principles.
Hayfield has appointed Sam Foglia as a Contracts Manager to oversee three of the award-winning housebuilder’s developments, located in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The expansion of the construction team is in line with Hayfield seeking to deliver a turnover of £150m during the current financial year. Sam Foglia joins from Barratt/David Wilson Developments, where he was a Project Manager, coordinating trades, direct labour and materials to meet production programmes. During his five-year tenure with the volume housebuilder, he also closely monitored and upheld quality and safety standards. Mr Foglia was an NHBC Pride in the Job winner two years running – in 2019 and 2020. He has accumulated over 20 years’ experience in the construction industry. Ken Mulpeter, Production Director for Hayfield said: “We are delighted to welcome Sam to the team, as his housebuilding and technical experience – together with his success with the NHBC Pride in the Job Awards – will be a great asset to Hayfield. He has a passion for quality and is well-versed at working in partnership with other departments and supply chains. He will be able to steer our site-based teams to deliver the premium homes we have built our multi award-winning reputation on.” Sam is currently working towards becoming a chartered construction manager with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), which he is looking to accomplish before the end of 2022. Mr Foglia has been appointed to oversee the final phase of construction at Hayfield Oaks in Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire, where the homes will benefit from a zero carbon ready specification. Sam’s other live projects include the £31m Hayfield Park scheme in Bromham, which is within the Borough of Bedford. The development of 80 zero carbon ready homes has recently launched for off-plan sales, with the site due to be unveiled to the public later this year. His third project – also in Bedfordshire – is Hayfield Gate, located in the village of Clifton, where construction is underway for the final phase of 95 homes. Sam Foglia, Contracts Manager for Hayfield said: “Hayfield has quickly developed a reputation for having a fantastic brand and a fantastic team. The specification, design and overall quality of each house really shows, and I hope I can add value to the business by overseeing delivery of many more exceptional homes. I can already see that there is a strong sense of pride in the quality of the product delivered to customers and this will be the focus of everything I seek to do, both with colleagues and the supply chain.” Solihull-headquartered Hayfield is proactively installing air source heat pumps, underfloor heating, EV fast-charging points, and fibre optic broadband into all new and upcoming developments, in line with its strong ESG foundations. The expansion of the construction team is in line with Hayfield seeking to deliver 350 homes during 2022. The company is gearing up to deliver 500 homes annually, supported by a portfolio of sites to enable visible production into the future. For more information on Hayfield’s development portfolio, visit: https://www.hayfieldhomes.co.uk/
Baxi apprentice service engineers took part in a week-long team building course this month, designed to develop the next generation of installers with activities focusing on personal development and problem solving. The programme was tailored to Baxi’s visions and values, with apprentices undertaking team-based exercises linked to their Level 3 Domestic Service Engineering apprenticeship scheme. During the week spent at SKERN Training & Skills in Devon, apprentices experienced climbing, rafting, and tunnelling. Each practical exercise was designed to help the apprentices improve teamwork, leadership, risk assessment and communication. Krystal McKinnell, Apprenticeships Coordinator at Baxi Heating, said: “Investing in apprenticeships is vital for tackling the skills gap in the UK heating sector. By supporting and training individuals throughout their professional journey, we hope to make a difference and give people a head start as they join the industry.” Baxi apprentice, Liam Bate, said:“I really enjoyed the course and built a good rapport with the other apprentices in my group, which is useful as I may end up working alongside them in the future. We all worked well together as a team and identified each other’s strengths and points for development. Apprentice, Madison Dowding, said: “I enjoyed the teamwork aspect of this course and learned to take other people’s ideas into consideration. I kept my learning log up to date throughout the week and will apply what I learned in my apprenticeship end point assessment.” As well as offering entry-level apprenticeship schemes, Baxi also supports qualified heating engineers with training courses tailored towards the introduction of low carbon systems. For more information about Baxi’s training opportunities, visit: www.baxi.co.uk
West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, visited the Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) Skills Academy at South and City College Birmingham’s Bordesley Green campus yesterday and welcomed the news that 3,000 more local people are set to benefit from employment opportunities on HS2. The Balfour Beatty VINCI Skills Academy, which sits within one of Birmingham’s most deprived wards, first opened its doors in November 2021, as part of a dedicated drive to upskill local people ready for work on HS2. Since it opened with £1.1m backing from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), the Skills Academy has supported local people who were out of work into a job or onto further training in readiness for their chosen career path supporting HS2’s construction. Today, the Mayor and Cllr Ian Courts, Chair of the HS2 Regional Enterprise Board, and leader of Solihull Council, welcomed the news that the Skills Academy is gearing up to train more people, ready to transition into 3,000 jobs over the next four years with Balfour Beatty VINCI’s labour supply chain partners. The Mayor said: “One of the main reasons I fought so hard to secure HS2 for the West Midlands was the local jobs it would create, and so it is brilliant to see that coming to fruition now. “This exciting collaboration between Balfour Beatty VINCI and South and City College Birmingham, supported by our funding, is helping to give thousands of local people the opportunity to find high-quality and well-paid jobs as part of this once-in-a-generation infrastructure project. This Skills Academy is exactly the kind of initiative that helps those who have fallen out of work find employment as part of my 100k jobs plan.” HS2 Minister, Andrew Stephenson said: “HS2 is about boosting transport, driving business and creating thousands of long lasting jobs that will level up the nation. “Balfour Beatty Skills Academy embodies all of this, not only supporting local jobs but giving workers the opportunity to upskill for free and gain valuable experience working on Europe’s biggest infrastructure project.” The BBV Skills Academy is the first of its kind in the region, but plans are in place to open more centres across the Midlands, making it easier for local people to gain the free training, accreditation and support they need to begin a career on HS2. BBV estimates it will support circa 7,000 jobs to deliver its programme of work on HS2, and in the West Midlands, it is estimated that the construction of HS2 will generate a constant labour demand of around 10,000 jobs from now until 2027/28. Shilpi Akbar, Balfour Beatty VINCI’s Head of Skills, Employment and Education, said: “At Balfour Beatty VINCI, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing employment opportunities for people across the region. It is one of our top priorities and a core reason we launched our Skills Academy at South and City College last year. “We want everyone – particularly those who are currently unemployed – to join us and realise the wide range of benefits that can be derived from a career in the construction and infrastructure industry; careers that will take shape and flourish while working to deliver Britain’s new high-speed railway.” At the Bordesley Green campus, thanks to BBV’s partnership venture with South and City College Birmingham, students can gain hands on experience in plant machinery operation, traffic and fire marshalling, alongside nationally recognised accreditation from the Construction Skills Certification Scheme. With no previous experience or skills required, students typically complete BBV’s specialist general operatives training programme in four to six weeks, enabling them to progress onto a paid work trial in their preferred construction career field. On successful completion of the trial, candidates are job matched to roles with BBV’s local labour providers, where they begin their career on HS2. In a short space of time, the programme has supported people of all ages and backgrounds who were formerly unemployed into work. René Nunes from Birmingham was unemployed for two years and was eager to find a job that provided long term security. Through HS2’s job brokerage partner model, which sees its contractors work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and National Careers Service to support local people who are out of work into a job on HS2, René was referred to the Skills Academy and onto the general operatives training programme. He is now working full time at HS2’s construction site in Water Orton and is a vital part of the facilities and maintenance team. René said: “I feel really privileged to have secured this job and to be working on a project of this scale. The sheer size of HS2’s construction programme is phenomenal and it’s great that I get to work at different sites and see it all coming together. “No two days are the same, which is what I really enjoy about my job, and I genuinely feel part of the team that is bringing HS2 to the region.” During the visit, guests were invited to meet with former trainees who have transitioned into employment, as well as students who have an expressed an interest in joining the next general operatives training programme. 35-year-old Imran from Sparkbrook in Birmingham lost his job during the pandemic. He’d always been interested in construction, particularly engineering and design. When he was given a flyer advertising the Skills Academy, and its free construction training programme, he jumped at the chance and registered for an induction. Imran completed his training in just six weeks and is now working with BBV’s surveying team at the Washwood Heath construction site which will be home to HS2’s train depot and control centre. Imran said: “I am passionate and proud to be contributing to HS2’s construction. As a member of the surveying team, I play a vital role in ensuring that designs are delivered to the exact specification and with precision. I work closely with the designers and engineers and really take pride in my job. Knowing that I am playing a part in