Property developer and UK BtR pioneer, Quintain and construction partner, Sisk, today announce the ‘topping out’ of their two latest Build-to-Rent (BtR) development plots (NE02 and NE03) at Wembley Park, London. On completion, the two buildings, will deliver 769 homes for professionally managed rent alongside over 100 affordable homes of mixed tenure.
Taking place during National Apprenticeship Week, Quintain points to 26 apprentices working on-site, in collaboration with Sisk, to provide skills, development and access to job opportunities. The apprentices work as trainees in quantity surveying, M&E and Business along with traditional trades including, joinery and dryling.
This project alone has seen 1,100 weeks worked by individuals in training, at a time when the industry has a real need of new skilled workers. The latest figures from CITB (Construction Skills Network Report) suggest the construction industry demands an additional 250,000 workers by 2026, and those over 60 years old are the fastest growing demographic.
Apprenticeships enable young people to learn on the job and save for professional qualifications at the same time. Quintain has a long-held local commitment to apprenticeship opportunities at Wembley Park and has ensured almost 70% of apprentices employed on projects are from the local Borough of Brent. Since 2017 Quintain has created 170 apprenticeship opportunities and over 2,000 local school children were upskilled to help them get ready for the workforce through the Skills Builder Programme.
Ger Hayes, MD, UK South, Sisk said:
“Congratulations to both Quintain and the Sisk site teams working together to deliver our NE02/NE03 project and for reaching the huge milestone of topping out the superstructure. It is fitting that this takes place during National Apprenticeship Week 2024 as we have 26 apprentices working on the project.
“On behalf of Sisk, I would like to congratulate all of my colleagues and supply chain partners for their efforts to date in getting us to this stage. We look forward to handing both buildings over next year and creating a lasting legacy at NE02/NE03 and for the wider community in Brent.”
James Saunders, CEO of Quintain said:
“With the theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2024 being ‘skills for life’ it is important to note that apprentices have played an instrumental role in the transformation of Wembley Park. In total we have created opportunities for more than 170 apprentices to join our construction teams with nearly 70% recruited locally from the London Borough of Brent. Conscious of the role we play delivering places for future generations, we also need to create job opportunities for local communities, while also creating mechanisms to overcome the skills shortage in the construction industry. Construction needs over a quarter of a million extra workers by 2026, we can’t simply put our heads in the sand.
“NE02 and NE03 are coming to life and will be a valued addition to our Build-to-Rent portfolio at Wembley Park. Together with Sisk we are bringing forward hundreds more homes for Londoners, all to be managed by our award-winning team at Quintain Living.”
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