Employment and skills plans are prepared by a developer with the help of the council to create job opportunities and education outcomes for local people. Opportunities include work experience, jobs, apprenticeships, construction careers information, training and more. Throughout the development, such plans are used to monitor key performance indicators related to employment and skills in the construction industry while contributing to the local economy and community development. What needs to be delivered will vary depending on the size of the development.

Earlier this year we took a trip to look at the nearly finished G-Park, a new 209,461 sq. ft warehouse built on the former Eli Lilly office building site which is located on Priestley Road near Basingstoke Hospital. Wrenbridge and Bridges Fund Management, backed by GLP, appointed contractor Glencar to deliver this sustainable logistics scheme.

As part of the employment and skills plan, Glencar led a number of initiatives to inspire the future generation of builders and creators collaborating with EBP South, Basingstoke College of Technology, Aldworth School, Coppice Spring Academy and Cornerstone Day Nursery.

Construction students from Basingstoke College of Technology attended placements with Glencar Construction, giving them first-hand experience of working on a large construction site and an opportunity to gain skills to progress their future careers within the industry.

Students from the Coppice Spring Academy participated in two visits at various stages of the construction project, providing them with valuable opportunity to explore the wide range of different careers within the construction industry.

Gareth from Coppice Spring Academy said: “Visits like this bring the career opportunities to life and it was amazing to see the site at different stages of development. All students were engaged throughout and this was due to the bespoke visits that Glencar were able to run.

"Several students in Year 11 have secured post-16 college courses within relevant industries linked with the different trades that were on site during the visit. For other students it was key to understand the skills required to work on such a site.”

Children from Cornerstone Day Nursery on Priestley Road were invited to design some artwork for the site hoardings to help brighten it up. The children in pre-school who are aged three and four years old took inspiration from the local community including the nursery, the building site, the hospital and the local café to design their art. A few weeks later the artwork was printed and displayed at the entrance to the site and the children got to visit to see it on display.

Charlene from Cornerstone Nursery told us: “the children loved peeping through the fence to see the diggers and they were amazed to see the crane when it was on site!”

The Operations Director from Glencar told us: "As the Operations Director at Glencar, I am delighted to see the positive impact of our Employment and Skills Programmes (ESP) at the G-Park development in Basingstoke. This project has been a remarkable opportunity not only for Glencar,  but also for the local community. Our commitment to fostering job opportunities and educational outcomes is central to our mission.

"Through our partnerships with EBP South, Basingstoke College of Technology, Aldworth School, Coppice Spring Academy, and Cornerstone Day Nursery, we have been able to offer invaluable experiences to the future generation of builders and creators.

"By providing real-world experiences and fostering a connection between our projects and local residents, we contribute to the local economy and community development in meaningful ways. At Glencar, we are proud of our role in these initiatives and remain committed to delivering social value in every project we undertake.

"The success at G-Park is a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration and a shared vision for community enrichment. Thank you to all our partners, and we look forward to continuing our journey of positive impact and engagement."

September 2024