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SJ Roberts Construction Ltd and Shrewsbury Colleges Group have been working on the delivery of their apprenticeship programme since 2004. Now, the groups have announced a wider range of training pathways to encourage more people into the job.

Currently, 36 students are involved in the apprenticeship training that is supported by the SJ Roberts team. However, in an impressive turn of events additional students have recently become involved with taking further steps to obtain a career in construction.

Four T-Level students and one BTEC student spend one day a week on site with the construction company and a further two students completing level four and five qualifications in quantity surveying and site supervisor roles, along with T-level students, will attend guest lectures delivered by both SJ Roberts Construction and their sister-company Lowfield Timber Frames.

Commenting on the growing partnership with Shrewsbury Colleges Group, manager director of SJ Roberts Construction Ltd, Mike Sambrook said: ‘We so often hear the construction sector complain about a lack of skilled labour, but we’ve recognised that won’t change if we’re not prepared to invest in the training process itself.’

Mike added: ‘We’ve long supported apprentices and have witnessed the positive contribution that they make to the company, but it’s worth remembering that there’s a myriad of pathways that lead to careers in construction which is why we’ve actively extended our partnership with Shrewsbury Colleges Group.’

The work SJ Roberts Construction are doing to encourage young people into construction isn’t going unmissed. Research from a survey conducted by the Construction Industry Training Board shows around half of workers are aged 34 and under (45%), which is a higher proportion than compared with the UK population as a whole (36%).

In addition, experts found just 6% of construction workers are aged 60 or over.  

Stuart Raine, curriculum director for construction and built environment studies at Shrewsbury colleges group, expressed her delight about the success of their partnership with SJ Roberts.

‘We’re delighted to have such a strong and long-standing partnership in place with SJ Roberts and Lowfield Timber Frames,’ Stuart said. ‘The ability for our students to have practical experience either through apprenticeships or work experience placements is hugely beneficial in their development of skills for the workplace. We know that our students will get the best possible introduction to a working life through SJ Roberts and Lowfield Timber Frames.’

Image: SJ Roberts Construction Ltd

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Barrow-in-Furness have experienced a huge increase in shared homes as a result of demand from contractors working in local industry, a property developer has claimed.

Years ago, the port town was only home to one house in multiple occupation (HMO), however, figures from Westmorland and Furness Council show the town now has 80. According to Larimar Property Management, this is as a result of more people moving to the area to work at the BAE shipyard and other companies.

At the beginning of 2024, BAE Systems, a British multinational aerospace, defence and information security company, announced they were adding 5,000 workers to its force of 12,000 Barrow workers, due to winning a contract to build a new generation of nuclear-powered submarines. This deal is part of the UK’s so-called Aukus security pact with Australia and the US.

BAE has said they will be ‘the largest, most powerful and advanced attack submarines the Royal Navy has ever operated.’

Due to people moving to the town, Larimar Property Management – a Barrow-based organisation – have more than 70 houses which are HMOs and charge £130 to £140 per week with bills included per room.

Beverly Louw, of Larminar Property Management, said: ‘We’re always inundated with requests for accommodation and our main market is the contractors coming into the area.’

She added that the majority of requests have come from people connected to BAE, but some people are associated with the ‘gas terminal, wind farms, as well as Kimberly-Clark.’

Hartington Street in Barrow is home to 10% of the registered HMOs, which are traditionally big Victorian houses that have been split into bedsits, flats and rooms in shared houses.

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Plans to create 1,075 new properties in South London have been halted following concerns over the low amount of affordable homes on offer.

Developer Reselton Properties originally proposed the scheme for the site of the former Stag Brewery in Mortlake although when the Greater London Authority (GLA) sparked concerns over affordability, the organisation lodged appeals.

Currently, the plans have been approved by Richmond Council but final decisions haven’t been issued as this is the responsibility of the GLA.

Following this, developers lodged an appeal against the council’s non-determination of the applications after the GLA indicated its opposition to the scheme, and a letter sent on Reselton’s behalf claimed the GLA has suggested ‘there would be many months of further delay and the outcome would most likely be [a] direct refusal’.

However, a public inquiry, held by the Planning Inspectorate, will decide the fate of the applications. One of the applications details plans to construct 1,075 homes in buildings up to nine storeys tall and the other is for a 1,200-place secondary school on site.

Out of the homes, 65 have been earmarked to be available for affordable rent. In addition, restaurants, shops, offices, a cinema and a hotel or a pub have also been included in plans alongside the homes.

As for the situation of the new establishments, a spokesperson for Reselton said the scheme would bring a ‘new commercial heart to Mortlake’, replacing a ‘redundant set of brownfield industrial buildings’.

Although, Mortlake Brewery Community Group (MBCG) have objected against the proposals, claiming there aren’t enough affordable homes and the schemes density, height and impact on traffic levels will severely affect surroundings.

Francine Bates, co-chair of MBCG, said: ‘The planning inquiry gives us our last opportunity to reset the clock, reject these plans and sit down with the council and the developers to plan a scheme that will truly benefit the community.’

This isn’t the first time applications for this site have been refused – in 2020 plans were rejected over a lack of affordable housing and in 2021 due to concerns over height and scale, among other issues.

The public inquiry was launched yesterday and is due to end on 14th June 2024.

Image: Mirsadra Molaei

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