Next generation learn ‘from the horse's mouth’ about construction apprenticeships

Our partnership with Morgan Sindall Property Services is helping attract the next generation into the construction industry.

Morgan Sindall Property Services is one of our Major Works Investment Programme (MWIP) partners and, as part of their contracts, all partners on this programme have signed up to social value commitments to create a lasting impact in the communities where we operate.

Morgan Sindall Property Services’ Social Value Officer Arjun Ghosh and apprentice Joshua Mandeng visited Greig City Academy in Haringey on 28 January to speak about different career pathways, including apprenticeships.

The borough is one of the areas where the company has been working to improve L&Q homes for residents

Joshua is currently in his second year as a site manager apprentice and met with nine students to discuss his time so far.

The students were able to hear his first-hand experience about the programme, including pros and cons.

He was able to highlight the expectations he has faced and spoke candidly about having the right drive and attitude needed to succeed in his chosen career.

Students were then able to ask questions directly to him to better understand some of the things they had heard. 

The event was delivered as part of Construction Youth Trust's 'Pathways to Professional Careers programme', which helps 16-18-year-olds interested in exploring higher-level degree apprenticeships in the construction and built environment sector, develop employability skills employers are seeking, so they feel prepared and confident when faced with what can be a rigorous apprenticeship recruitment process.

Arjun said:

“It’s always best to get information ‘straight from the horse’s mouth” and directly from the person who has personal knowledge of it, so you know it is reliable and comes from a credible source. Which is why I took Joshua along with me to meet students at Greig City Academy.

It is always a pleasure to help and give back to our local community and both Joshua and I are already looking forward to the next session.”

Mark Newstead, Director of Major Programmes at L&Q, said:

“It’s vitally important to encourage young people into construction and repairs careers. It was fantastic to see our partners playing their part in bringing in the next generation, especially by having a young person speak to them directly about choosing different pathways into employment, such as apprenticeships."

Morgan Sindall Property Services is one of ten partners working with us on our Major Works Investment Programme. This will see L&Q invest around £3bn over 15 years to improve the safety, comfort, and environmental performance of residents’ homes.

L&Q’s partnership with Morgan Sindall Property Services has generated more than £3m of social and economic value for our residents in Haringey and Hackney and their wider communities.

This has included:

• 233 young people supported with CV writing, interview skills and career advice
• 114 adults helped with job searches, completing job applications and mock interviews at local job centres
• 190 people supported with digital inclusion sessions in Haringey, partnering with charity Coffee and Computers
• 103 hours of volunteering at health and wellbeing projects in Hackney and Haringey
• 650 online courses provided for people to gain qualifications and further their skills.