- TfL, Barratt London, The Earls Court Development Company, Grainger and Notting Hill Genesis joins forces with Class Of Your Own to educate young people about opportunities offered by the construction and property sector.
- From project management to public relations, a range of careers are showcased.
- Schools will be adopted by the partners who will also help with lesson ideas and use real-world challenges found across TfL’s vast property portfolio.
Transport for London (TfL) has teamed up with four of the UK’s leading property developers to highlight the fulfilling and varied careers in property construction and management, encouraging students to consider how they could leave their legacy on London.
The construction and property management industry is ever-changing, and with the growing importance of sustainable ways of working, there has never been a more interesting time to encourage the future workforce to look for careers in this area.
Recruiting diverse and talented people is one of the biggest challenges to organisations within the sector, especially across professional services, construction and facilities management occupations. By opening young people’s eyes at secondary school age TfL and the developer partners hope to bring increased diversity and fresh thinking to the field in the years to come. Across London, TfL is working with developers to build more than 10,000 new homes - half of which will be affordable. Work has started on more than 1,500 homes and planning committee approval has now been secured for a further 6,560 homes. TfL is awaiting planning committee decisions on 1,250 that have already been submitted.
Using the innovative ‘Adopt A School’ scheme developed by social business Class Of Your Own (“COYO”) to support their award-winning ‘Design Engineer Construct!’ (“DEC”) Learning Programme, the partners will provide participating schools with in-class and on-site support mapped to bespoke learning and teaching resources. DEC students of all age ranges will also be able to access live chats and videos from a whole range of technical and professional staff and take part in some exciting work experience opportunities.
The first school to be adopted through the model is Fulham Cross Academy. The school is located close to the Earls Court development site, so staff and students will gain insight into some of the decisions to bring new life to this area. A bespoke virtual work experience will be offered to students in April.
As more schools are adopted, the partners will look to build on the best practices found within the industry, and will also look to take on more schools in deprived areas where children and young people could benefit from the DEC programme.
Schools and colleges throughout the capital are also being encouraged to make use of resources that are being developed by the Schools Outreach Programme. From this week teachers can download videos of first-hand accounts from professionals who explain what their career has involved so far and the best ways to get into the sector – with more resources to be made available over the coming months.
TfL has invested in the future of transport and related industries for many years through its school, graduate and apprenticeship programmes both in London and across the country through its UK-wide supply chain network. TfL’s Construction Skills team has helped connect people to new jobs and training in their local areas, meaning they can watch their work shape their towns and leave a lasting impression on London’s skyline.
Laura Miller, Senior Construction Skills Manager at TfL, said:
“We are thrilled to be working with these developers to help school children of all ages see how important this industry is to the UK economy. By helping students see what they could be part of, we hope that they will investigate careers that will shape the future of London and the UK.
‘The reduced numbers of people pursuing careers in this industry continues to be a challenge, especially due to the vast levels of construction demand in London. Working with Class Of Your Own allows us to use their knowledge and expertise of young people to better understand the potential and help our property plans go from strength to strength.”
Alan Jones, Head of School at Fulham Cross Academy, said:
“Fulham Cross Academy students and staff are very excited to be working with TfL as part of the ‘Class Of Your Own’ initiative. Given our close proximity to Earls Court, our school community is taking a very keen interest in this development. As part of this initiative our students will gain a significant insight into the opportunities and careers that are integral to creating the Earls Court vision. We are hopeful that our students will not only learn the various career paths that are essential to the realisation of this creation but that some of them may even work on this project as part of their own journey into employment over the next decade. There are exciting times ahead for us.”
Alison Watson MBE, Chief executive, Class Of Your Own, said:
“I’m delighted that TfL has chosen to provide London’s schools with DEC through our Adopt A School scheme. We’ve seen so many learners discover pathways to exceptional digital careers in architecture, engineering and construction throughout the past decade and having genuine links with industry makes a huge difference to each and every one of them. TfL’s commitment the young people of London is admirable and I look forward to seeing more exceptional young talent emerge from this great opportunity.”
Charlotte Hopkinson, Head of Sustainability, at Grainger plc, said:
“We are delighted to be working with our partner Transport for London on this exciting new initiative to broaden access to the real estate industry, use our skills to help young people and have a positive social impact in the areas where we are developing new homes for Londoners.”
Verisha Douse, Development Project Manager for Notting Hill Genesis, said:
“The housing sector is such an interesting and vital area for London and beyond, whether on a construction site or in our offices supporting our aim to provide safe, comfortable and affordable homes to all who need them. We are looking forward to joining forces with schools across the capital to help youngsters learn the importance of the work housing associations do and support them towards their career goals.”
Jim Wood, Barratt London Managing Director, said:
"It is a great privilege to be in partnership with Transport for London and other leading developers to help educate young adults on the roles available within the construction field. The students will have the opportunity to hear real experiences from the Class of Your Own, in addition to learning how to shape their education to gain a role in property. We hope that these students are the future that makes London an even better place to live.”
Rob Heasman, CEO of The Earls Court Development Company, said:
“Now is the right time to start thinking about a new era for our industry, and for London. Not only is that re-imagining what our iconic destinations look like as we recover from the pandemic, but also how we can set new goals for sustainability, diversity, skills and partnerships to underpin that recovery. It’s programmes like this that enable us to act right now. The Earls Court Development Company are delighted to be working with TfL in delivering this programme, and that it starts right here in Earls Court with the Fulham Cross Academy.”
Notes to Editors
• The costs of adopting schools will be shared across the partners, with some funding coming from the TfL Mayor’s Construction Academy, which seeks to provide training and skills to those looking to find a career in the construction industry. For more information please visit: https://careers.tfl.gov.uk/construction-skills/construction-opportunities/
• UK education consultancy and social enterprise Class Of Your Own (COYO) has worked to bring industry leaders in construction and the built environment together for the past decade - not only to help tell students about careers in these fields, but also to bring real-life examples of how science, technology, engineering and maths play important roles in these careers through their Design Engineer Construct curriculum.
• The Earls Court Development Company is the new Earls Court-based business responsible for overseeing the Earls Court development site on behalf of Earls Court Partnership Limited, the joint venture between Delancey’s investors and Transport for London.
• The videos and supporting resources can be downloaded from https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/schools-and-young-people/property-and-construction-skills
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