Urban&Civic and Barratt Homes help build the next generation of construction industry ‘brick by brick’
A collaboration between the businesses behind house building in Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire is set to help to build the next generation of the construction industry - literally brick by brick.
Housebuilder Barratt Homes and Urban&Civic, the master developer for Whitehouse and Fairfields in Milton Keynes and Wixams in Bedfordshire, have donated bricks and other materials to the Construction department at Milton Keynes College, to help students lay the foundations for careers in the building industry.
The College offers a range of construction-related education pathways, including bricklaying courses that provide practical learning to start a career in the sector.
When Urban&Civic heard the College was looking for new supplies of bricks for its construction courses, it introduced them to Barratt Homes, who are building around 1,850 homes at Wixams.
As a result of the introduction, Barratt Homes offered to donate surplus brick stock to the College, helping bricklaying apprentices gain practical, hands-on experience with high-quality bricks ahead of their future careers.
The housebuilder is also donating lintels - the horizontal beams used in construction above doors and windows, as part of the support package.
The materials will all be used as part of the College’s courses, and the partnership has laid the foundations for future collaborations that can benefit young people in the area.
Jordan Payne, Communications and Partnerships Manager at Urban&Civic, said: “Right now we’ve got bricks from Wixams, being laid by future bricklayers in Milton Keynes. What better way to support the construction industry than by giving students the right building blocks to learn their trade. We’re delighted to have partnered with Barratt Homes, whose generosity will help more students develop their skills as they progress in their careers. We’re also grateful to Carl and his team for their hands-on support throughout.”
Carl Webb, Contracts Manager from Barratt Homes, said: “At Barratt Homes we see it as our duty to encourage and help the next generation of housebuilders and construction workers in any way we can.
“We hope that by donating these bricks to Milton Keynes College, we’ll be helping students gain the practical experience they need that will take them forward into the sector and be part of the housebuilding industry of the future.”
Maria Bowness, Group Director for Curriculum and Pedagogy from Milton Keynes College, said: “We’re very grateful to Barratt Homes and Urban&Civic for this generous support. Training the next generation of construction professionals is vital for the future of the city and the country, and materials like bricks and lintels are essential for young people to learn, and buying them in sufficient quantities puts serious pressure on our budgets. We’re really looking forward to working with both companies even more in future.”