Pioneering Careys Construction Campus to be piloted at Oxford North

The training camp will be set-up to provide practical learning space as an initial pilot at Oxford North.

The three-week training course will be available to people aged 17 years and over who have been a resident in the UK for the last three years and live in England.

The Campus is due to open at the end of March 2025 and the first pilot course will run for three weeks from 8am to 4pm five days a week. The Campus will train between 12 to 15 people in curbing, block paving, drainage and finishing.

Students will gain their Level 2 credit in ground operative skills to progress to further training in groundworks at Level 2 such as diploma, or to progress into a job role in the construction industry or apprenticeship.

Also, they will gain their CSCS card, which will provide proof that they have the appropriate training and qualifications to work on a construction site. This will help to improve standards and safety in UK construction. On completion of the training, there will be a guaranteed interview with Careys.

Careys’ involvement with Oxford North started in 2022 when they won the contract to deliver the A44 Woodstock Road improvement works between Wolvercote and Peartree roundabouts to promote walking, cycling and bus use to and from Oxford North and the wider network.

Careys has more recently carried out groundworks to support the construction of Oxford North’s Fallaize Park, the new two-acre public park, the equivalent size of Trafalgar Square, which is due to open in autumn 2025.

Careys opened its first Construction Campus in 2024 in Wembley as part of the government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, to help everyone gain skills for life for free, to upskill the workforce in in-demand jobs through on-site, place-based practical learning.

Since then, 82 people have been through its Wembley training programme. Oxford North is part of Careys’ strategy to continue to roll out the campus across the UK.

Tom Wraight, regional director, Careys, who has spearheaded Careys Construction Campus at Oxford North, said: “There is a skills crisis in construction, and we are addressing this head-on through our Construction Campus model giving opportunities for people to be trained for free in the exciting environment of a major construction site. We are thrilled to be piloting our second campus at Oxford North – a really well-connected place on the bus networks to encourage as many people as possible looking to get into our great industry to gain free and excellent training.”

The pilot is to be funded in collaboration with Oxford North Ventures, the joint venture company of Thomas White Oxford, the development company of St John’s College, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Stanhope, along with Careys, to provide space, materials and a teacher. The training will be delivered by one of two trainers already employed by Careys.

Simon Ruck, managing director, Oxford North added: “The construction industry is vital for the economy in creating jobs and opportunities as well as places to live, work and visit. We are proud to be hosting Careys Construction Campus at Oxford North as part of our continued strategy to ensure the project has a positive impact on people’s lives by creating jobs and opportunities. People who take advantage of the free training will experience a vibrant construction site as we head towards opening later this year. Such training will be invaluable in not only giving local people the skills they need but building their confidence to pursue a career in construction. We look forward to welcoming the first cohort on-site.”

Tom Storey, social value consultant, Storey Consulting for Oxford North added: “Careys has thought outside the box with their Construction Campus to deliver exceptional hands-on training, on-site in a real-life environment, which will help to attract talent into the industry. Oxford North and Careys are to be commended for their initiative to pilot this in Oxford and we urge local people to find out more and consider it to gain training to access this vital industry.

“This is about a place-based rather than project-based approach to learning where all developments in Oxford and the county will be able to benefit from new, well-trained work-ready employees to meet their skills gaps. Whether you are unemployed, looking to upskill or wanting to get into construction, this a brilliant way to start with free, place-based training.”

There are no formal entry requirements for learners starting this qualification, which can be undertaken without any previous training or qualifications on this subject.

People can register their interest whether they are in-work, self-employed, unemployed, or returning to work after a break, by visiting the dedicated website. Should they need support with transport to and from Oxford North’s Careys Construction Campus, this can be discussed further.

In a call to alms with our construction companies, Tom Wraight added: “We would like to stress that while this is an initiative supported by Oxford North and us, the campus is open to other construction companies to boost the whole industry and get people into jobs. We are willing to work together to help set-up similar campuses on their projects to train more people. We’re all in this together to support the future of our industry and we can’t wait to see the pilot results at Oxford North.”

For further information about Careys Construction Campus, please visit: https://www.careys.co/courses/construction-supervisor