Welcoming young people to visit construction sites can lead a lasting positive impact and inspire them into the industry. This week, we took part in Open Doors in partnership with Kier Property, to provide insights to young people on what goes on behind the scenes of a live construction site.
We’re currently on site at 19 Cornwall Street in Birmingham, transforming the 139,000 sq ft building into an exemplar net zero carbon in operation, smart-enabled office building for Kier Property. The redevelopment is seeing the creation of a central atrium, interactive breakout areas and a planted, communal roof terrace. There will also be a 150-space car park with electric vehicle charging points, a multi-functional studio, 74 cycle spaces and changing rooms.
Open Doors is a week-long event delivered by Build UK, which enables people to visit construction sites and workplaces across Great Britain and see the range of careers available in the industry.
Not only were we joined by fantastic groups of students and the public throughout the week, we were also pleased to welcome Julie White, the chair of Build UK, the managing director of D-Drill & Sawing, and the industry’s representative on Government’s Small Business Council, to 19 Cornwall Street.
Julie said: “I was thrilled to be in Birmingham on the first day of Open Doors 2024 and I am proud to be supporting such an incredible initiative.
“For many years, I have been talking about what a wonderful industry construction is and what amazing career opportunities it offers, and there is no better way to do that than by letting people see it in action.
“Through Open Doors, we actually get to show people what goes into the construction of a new building or piece of infrastructure and the difference that it makes economically and socially.
“As an industry, we need 50,000 new recruits a year and, by showing the thousands of people who have signed up for Open Doors what we do, we can make a real difference and demonstrate that there is a career in construction for everyone, whatever their skills and interests.”
Jayne Anderson, Social Value Manager at Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “We are proud to be a partner of Open Doors. It is a terrific initiative that enables a whole new generation to learn more about construction and the positive difference it can have on people’s lives. We hope that everyone who visited 19 Cornwall Street gained an insight into the many career opportunities the sector has to offer.”
Tom Gidlow, Employability Tutor at University College Birmingham, added: “As good as classroom education can be, it can never be an adequate replacement for going out and seeing the theory becoming a practical experience. For our students, it is about believing and seeing themselves in a place of work and seeing what their achievements can lead to.”
To find out more about how we work with students and young people to inspire them into the world of construction, click here.
National Apprenticeship Week is between 5-11 February. Funding and Learning Manager Janette Welton-Pai explains why this week matters to the future of the construction industry.
Janette Welton-Pai, Funding and Learning Manager
Quite simply, our future depends on attracting and upskilling many more people. This puts National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) into sharp focus as an opportunity to showcase the industry and attract the best.
While in the past there may have been misperceptions about apprenticeships based on outdated stereotypes, this has changed. Willmott Dixon’s own approach has evolved massively, to a point where apprenticeships are integral to developing skills and supporting career mobility for our people.
To do this, we use funding from the Apprenticeship Levy to access an array of apprenticeships for our people. This pathway of learning is not only for people at the start of their careers; it is also available for people already established in their roles who want to turbo-charge their opportunities with new skills and qualifications.
A shift in how we upskill tomorrow’s leaders
We place a lot of emphasis on our management trainee programme as the foundation for a new generation of future leaders. There’s no better illustration than Graham Dundas, our new CEO, who started on the programme in 1998.
Success means adapting. In recent years, we have moved away from registering all management trainees for degree courses to now include apprenticeships. So now many trainees are registered for apprenticeships at levels 4 – 6 (equivalent to degree). This includes Construction Site Management, Quantity Surveying technician, Design and Construction Management and the Construction Site Supervisor apprenticeships.
However, as mentioned, it’s not just about people at the start of their careers. Apprenticeships are becoming important in supporting our business priorities. An example is our data apprenticeship, which is being delivered by Corndel and Imperial College Business School. In January 2024, 12 of our people started the level 3 Data driven apprenticeship programme, following the success of recent learners who completed the level 4 Data analyst apprenticeship.
This shows how apprenticeships can meet the changing skills landscape in an era of unprecedented technological innovation and change. We’re on a journey to establish a common culture to use data to its full potential, which this apprenticeship neatly serves.
Apprenticeships are allowing our people to progress their careers at different levels, and as a company that wants its people to feel challenged and able to enjoy a pathway for their own personal development, this is important.
Retaining the best people
Apprenticeships help us develop potential and retain talent. Our focus on using apprenticeships to support mid-career upskilling and mobility has seen us register people for HR support at level 3, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Practitioner at level 4 and Digital and Technology Solutions Professional at level 6.
This was recognised in November 2023, when we achieved a second Gold award from the 5% club for our ‘earn and learn’ programmes.
So with the national spotlight on apprenticeships, it’s a timely reminder of the role they play in addressing recruitment, skills and career progression. Certainly at Willmott Dixon, they are a vital way we remain an employer of choice and a key element of how we help our people enjoy what we term a ‘career of a lifetime’.
Willmott Dixon Interiors has raised much needed funds for University Hospitals Sussex NHS FT’s dedicated charity, My University Hospitals Sussex.
Our team secured more than £1,600 for the charity following completion of the prestigious Brighton 10k – the second consecutive year we have participated.
We were joined by members of the Trust, and property and construction consultancy, Gleeds to complete a winning fundraising team.
All members of the mixed ability group crossed the finish line in under an hour, with the fastest clocking in at 44 minutes.
Willmott Dixon Interiors is a keen supporter of My University Hospitals Sussex.
The charity is dedicated to improving the quality of patient care by raising funds for research, treatment, and support. We are committed to this worthy cause, using our delivery of construction projects as a positive vehicle to uplift and enhance lives in various communities.
Pictured above: James Millar (UHSussex), Robert Lawrenson (Gleeds), Will Walkinton & Teagan Ashley (Willmott Dixon Interiors), Jonathan Steele (UHSussex), Tom Rivers & Matt Thompson (Willmott Dixon Interiors)
Modernising estates for UHSussex
Willmott Dixon Interiors delivered two successful projects in 2023 on behalf of UHSussex, which have supported the expansion and modernisation of its hospitals.
We worked together to create a new Urology Consulting Department at Princess Royal Hospital, and a new Audiology department at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital. We are currently delivering demolition works at Royal Sussex County Hospital’s Millennium Wing, paving the way for an expansion and significant increase in capacity.
Will Walkinton, principal surveyor at Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “The Brighton 10k is a fantastic event that brings people of all backgrounds and abilities together. Most importantly, it’s a really effective way of generating funds that give something back to our local communities, and we’re proud to have supported My University Hospitals Sussex.”
Thank you to our supply chain partners for supporting and donating to our fundraising efforts. They include: Pane Manwaring, Topline, Amber Scaffolding, GEN Drywall, Henley Group, TA Construction.
Supporting local and national charities and taking part in fundraising initiatives is hugely important to us. Last year we raised over £15,000 in donations to charities that have supported a variety of good causes.
Investing in local communities is hugely important to us.
Our people are passionate about raising money for charities and helping to improve other people’s lives so much so that we have a dedicated charity task team responsible for coordinating our collective efforts.
This year, the team has organised multiple fundraising events that have been enthusiastically supported. Here’s a snapshot:
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance
The year got off to a strong start with a charity bake-off and a social. The event raised almost £500 for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, a charity that delivers a 24/7 free, life-saving service through its helicopters and rapid response vehicles.
Mind
More than 100 of our people walked, ran or cycled to cover a 140-mile journey between our London and Birmingham offices – meeting midway for a charity social event. With the added support of our supply chain partners, we raised over £10,000 for mental health charity, Mind.
In the UK, 1 in 4 people suffer from mental health issues, but are unable to receive the help they need. Mental ill health is a particularly pressing issue in the construction sector, and we’re proud to do what we can to support Mind.
Dun-Roamin
Our Midlands office supported dog rehoming charity, Dun-Roamin, throughout 2023.
The series of events included:
- A karaoke night at Pad Thai in Birmingham
- An eight-mile sponsored walk in Derbyshire
- A summer Wolf Run in Leicestershire
In total we raised just shy of £1,000 which will enable more dogs to enjoy a better quality of life, surrounded by caring people.
CoppaFeel
In October, we set off on a 10km walk around London to raise money for CoppaFeel, a charity raising awareness of spotting the early signs of breast cancer. More than £600 was raised, which we hope will support more women in gaining an early diagnosis that could save their life.
Teenage Cancer Trust
Our participation in the autumn Wolf Run raised over £1,700 for Teenage Cancer Trust. While the charity’s care and support for young people is well documented, its funding for nurses, youth workers and NHS hospital units also supports people throughout their treatment.
Christmas Giving
Christmas is a time for giving. This year, we have partnered with three charities to donate coats and gifts to those that need them most:
- Our people donated £240 worth of coats in a range of sizes for Wrap Up London, which will support homeless and vulnerable people this winter.
- We created a wonderful Christmas tree which provided gifts for our people and visitors. The premise was simple: take a gift idea from the bauble and replace it with a present for children spending Christmas in the hospital. It resulted in the donation of over £2000 worth of gifts and toys for Great Ormand Street Hospital.
- And for dog lovers, we created a ‘North Pole’ designated for donations of treats, toys, towels, and bedding for the Dogs Trust.
We are proud to have been able to support so many charities and good causes this year but we couldn’t have done so alone.
A huge ‘thank you’ to our supply chain partners for their support: AMD, Eurowindows, MCS, KPH, IBuild Interiors, Hayton & Lamb, CF Roberts, 360 Interiors, Aimbec, CMB Engineers, Shaca, O’Neill and Brennan, DES Electrical, Stanford Scaffold, Moody Moos, Bancrofts, Madigan Gill, John Watson Doors, MK Electric, SBS Carpentry, Ahmarra Door Installations, Barrie Beard, Rigfix, WG&R, Midland Structures, and Saint Gobain Interior Solutions.
We are proud to have been recognised in the BPIC Awards for Best Community Project. This is our third social value award we have achieved this year.
This accolade has been awarded for the work we have completed in the community in Walthamstow, as part of our Soho Theatre Walthamstow project.
Above: The team with the award
We are currently transforming the theatre from an empty and deteriorating building, into an exciting new London venue. The building will benefit from better ventilation, cooling, and a weather-tight exterior, with the live performance venue consisting of 1000 seats with restaurants, café, and bar areas. A true revitalisation of the space and a regeneration of Walthamstow’s high street.
In addition to creating a vibrant building within the heart of Walthamstow, working with Waltham Forest Council, we generated over £6.5m social return on investment within the local community. This includes working with several different local schools, colleges, and businesses within Walthamstow.
We have partnered with local businesses to support people into work as well as providing work experience, construction tours, CV writing sessions, and talks about potential career opportunities within the construction industry. To create greener spaces, we have donated and planted trees within the local community, hosted discussions around the importance of sustainability and run mini projects with pupils to design and pitch their own school whilst working within a team to divide up responsibilities. Connecting over 1000 people locally, we have helped to support people into better careers and improve employment.
A large contribution to our social value work was the three community-based projects ran by our management trainees, as part of their annual Trainee Challenge. This solely focused on improving local spaces, providing more green space, and encouraging people outdoors.
Above: Our management trainees at the Trainee Challenge last year
The first project was at Langthorne Park; a play centre and toy library for children and parents. This focused on improving their outdoor space and indoor area to facilitate community sessions.
The second project was at Project Zero; a community centre focused on reducing knife crime to zero in Walthamstow. Here, we decorated indoor areas, which were later used when King Charles and Queen Camilla visited, and enhanced the biodiversity outdoors to invite people to socialise.
The third project was at Lime Academy, an SEN school, where we created an accessible school farm for them to encourage students to be outside and learn about agriculture.
To continue this legacy, we have been working with Project Zero by hosting sessions to promote young people into the industry and work on improving racial diversity in the industry.
Above: CGI of how the completed project will look at Soho Theatre Walthamstow
As a result of the work we have been delivering on the theatre, it was taken off of the Theatre’s at Risk Register this year. This was a major milestone in the building’s history which we are proud to be a part of.
We are proud of the work we have achieved on this project so far and the value it is already delivering to the local community and pleased this has been recognised in receiving this award
We recently revamped Horley Infant School’s Library to create a vibrant and fresh environment for students and teaches, bringing this space up to the standard of the rest of the school.
This is part of our social value work to improve environments in the local communities of our projects. Our ambition is to build lives and to deliver high-impact social value that makes a significant difference to the community and individual’s lives.
The stand-out feature of the new library we delivered is the bespoke oak tree, along with new furniture, new carpets, bookshelves, and painting of the ceilings, walls and joinery.
“Our library still sits within the main entrance of our school but now it certainly has the ‘WOW factor’! When visitors step into our school, their eyes light up at our amazing oak tree, purpose-built furniture and nooks created with log beanbags. The new space has created a sense of calm as well as wonder as the space has a proper identity as a library. We are incredibly grateful for the team at Wilmott Dixon who have made what was a real pipe dream a complete reality.” – Jason Walters, Headteacher at Horley Infant School
Thank you to our Supply Chain Partners that helped throughout the delivery of this; iBuild and Avenue Flooring.
Willmott Dixon Interiors’ social value team has been recognised in this year’s Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering Awards.
The team was honoured with an ‘Excellence in Outreach’ award for its exceptional commitment to uplifting the local community and inspiring women to consider careers in construction.
We are one of only four organisations to be recognised at the prestigious industry awards – jointly hosted by Construction News and New Civil Engineer – which champion the role of women in construction and engineering.
Consisting entirely of women, our remarkable social value team serve as daily beacons of encouragement, motivating the next generation to enter the construction sector and offering positive role models for those they empower.
Investing in the community is at the heart of our business
Building Lives is one of the key themes of Willmott Dixon Interiors’ Now or Never strategy, which has ambitious targets to achieve within the next seven years.
Every project we deliver features a social value plan, ensuring that we not only fulfil customer requirements but also bring significant benefits to surrounding communities.
Our social value team plays an active role in the communities where we operate by donating the time, skills, and expertise of our people. This is accomplished through initiatives such as outreach programmes that encourage women to pursue careers in construction, and help build their confidence in preparation for doing so.
We are incredibly proud of Building Lives. The effort our people put into upskilling and improving the knowledge of young people is outstanding. Our social value team plays a central role in this endeavour, and we are delighted to see its outstanding contributions acknowledged in this remarkable achievement.
How our award-winning social value team adapts to inspire women into construction
Our social value team recently worked with 40 inmates to deliver a programme focusing on women in construction at HMP New Hall, a women’s prison.
Determined to alter the perception that construction is exclusively a male domain, our social value team partnered with inmates to showcase the diverse career opportunities within the construction field, emphasise transferable skills, and promote the industry’s open embrace of women.
Participants told us that the session enhanced their interview, collaboration, and teamwork abilities, while also providing valuable insights into the construction industry. The women expressed their gratitude to our team for dedicating their time and expertise, and all the key objectives and expectations were successfully achieved.
In another instance, our social value team was presented with the challenge of organising two weeks of work experience for female fashion students. Acknowledging the stark contrast between the fashion and construction industries, our social value team was tasked with creating a placement that would be captivating, motivating, and advantageous for participants.
Every single student affirmed that their confidence and skills had seen a positive boost through the session. Additionally, every participant expressed a strong inclination toward considering a career in the construction industry.
In addition to these notable instances of inspiring women to explore careers in construction, our social value team routinely hosts school assemblies and participates in career fairs to motivate young individuals to contemplate a career in the construction industry.
Through our social value initiatives, we engaged with over 14,500 individuals last year.
Willmott Dixon Interiors has a proud record of investing in work experience programmes and enabling better careers for young people.
The benefits of doing so are numerous. Work experience programmes:
- Identify talent and support workforce diversity
- Deliver staff development opportunities
- Help sustain a highly engaged team
Above all, we believe that giving young people a positive experience in construction is simply the right thing to do, forming part of a high-impact social value proposition that supports our local communities.
In 2020, we launched our new sustainability strategy, Now or Never, Our decisive decade with a series of ambitious targets to achieve by 2030.
Building Lives is a key theme of the strategy. It acknowledges the enormous challenge of building a fairer society for all, and shapes our approach to CSR, social value and community.
We know that income inequality remains high and people’s life chances vary greatly. The enormity of those issues cannot be resolved by a single organisation, but our belief is that the wider construction sector has a significant role to play.
It’s why we work in close collaboration with customers, supply chain partners and community organisations to fully understand what’s needed, and how we can deliver real, long-term impact.
Building a career in construction
We’ve delivered placements to 135 young people in London and the West Midlands since the start of the year (January – August 2023) – that’s equivalent to c.82 weeks of work experience.
Partnering with ten separate schools and colleges, we’ve created opportunities across a whole range of functions to enable young people aged 13-22 years to gain an insight into, and a first hand experience of, life in the construction industry.
We have invited people into our site management, surveying and sustainability teams, opened the doors to our social value and preconstruction departments, as well as hosting opportunities in marketing and design.
Work experience programmes have challenged young people in several ways, not least in their perceptions of what roles are available in the sector – think interior fit out programmes, fashion-based placements and animation.
Our placements are by no means desk-based either. We know young people gain huge value from experiencing live construction sites, which is why we’ve hosted visits to projects such as Soho Theatre Walthamstow.
Structured, activity-led work experience programmes
The activities undertaken by young people on our work experience programmes are wide and varied.
We have devised four specific programme types which are designed to develop new skills, stretch minds and deliver experiences that young people may not have been exposed to before.
We have asked young people to:
- Design and present their own school, including formulating business ideas for their own construction company to build it.
- Create a sustainable village with innovative ideas on how to implement sustainable methods in all stages of construction (i.e. planning, building and aftermath).
- Design sustainable PPE for site workers.
- Use a randomised brief to create a design project on a digital platform.
A rewarding experience of work
Our programmes are shaped by the feedback we receive from students and teachers alike.
They have given us invaluable insight into what they most enjoyed during their time with us, what they’ve learnt about themselves and what else they’d like to experience.
- 135 young people have been on a Willmott Dixon Interiors work experience programme in London or the West Midlands since January 2023.
- 88% of participants said they would recommend our work experience programmes to a friend.
- Programmes have been delivered in partnership with ten different schools and colleges.
We typically receive positive feedback around soft skills development, especially in areas such as teamwork, communication, confidence and leadership.
But there are other new skills frequently cited by our work experience alumni that aren’t always taught in class: how to develop a professional network, working to people’s strengths and the importance of time management and organisation.
Building a career in construction
We’re proud that our work experience programmes provide an overwhelmingly positive experience for the majority of young people who spend time with us.
For Modassir Zaman, the experience was simply life-changing. He graduated with a construction management degree in 2020 before experiencing mental ill health that led to being sectioned to a mental health hospital for four months.
Out of work and worried he wouldn’t be able to find a way into the sector, Modassir applied for a two-week work experience placement with Willmott Dixon Interiors – it led to a full-time job as part of a site team at St. Michael’s Hospital, Warwick.
“I am extremely thankful for the opportunity Willmott Dixon Interiors has provided,” he said. “It’s ironic how I was once a patient sectioned in a mental health hospital and now I am part of an amazing site team who are helping the NHS to improve these facilities.”
“It was an incredible experience that allowed me to explore my creativity and passion for sustainability. I learned so much from the programme and gained valuable skills and knowledge in sustainable design.”
Student at SATRO, an educational charity working across south central England
“I enjoyed hearing from other people about their education and work experience, and I think it helped a lot with some insecurities I had.”
Student at Oasis Academy South Bank
“All too often employers we work with see barriers and difficulties when opening up their doors to young people with learning disabilities, but Willmott Dixon Interiors see solutions!”
Lisa Quinn, coordinator at Business Education Events
“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with you and I am so grateful that so many students have been given the opportunity to have experience of the workplace at Willmott Dixon Interiors.”
Sara Swanton, careers manager at Weald of Kent Grammar School
Willmott Dixon Interiors’ green-focused trainee challenge has been honoured at this year’s London Construction Awards.
‘The Power of Green’, which focused on creating accessible green spaces for local communities, has won the Excellence in Community Engagement award at a glittering ceremony in London.
The challenge was led by assistant design coordinator, Abi Inskip, who managed a team of 18 trainees tasked with investing in environmentally sustainable projects in London’s Waltham Forest and Alum Rock in Birmingham. Projects were also designed to educate people on the importance of accessibility and inclusion within the built environment.
Above: Abi Inskip with the London Construction Award
Abi has since led the roll out of our Building Green legacy programme, continuing an investment in the creation of accessible green spaces. Building Green is split into two branches: Building Green Lives, working in schools, universities, community centres and youth clubs to promote the construction industry and green skills; and Building Green Spaces, working alongside project delivery teams to create accessible outdoor community spaces.
Abi said: “It was a true privilege to lead the trainee challenge and make such an impact on multiple communities. It was amazing to see the transformation we made to the spaces and I’m proud to be continuing the legacy of this initiative with the Building Green programme.”
Bev Williams, director and responsible for trainees, Willmott Dixon Interiors, added: “We are hugely proud that our fantastic trainee challenge has been recognised and are incredibly proud of Abi and the efforts of our trainees in investing into local communities.”
Above: Our trainees and team that were involved in the project collecting the award
‘The Power of Green’ – a snapshot of our award-winning trainee challenge projects:
Walthamstow:
- Project Zero – a centre supporting reduction in violent crime, working with local young and unemployed people, and refugees. We engaged in careers fairs, decorated a previously empty car park on site, and painted brick walls ready for a local artist to create a mural. We also added planters and benches for visitors who can now use the previously disused bus for internet access for activities such as access to the debt service, job applications or arranging visas. Internally, we decorated a room which will be used to host sessions on sexual and mental wellbeing, drugs/alcohol awareness, and first aid. We continue to work with Project Zero on a new programme to improve racial equality within the construction industry and promote careers to the next generation.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are pictured in the internal room we decorated during a recent visit.
Above: Internal room our trainees decorated
- Langthorne Park – a pavilion run by the E17 toy library which helps low and supported-income families. We cleaned the amphitheatre and added planters to the outdoor area for growing fruit and vegetables. The kitchen area was also refurbished, allowing the delivery of cookery classes and supporting the charity’s aspiration of running a café to increase revenue.
Old kitchen appliances were shipped to Uganda to support a small family restaurant.
Above: Our trainees at Langthorne Park
- Lime Academy – a special educational needs school for ages 4-18. We transformed a large unusable open space into a school farm containing animal enclosures, over 35 planters, 6 bug hotels and a large sensory garden with level flooring. It provides outside space for many students who do not otherwise have access to a garden and/or family pets and allows for the curriculum to include agriculture lessons for students.
Above: The large field our trainees transformed into a school farm
Birmingham:
- Norton Hall – a community centre with a nursery facility that supports local young people including young mothers and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
We transformed the centre’s previously unusable, overgrown outdoor space into a memorial garden, with a quiet area for reflection and downtime. We also added benches and planters, removed undergrowth and cleaned graffiti, as well as delivering an associated landscape design competition for undergraduate students at Birmingham City University.
Above: Norton Hall’s memorial garden
Over 100 people, 140 miles, raising over £10k.
This month, our people from our London and Birmingham offices walked, ran, or cycled their way along the Grand Union Canal to meet in the middle in Milton Keynes. This was all in aid of mental health charity Mind.
Despite the extremely hot day, our people were determined to complete the challenge, finishing in the pub for a well-deserved drink!
Mental health is important to look after, and we support anyone struggling. Mind is our national chosen charity for 2023. The charity work to raise awareness and support those suffering from mental health issues. 1 in 4 people in the UK suffer from mental health issues, but are unable to receive the required help they need. Mind work to mitigate this and help those in need.
As well as fundraising to help support others with their mental health, this challenge also helped our people’s mental health. It has been proven spending time outdoors and in nature can significantly improve mental wellbeing along with physical health.
Thank you to all of our Supply Chain Partners that donated and supported us along the way: AMD Environmental, EUROWINDOWS LIMITED, MCS Group Ltd, KPH Construction, iBuild, Hayton and Lamb, CF Roberts Mechanical & Electrical Contractors , 360 Interiors Solutions, AIMBEC CARPENTRY LTD, CMB Engineering, Shaca Construction Ltd, O’Neill & Brennan UK, DES Electric, Hi-Stanford Scaffolding Ltd, The Fire Protection Company, Bancroft Ltd and MadiganGill.
Special thanks to our Charity Team for all their efforts in organising this fantastic fundraiser!
Well done to all of our people for taking on the challenge and fundraising for a worthy cause. We are proud to have surpassed our goal of £10k.