Member Article

Romsey development welcomes local apprentices

As the new academic year starts, a new development in Romsey is helping local apprentices to carve out careers in construction.

Barratt Homes has welcomed two new apprentices to its Kings Chase development in the town as it continues to work closely with Test Valley Borough Council to provide local training and development opportunities.

Jacob Glasspool, 16, has been taken on as a carpentry apprentice, having impressed Barratt Homes staff when he went to a careers fair at Mountbatten School. Jacob said: “I’m really excited to get started with my apprenticeship. When I spoke to the team from Barratt at the schools careers fair I knew an apprenticeship was definitely what I wanted to do and it’s really good that I’m working on a new community where I live.”

Also joining as a site management apprentice is Christopher Allen, another former Romsey School pupil. He had applied to several construction firms without success, something that Barratt Homes’ community liaison manager, Anthony Dimmick, said he was surprised by. “He was excellent on interview; knowledgeable, polite and committed. I couldn’t believe a company hadn’t taken him on already so we leapt at the opportunity to give him experience here at Kings Chase as an apprentice.”

Kings Chase, from Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, is bringing 275 homes to Romsey. As well as providing new homes for local people, the development is also providing opportunities for apprentices to work towards nationally-recognised qualifications.

It is working closely with Test Valley Borough Council through an employment and skills plan, which sets out how the developer and its sub-contractors will recruit and train local people and provide career advice in local schools.

Economic development portfolio holder, councillor David Drew, said: “It is great that Barratt Homes is working closely with local schools to offer careers advice and encourage young people into the sector as part of delivering the council’s employment and skills plan for King’s Chase.

“The council is working with a number of the major home-builders across the borough on plans for employment and enhancing skills for those taking on apprenticeships, work placements and other opportunities. We’re very pleased that Barratt Homes is setting this example which we need to replicate throughout the borough.”

It’s estimated that Kings Chase alone will support up to 825 jobs as it’s being built and homes sold.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Barratt Homes .