Chesterfield-based SDE Group is pushing forward with ambitions to be greener and reduce the carbon footprint of the UK, with the installation of multiple rapid charging points for electronic vehicles.
The company has set out a long-term goal of having a better impact on the environment, with the growth of electric charging stations being something the firm is very passionate about.
Electric Vehicles are starting to become the car of choice for many drivers, as the most efficient and cheapest vehicles on the road because of lower running costs, along with a host of other benefits such as priority lanes, free parking and charging, incentive schemes and a generally improved driving experience.
SDE Group is working alongside Gridserve to help grow the electric highway, installing new Rapid Charging Stations up and down the country from John o’ Groats to Lands End, in lots of public locations and destinations.
One of the company’s latest jobs was at IKEA in Sheffield, where two new stations were added to the parking area. All the necessary civil works are undertaken by SDE’s site teams, ensuring the bases are formed to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Once completed, the new units are delivered from SDE’s Chesterfield Warehouse and installed, tested and commissioned by trained and qualified Electric Highway installers.
Ian Buckton, Contracts Director at SDE Group said: “Initially we were asked by one of our existing clients if we would be interested in working with Gridserve in upgrading the electric highway, with the initial trial in the midlands. Now the rollout has taken us from Land’s End to John O’Groats. On average we are doing five sites per week.
“SDE have been looking at the carbon footprint of the business for the last few years, so when we were approached by our clients to work alongside Gridserve on the renewable energy scheme, it is something that excited us as this falls into our business plan.
“If you would like any more information about SDE’s EV charging programme, please contact us on our website.”
In addition, SDE has recently invested in electric vehicles for staff to use when travelling between sites, and installed charging stations in the office car park, to allow the team who own their own electric vehicles to charge their cars during the workday. The firm found this has been a great benefit to team members who head to sites regularly.
With the new legislation the government has signed coming into effect in 2022, this is to become the standard for all new offices and homes across England, so if your business will be in need of Electric Car Charging Stations, SDE can help you move forward into a greener future.
SDE Group supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Chesterfield’s success in securing more than £45million in grant funding in this year’s March and October budgets will take centre stage at the fifth Chesterfield Investment Summit.
The free-to-attend event is returning in-person once more and will be held at the Casa Hotel on Wednesday 24 November from 8:30am – 12:00pm.
Christian Neilsen, Urban Design Associate at BDP which developed the Staveley Town Centre Masterplan, in conjunction with Chesterfield Borough Council, will be amongst the speaker line-up.
This is one of the eleven projects that are receiving funding through the £25.2 million Staveley Town Deal. The grant for Staveley was one of the largest given to 45 towns in England in March earlier this year as part of the government’s £1billion Town’s Fund.
In the recent budget, Chesterfield was once again put under the spotlight by Chancellor Rishi Sunak after securing a £19.98 million grant from the national Levelling Up Fund.
Dr Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of Chesterfield Borough Council, who is also speaking at the event will reveal how the government funding will be used to continue to create a better future for our market traders, retailers, residents, and businesses.
Around 150 people are expected to attend the popular event which is organised by Destination Chesterfield and Derbyshire Economic Partnership and is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
The event will also hear from Rupert Carr, director of Birchall Properties, the company developing Chesterfield’s £400million all year leisure, education, wellness and entertainment destination PEAK, is to headline. He will update delegates on the progress and plans for the ambitious multi-phase leisure development which capitalises on the town’s proximity to Peak District National Park.
Additional speakers also include Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, Chris Henning, Executive Director Place at Derbyshire County Council and Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield and Managing Director of Bolsterstone Group Plc the company developing the town’s £340million regeneration scheme Chesterfield Waterside.
Peter Swallow commented: “We’re delighted to bring back the Investment Summit in person, after hosting it virtually last year. Chesterfield has continued to move forward and made significant progression on developments within the town in spite of the pandemic, so there is lots to talk about at the Summit. It’s going to be another great event.”
Chesterfield Borough Council has secured £19.98m of Government funding through a successful bid to the national Levelling Up Fund. The funding was confirmed as part of yesterday’s Autumn Budget and Spending Review.
£11.4m will be allocated towards the costs of a £15.6m project to remodel and refurbish Chesterfield’s ‘striking’ Stephenson Memorial Hall extending the Pomegranate Theatre, reconfiguring and modernising Chesterfield museum, and introducing new gallery space, a café bar, education, and community facilities.
The remaining £8.5m of funding will be used to further regenerate Chesterfield’s historic town centre, with investment centred on four key public spaces and the connections between them – Corporation Street, Rykneld Square, Market Square and New Square.
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “This is fantastic news for Chesterfield. The funding that we have secured from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund will complement the significant investments the council and its partners are already making in Chesterfield town centre and will ensure that we can continue to create a better future for our market traders, retailers, residents, and businesses.
“These investments coupled with the council’s business support activities, which include our Digital High Street Project, new business start-up programme, and Love Chesterfield campaign, also complement the ground-breaking Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield project, which aims to sustain the future vitality and viability of Chesterfield town centre.
“We want Chesterfield to be a go-to place for visitors. The projects that will be enabled through the Levelling Up funding will go a long way to helping us achieve this ambition by enhancing our cultural offer and creating new experiences in and around the town’s most iconic building – the Crooked Spire (Parish Church of St Mary and All Saints) – and our historic market grounds.
“We are an ambitious council, committed to making Chesterfield a thriving borough and improving the quality of life of local people. We have achieved part one, which is to secure Government funding, the next part is to deliver these Levelling Up projects at pace and with the desired impact for the future prosperity of our town and borough.”
Under the council’s plans, the four key public spaces that make up Chesterfield town centre will be re-imagined to accommodate a range of flexible uses including markets, festivals, events, cultural celebrations, and community gatherings. This will be achieved through enhancements to the current public realm, comprising new seating to encourage people to dwell and socialise, new landscaping, new lighting, and digital connectivity for all.
At the Stephenson Memorial Hall, the council will be looking to create a unique facility, using the very latest technology to fuse all forms of performing and visual arts whilst also showcasing and celebrating Chesterfield’s heritage. The aim is to ensure that all our residents can experience the arts and culture in much improved facilities, which we hope will also attract many new visitors to Chesterfield’s economy.
Chesterfield Borough Council made its funding submission to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund in June 2021, but it has not stood still with a planning application submitted last week for the works of refurbishment planned for Stephenson Memorial Hall.
The Chesterfield based agency Pinewood Property Estates received the Gold Grand Prix Award for Best Letting Agent in the UK, along with Silver and Gold for Best Estate and Letting Agent in the East Midlands at the prestigious ESTAS Customer Service Awards 2021 sponsored by Coadjute, the biggest awards in the UK property industry.
Pinewood Property Estates finally finished with 4 Golds and 2 Silvers at the awards. The winners were announced at the largest event in the property industry in 2 years held at the Grosvenor House in London and hosted by the country’s favourite TV property presenter Phil Spencer in front of 1,100 guests.
Now in their 18th year the awards, which are powered by ESTAS own customer review platform, recognise the best estate and letting agents for customer service based on ratings from clients who have been through the whole moving experience with an agent. This year’s results were calculated from over 200,000 customer review ratings.
Phil Spencer, who has hosted The ESTAS every year since their inception in 2003 addressed the live audience: “You’ve had to work incredibly hard, you’ve had to adapt your businesses, you’ve had to absorb considerable costs to follow the protocols and to enable things to happen safely. Quite simply delivering great service has never been more challenging so The ESTAS Awards for 2021 are the most well deserved ever in their entire 18 year history!”
Estate and letting agents were recognised in counties and regions around the UK. National Grand Prix Awards were also announced for the Best Single Agent Office in sales and lettings.
Simon Brown Founder of The ESTAS said “When we started we wanted to create a set of property awards which were completely pure, where winners were selected solely on customer service ratings from actual transactions. Eighteen years on ESTAS is now the customer review platform of choice for property professionals and the most prestigious award an agent, a conveyancer or mortgage broker can win in the property industry.”
Stacey Davies-Bowler, Managing Director of Pinewood Property Estates said “We are absolutely thrilled to be recognised in this year’s ESTAS and walk away with 4 Golds and 2 Silvers is absolutely amazing. It means so much to us as we know it’s our customers who have judged our performance. We take our levels of customer service very seriously because we know clients have a choice.
“We have always been very proud of the personal service and this proves we are delivering what we promise. We are just an independent Estate Agent from Chesterfield fighting against some of the largest Agents in the country so to win Gold at the ESTAS is even more humbling”
Pinewood Properties supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Draft plans to revitalise Staveley town centre as part of the wider regeneration of the area are being considered by Chesterfield Borough Council.
The Staveley Town Centre Draft Vision Master Plan is to go before the council’s Cabinet on 2 November and, if approved, will be subject to a six-week public consultation starting on 8 November.
The proposals set out a vision for the future development of Staveley’s town centre, including improvements to the look, feel and flow of Market Square and High Street, and are designed to harness the opportunities presented by wider investment in the town.
The draft plan has been brought forward as part of an ambitious regeneration package being delivered under the Staveley Town Deal programme, which has created a ‘golden opportunity’ to breathe new life into the former mining town for generations to come.
Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Staveley town centre is a place with rich heritage and character – and a lot of untapped potential to make it the best it can be for the benefit of Staveley’s growing community.
“Taken together with the significant investment and regeneration which is planned for across this area, we have a golden opportunity to transform Staveley for generations to come.
“Currently, like town centres up and down the country – particularly those which are relatively small – Staveley is being hit by the rise of online shopping and changing customer habits, as well as the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There is also much more that could be done to better connect some of the area’s key sites and buildings, to make the town centre a real retail, leisure and community hub.
“Our draft vision master plan sets out a framework in which some key improvements can be brought forward and, if approved by Cabinet, we will continue to work closely with the community.
“Staveley’s businesses are key to the future success of the town centre, and we are committed to working with them to adapt and shape these draft plans.”
The draft vision master plan has been put together following initial consultation with Staveley Town Council, local business representatives and key partners – with a view to gathering more detailed feedback as part of the six-week consultation period.
The purpose of the consultation is to get public and business feedback on the draft proposals, so they can then be adjusted and finalised.
Just over £4.85m has been earmarked for town centre improvements as part of the Staveley Town Deal programme – with funding subject to final approval by Government early next year.
Key proposals include:
Regenerating Market Square, including proposals for a new building called ‘The Market House’ which would create a commercial and community hub, with potential to host large indoor and outdoor and outdoor events
Revitalising High Street, including plans to upgrade and improve landscaping, street furniture and cycle parking
Unlocking the development potential of underused or derelict sites which could be used to support a more vibrant evening economy, family facilities and leisure opportunities
Installing town centre Wi-Fi, to create a more digitally connected town centre for the benefit of businesses and shoppers
Improving signage, and adding new walkways which will link the canal with Staveley Hall and local shops / services – helping people to explore further and stay longer
The updated draft master plan is designed to replace a previous version of the document which was drawn up in 2009 and now – due to changes in within the borough, as well as the national economic context – must be reviewed to ensure it provides a relevant and robust framework for the development of the town centre.
Councillor Sarvent added: “This is a hugely exciting time for Staveley. Together with our partners, our aim is to deliver significant investment and improvements across key aspects of the town in support of our vision to create a legacy for the future – a place where people can start, stay and grow.”
If approved, the draft vision master plan proposals will be subject to a consultation period running from 8 November to 12 December.
This will be via a virtual exhibition, supported by a staffed exhibition at The Healthy Living Centre in Staveley.
Dozens of new homes are soon set to be available on a newly-regenerated site in Chesterfield, with some properties available on the government-backed Help to Buy scheme.
Walton Peaks is a collection of 35 detached and 22 semi-detached houses for sale in the town, comprising 6 two-bedroom homes, 38 three-bedroom homes and 13 four-bedroom homes for open-market sales through Linden Homes.
The shared ownership and rented element of this development is made up of 46 further plots, of which 35 are shared ownership and 11 are rented.
The scheme involves the regeneration of a brownfield site to provide much-needed new homes, including shared-ownership and Help to Buy homes that will help first-time buyers and young families onto the housing ladder.
The development includes a play area in the development and attention to biodiversity through installation of bat boxes, swift boxes, swallow boxes and a hedgehog highway.
Houses on the development have been on sale since July 2021, with first completions expected this November. The site is expected to fully completed around Spring/Summer 2023.
Linden Homes is hosting a Help to Buy information event this Saturday and Sunday, 16th and 17th October, from 10am to 5pm which will provide people with more information about the scheme.
Andrew Handslip, Head of Sales and Marketing at Linden Homes, commented: “Chesterfield is a vibrant town with a rich heritage and excellent amenities. At the gateway to the Peak District, and with excellent transport connections, it offers an exceptional quality of life.
“We’re pleased to be regenerating brownfield land that has been derelict for a long time to create this new collection of high-quality homes for the local community, which includes shared ownership and Help to Buy homes, giving young couples and families a chance to get on the property ladder.
“We’re also proud to be working together with local schools to promote construction as a career option in the area.”
“Walton Peaks has proved to be an extremely popular development in the Chesterfield area. We currently have six homes available under the Help to Buy scheme, which are sure to attract plenty of interest from buyers.
“So, we would encourage anyone interested in purchasing a Help to Buy property at Walton Peaks to attend this event, which will be a great opportunity to find out more about Help to Buy, with financial advice provided by a representative of Meridian Mortgages.”
Find out more about local regeneration taking place across Chesterfield here.
Chesterfield-based Whittam Cox has won the ‘Refurbishment/Fit out of the year’ award at this year’s Yorkshire Insider Property Industry Awards, for work carried out on the Beton House development in Sheffield.
The annual dinner is a highlight in the property industry calendar that celebrates major achievements across the sector in the region. In this category, the judges were looking for evidence of standout projects that demonstrated fresh thinking, new design standards and a positive response from the local community.
Beton House is the third phase of the redevelopment of Sheffield’s iconic Park Hill estate and provides student accommodation in a unique three-storey townhouse format, with entrances accessed from the famous ‘streets in the sky’.
Originally completed in 1961, Park Hill is the largest listed building in Europe and is regarded as a significant brutalist building of heritage. Working with Alumno Group, Historic England, Urban Splash and Sheffield City Council, Whittam Cox developed a refurbishment strategy seeking to restore and enrich the successful elements of the original design whilst also adding new elements to the fabric to provide character and identity to the building.
The retention of most of the original fabric also makes this a very sustainable student living building in terms of embodied carbon.
Matthew Borland, Associate Director at Whittam Cox commented: “As a team, we have worked incredibly hard to understand the deep roots of the original design which is clearly unique in architectural character.
“Our designs for Béton House retain and celebrate all of the important elements of the original scheme, while respectfully adding new layers of identity, using the famous ‘streets in the sky’ to create a unique student living offering in Sheffield city centre.
The completion of Beton House as part of the regeneration of Park Hill has created a thriving community for the City – not only in the physical concrete structure that has been transformed but the life that has been reimagined into it.”
Nick Riley, Whittam Cox Board Director commented: “Park Hill is captivating and infectious; its original design has timeless value and integrity architecturally.
“Our team have delivered a design response which ensures a long-term future for the fabric of this historically important asset, whilst also seeking to promote a sustainable and diverse community. Being part of the Park Hill story has been a genuine privilege for us, especially as so many of our team and their families live in the city. Winning this prestigious title is a testament to what the entire project team have achieved”.
Whittam Cox supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
Interest in homes in and around Chesterfield has seen a significant rise, with data showing a jump in the number of commuters looking to relocate to the town.
New data from the UK’s biggest property website Rightmove reveals that the return to the office for many workers has led to a jump in buyer searches for commuter stations, with searches for Chesterfield going up by 30% between June 2021 and August 2021.
The analysis compares buyer searches for stations across Great Britain in June 2021 with August 2021, to measure the impact of the gradual return to the office, which has been encouraged by the government since July.
Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield, said: “The recent Right Move data is pleasing but not surprising. We have long known and appreciated the town’s connectivity. It is this which has been fundamental in the borough attracting more than £1 billion worth of construction projects which are currently underway.
“Chesterfield’s mainline rail station serves the town well. As Sheffield house prices have increased to a level which challenges affordability, the market in Chesterfield, being just 10 miles away by train from the UK’s fourth largest city, is benefitting.
“Having this station puts London St Pancras just 1hr and 50 mins away, and Nottingham just 40 minutes away which is ideal for commuters. The reality of this is you can get to central London by rail from Chesterfield in the same amount of time it takes someone to commute from 30 miles away!
“Demand for housing is strong, particularly close to the railway station. At Avant Homes Waterside Quarter development at Chesterfield Waterside, buyers are attracted by the fact they don’t need a car to live there as the train station is on their doorstep. This benefits everyone, not least Chesterfield Borough Council’s drive to become carbon neutral.
“It is exciting to see Chesterfield Borough Council investing significantly in the future of the railway station. The new station master plan, the first such scheme since 1870, will transform not merely the approach to the station but the whole of the north-eastern edge of the town centre, helping the town attract more residents and investment.”
Tim Bannister, Rightmove’s Director of Property Data comments: “More people are starting to return to the office for at least a few days a week, and so quick routes into major cities are rising up the priority list again.
“While the demand to relocate or search for more space has by no means gone away, the numbers suggest that this will need to be balanced with easy transport access on office days, which has understandably been lower on the agenda for many over the last eighteen months.”
Are you looking to get on the career ladder? The Property and Construction sector is a great place to build your career. This sector currently employs around 2,600 people locally, with the share of employment broadly in line with the national average.
Currently there is a growing number of active housing sites in Chesterfield and these will drive construction growth alongside the development of new commercial sites such as Chesterfield Waterside and Staveley Corridor. You can learn more about this specific sector on the My Future careers platform.
There are many benefits to taking an apprenticeship as a career route, especially in the Property and Construction sector.
Growing number of apprenticeship vacancies
There is a growing number of apprenticeship vacancies becoming available as the sector expands.
Andy Dabbs, Architect and Board Director at Chesterfield-based Whittam Cox Architects explains: “The importance of apprenticeship programmes cannot be underestimated, particularly in the post-Brexit environment and the associated skills gap that is challenging so many businesses. Not only can these programmes provide individuals with the required skills for work but they are also more accessible, providing a platform that may otherwise not be available to so many talented candidates.
Right now the construction industry is seeing a period of growth and given the impact of the last 18 months this is a fantastic place to be. What we cannot now afford is for that growth to be stifled by an inability to attract the required employees, and this is where apprenticeships will no doubt become increasingly important to our sector.”
You can find all current apprenticeship vacancies available in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire here.
Learning on the job
Apprenticeships allow you to learn new skills on the job, whilst also earning a wage.
Andrew Byrne, Property Development Director of Devonshire Property Group, said: “Apprenticeships are, and have been, the life blood of the construction industry for many many years. They are a great way for people to learn on the job and perfect their skills, whilst reaping the benefits of employment.
We all live, work or play in buildings at some point in our daily lives and being part of creating those spaces is one of the most rewarding feelings there is. This takes on even more importance as today’s apprentices will be learning the skills that will re-shape those places, where we live and work, making them more environmentally friendly and directly tackling the impacts and in some cases the causes of climate change.”
The Apprentice Perspective
Kieran Cox – Inspire Design and Development Ltd
Why did you choose an apprenticeship in this sector and what do you enjoy about it?
“My course is the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Construction Contracting Operations and my job title is Apprentice CAD Technician. Often I will be recreating sketched drawings into AutoCAD and mocking up drainage plans under supervision, I chose to work in the Construction industry as I believe it’s an opportunity to show the works you create along the way, this comes as a source of job satisfaction for myself and for others also, seeing developments I have had a hand in be built and work as intended always inspires me to learn further.”
What are the benefits of choosing an apprenticeship as a route to get into the sector?
“I feel that there are many obvious benefits with an apprenticeship, especially in terms of having first-hand experience at the jobs you potentially may work in, and should you not find that specific job is for you, you’re still learning towards other newer opportunities such as civil engineering. Skills developed are transferable as construction is such a broad branch of work, which allows you to shift focus to a line of work not to dissimilar to the last.”
Aaron Wathall – Woodhead Group
Why did you choose an apprenticeship in this sector and what do you enjoy about it?
“I am currently doing a technical apprenticeship, which involves experiencing different aspects of the business such as site management, project management, quantity surveying and estimating. However I do look at other areas of the business for a month, such as financing, social development of the sector etc. which I experience in the head office.
I chose an apprenticeship in construction because I was brought up around it all my life working with my dad on property development including renovating our bungalow which I did with my brother who is a joiner. I also studied construction in school so I felt this was the right career path to go down. I enjoy meeting new people and getting knowledge from experienced sub-contractors and people on site. I also enjoy looking at the different build stages and watching certain works take place and finally seeing the completed project.”
What are the benefits of choosing an apprenticeship as a route to get into the sector?
“The benefits of doing an apprenticeship in this sector is you get to experience across lots of different areas of the business and are not fixed to one role. Also, all the knowledge and experience you gain from the apprenticeship can then help you make future career choices knowing what you enjoyed and liked most in the apprenticeship.”
Sam Bartram – Woodhead Group
Why did you choose an apprenticeship in this sector and what do you enjoy about it?
“I chose a 2 year apprenticeship covering all aspects of the company including site management, project management, quantity surveying, estimating and support services. This allows me to see how people own it, achieve it and improve it – the company values. I chose the apprenticeship within construction due to the fact that I previously worked as a shop fitter and wanted a challenge within a different area of construction. I enjoy the fact that this programme allows us to trial and chose our future career path and I’m looking forward to covering these.”
What are the benefits of choosing an apprenticeship as a route to get into the sector?
“The benefit of an apprenticeship route in my opinion is that you are provided with expert experience and knowledge in the field of construction learning first-hand and then getting the qualifications to back up the internal training plans. This was a key factor for me choosing this route.”
Learn more about apprenticeships from current apprentices in Chesterfield here.
Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield and Managing Director of Bolsterstone Group PLC, has been announced as the guest speaker for this year’s East Midlands Bricks Awards on Thursday 30th September at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in Nottingham.
The East Midlands Bricks Awards is an independent awards and publicity programme recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the region. The awards are split into 10 categories covering every aspect of the property sector and will celebrate the achievements and standards set by both companies and individuals.
Peter Swallow said: “I am very much looking forward to speaking at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2021. Despite the challenges over the last 18 months the East Midlands construction and property sector has held up well and we have a lot to celebrate.”
This year’s award categories include: Contractor of the Year, Developer of the Year, Commercial Development of the Year, Residential Development of the Year, Sustainable Development of the Year, Deal of the Year, Most Active Agents of the Year, Architects of the Year, Excellence in Design, Responsible Business and of course Overall Winner.
The Bricks also present an ideal networking opportunity, with the leaders of property and construction businesses from across the East Midlands in attendance.
A number of developments are currently taking place in Chesterfield, including the town’s flagship Chesterfield Waterside, Northern Gateway and Elder Way schemes. To find out more about the regeneration taking place across the town, take a look at our developments page.
Chesterfield is also home to the Property and Construction group, which brings together business leaders of the region’s property sector and Chesterfield Borough Council to shape and drive forward collaboration, investment, sustainability and skills within Chesterfield.
If you want to find out more about Chesterfield’s ongoing regeneration and investment opportunites, you are now able to secure a free place at the Chesterfield Investment Summit, taking place on Wednesday, 24th November. Find out more.
Bolsterstone Group PLC supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
The most recent cohort of Technical Apprentices working at Robert Woodhead Ltd are excelling that much so, that they received the firm’s ‘Values Champions Award’ this quarter.
Aaron Wathall and Sam Bartram began their apprenticeship journey in January 2020, during an uncertain time due to Covid-19. They studied for college remotely and adapted to the Covid-19 regulations within the working environment extremely well, showing resilience and determination.
Although, both were able to attend site; Aaron is based at Eastglade, a housing development with Nottingham City Homes for Nottingham City Council and Sam is based at Northgate, a housing development in partnership with Newark & Sherwood Homes.
It was clear that both Aaron and Sam started to build their confidence and skill sets early on, as they impressed both mentors and teachers at college and on site.
Robert Woodhead Ltd.’s Business Support Manager, Matt Bust, who is mentoring both Apprentices commented on their progression so far:
“They have integrated into the business extremely well, right from the beginning. I have received fantastic feedback from both their tutors at college and mentors on site. You can see that they have a clear passion for the construction industry and their skills are continuing to develop as well as their confidence. It is a delight to see our company values shining through their projects and everyday tasks.”
Aaron showed determination and had the confidence to approach his tutor at college asking how he could improve his grades, and if he was able to re-write an essay: “It has been a great experience so far in all areas of the business that I have worked in, and some of the knowledge I have picked up during my apprenticeship has been priceless.”
Sam also demonstrated courage as he would continue to always ask for more help if he was struggling, resulting in his knowledge of the construction industry growing, as well as his confidence: “It is a great opportunity for me as I’m learning every day and I am being supported immensely by Matt, Woodhead’s, and my mentors at college. I am really enjoying my time with the group; every day is different, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me in the company.”
“The knowledge and experience gained from the apprenticeship can help you to decide on your future career, as you will have discovered a passion for a certain sector in the industry.”
Both Aaron and Sam have finished learning about Project Management and Site Management and now will be moving onto their next rotation in Quantity Surveying.
The company recently announced a partnership with Chesterfield College to improve apprenticeship opportunities in the construction sector for future generations. Read about the initiative here.
Robert Woodhead Ltd. supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
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