Chesterfield property and construction

New mentoring programme to support young people across North Derbyshire

The D2N2 Careers Hub, Led by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and funded by the Careers & Enterprise Company, are expanding an innovative mentoring programme to support more young people across North Derbyshire, in partnership with The Work-Wise Foundation.

The launch follows a successful pilot in 2021, initiated by leaders from Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Forum, in partnership with Chesterfield Borough Council and D2N2 Careers Hub.

The Future Makers, Creators, Designers and Builders Mentoring Programme is designed to support people who may be interested in exploring or pursuing careers working in the built environment. This might include designers, architects, surveyors, structural engineers, builders, and construction workers.

The pilot, which ran from March 2021 to January 2022 and was led by The Work-wise Foundation, saw female students from local Careers Hub schools and colleges; St. Mary’s Catholic High School, Chesterfield College, Whittington Green School, Springwell Community College and Brookfield Community School partnered with mentors from Whittam Cox Architects, Woodhead Group and Chesterfield Borough Council.

As part of this, students took part in construction themed activity days at CBE+ in Chesterfield and had regular meetings with their mentors to introduce them to the world of work and enthuse them about a career in the industry. In January, The Work-wise Foundation visited the students in their schools/colleges with D2N2 Careers Hub and their mentors to award them with certificates to celebrate their achievements.

Hannah Higley, Hub Coordinator for the Derbyshire North Careers Hub at D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership said, “It has been fantastic to see this programme develop over the last year. D2N2 Careers Hub and our local steering group are proud to fund the expansion of this successful model, in partnership with the Careers & Enterprise Company cornerstone employers in D2N2, to support more young people in exploring what their next best step might be”

Cllr Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council said, “I am really pleased to see the continuation of this project.  Improving the skills and work readiness of people in Chesterfield is our top priority because it will help ensure our ambition to create a thriving borough.

This programme is a great example of how partnership working can strengthen the links between education and business and help ensure that more school leavers are developing the skills they need to enter the workplace.  I am especially excited to see programmes that inspire with young women in sectors where they are underrepresented is key to ensuring success.

Women currently make up around 14% of professional roles within the construction industry, a number which we hope is set to rise with more and more women choosing construction jobs as a result of programmes like this.”

Following the success and positive feedback received from the schools/colleges, businesses and young people involved, the programme is launching to schools across the North Derbyshire region this month.

The programme will seek 15 mentees who may be interested in exploring or pursuing careers working in the built environment and partner them up with role models from industry who will work with them to build confidence, knowledge, and career prospects.

Over a 6-month period, mentors will receive relevant training which will help them work with their mentee on a bespoke project relevant to their mentors business and/or industry. The programme will finish with a showcase event on 8th July where students will present their projects and celebrate their achievements.

A launch event is scheduled to take place on Friday 18th March 2022 at Chesterfield College and any individuals interested in becoming mentors, or schools interested in their students’ becoming mentees, should contact The Work-wise Foundation at info@work-wise.co.uk or call Alex Gardner on 07726 362067.

To get in touch with D2N2 Careers Hub, contact hubs@d2n2lep.org

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Whittam Cox take top regional award for project in nearby Sheffield

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.

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Chesterfield’s first Property and Construction Group launched

A pioneering Chesterfield Property and Construction Group has been launched at the annual Celebrate Chesterfield event held on 31 March 2021.

The new group, which is organised by Destination Chesterfield, brings together leaders from the area’s property and construction sectors to shape and drive forward collaboration, investment, sustainability and skills within Chesterfield.

It is chaired by Andy Dabbs, Architect and Board Director at Chesterfield-based Whittam Cox Architects which is behind the town’s £19.9 million Northern Gateway Development project.

He explained: “Within the new group there’s a diverse range of talent- architects, construction specialists, landowners and developers; a true collective who have joined forces for the good of the town and to benefit everyone living here.

“We’re all passionate about Chesterfield and what it has to offer everyone living and working here. It’s full of potential, it’s perfectly located, and offers a plethora of independent shops and hotels and collectively we shall be flying the flag for the town not only locally but regionally and nationally through our individual networks.”

The new Chesterfield Property and Construction Group is one of a number of sector-specific Destination Chesterfield groups, including the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Manufacturing Forum, which share a vision to make the town an attractive place to live, work and invest in.

The action-focused Chesterfield Property and Construction Group meets quarterly. The next meeting, which is free to attend, will be held virtually on Wednesday 16 June.

The group has already identified four key themes that will be led by members of the group, specifically the skills agenda, business support, promote investment in Chesterfield and sustainability and wellbeing.

Vice chair, architect and founding director of Markham Vale-based Lomas and Mitchell Architects, Jillian Mitchell will lead the sustainability and wellbeing theme within the group.

She explained “Sustainability is at the heart of our practice. We specialise in designing low energy, healthy and beautiful buildings so I was keen to lead this theme. In doing so it enables me to engage directly with bigger businesses and gain a wider perspective. It also gives me the opportunity to find out what’s happening within other areas and to learn from each other.”

Andy, who has lived in Dronfield all of his life and feels strongly about Chesterfield’s potential, added: “Chesterfield has held its own during the pandemic, with continuous investment and development taking place. The Glass Yard, Chesterfield Waterside and

Peak Resort developments are perfect examples of investors believing in our town and we want to keep driving this forward.”

“The group aims to provide a platform for professionals in the property and construction sector that can be used to help market Chesterfield as an area of interest to a wide range of investors.”

Appealing for the sector to come together and join the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group, Jillian added: “It is very much a case of together we are stronger so we hope more organisations and individuals from both the public and private sector will join the group.

“It is an opportunity for us all to pool our varied and extensive expertise, using the collective to support others in helping shape the built environment of Chesterfield both now and for future generations.”

To find out more about become a member of the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group contact Propertygroup@chesterfield.co.uk or visit https://www.linkedin.com/company/chesterfield-property-and-construction-group

 

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