Member Article

Construction firm launches pledge to protect the future of the industry

Young people and local communities will benefit from a construction firm’s pledge to encourage more entrants into the industry.

Bodelwyddan-based Wynne Construction has launched the Wynne Futures Foundation to formally bring together its existing community benefits, training and apprenticeship activities and initiatives.

Its aims include providing a minimum of 100 work experience placements and 250 apprenticeships in a variety of trade and technical subjects over the next five years.

Other commitments over the same period include supporting 125 careers events, which provide information, advice and guidance to encourage young people to consider construction and the built environment as a future career.

Wynne Construction is well-known in the industry for its approach to corporate social responsibility and aims to fully adopt the principles of the Welsh Government Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 and improve sustainability within the communities in which it works.

Through success with the North Wales Construction Framework and other public and private clients, the company has safeguarded 6,329 jobs as well as averaged 74 per cent of total project spend paid to Welsh-based SMEs with approximately 61 per cent of the workforce residing within Wales.

After securing places on pan-Wales construction frameworks, including in the south east and south west, the contractor is looking forward to having a positive effect in more regions.

Wynne Futures Foundation is made up of four hubs, each with specific purposes: • Engagement – to educate, inspire and support school pupils to consider careers in construction • Experience – to create opportunities to enable all young people to acquire practical skills and gain confidence • Community – to support and improve sustainability within the areas in which the company works • Development – to provide employment as well as training and development for its workforce and supply chain partners

Chris Wynne, managing director at the family firm, is excited to see the impact of bringing its existing community and careers activities under one umbrella.

He said: “Our dedication to helping communities, young people and our supply chain partners is in our roots and embedded in our ethos. My father, Maldwyn, the second generation of Wynne Construction, was always passionate about supporting apprentices and the local area.”

Isaac Kemp completed work experience with Wynne at Coleg Cambria’s Yale campus and is now an apprentice electrician with Fred Weston Electrical Contractors, one of Wynne’s supply chain partners.

He said: “Having the opportunity to complete a work placement and build relationships with its supply chain has been crucial in me getting my first step on the construction career ladder.”

In the past, Wynne Construction has organised school visits and workshops to its projects, supporting organisations such as Careers Wales, as well as donating time and resources for community initiatives such as providing extra car parking spaces at a bowling club near its Ysgol Penyffordd scheme.

Chris added: “Through the Wynne Futures Foundation we want to change the misconceptions that the construction industry is only for males, that it is low paid and gives poor job security and that it is not exciting or innovative.

“With the rise in use of technology and the introduction of BIM, work experience placements help expose young people to newer methods of construction. It has also been shown that work experience placements help boost employability skills, motivation in education and career decision-making.

“Pulling our extensive and comprehensive community and training activities together under one banner will showcase our values and our passion for the industry and will help everyone to understand the value of what we are trying to achieve.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .