Willmott Dixon extends Building Lives Academy in Croydon

The New Addington Leisure Centre site will offer training opportunities

Willmott Dixon is working alongside the London Borough of Croydon on the New Addington Leisure Centre – but it is aiming to offer more than a sporting facility with the build.

The contractor’s Building Lives Academy will offer construction-related training in collaboration with MRG Services, Carshalton College and Croydon Council’s job brokerage service Croydon Works.

It will allow people to learn Level 1 construction operations, practical skills training, CSCS training, Level 1 health and safety at work and employability skills.

“We plan to upskill between 10-15 people every six weeks and once trained, they can apply for placements with Willmott Dixon, our supply chain partners and other construction jobs advertised through the Croydon Works employment service,” says Richard Pickett from the firm.

Success will be measured in “outcomes” – the number of people who gain a qualification that leads to a job, rather than the number of attendees.

The contractor plans to mirror the academy at sites across the country.

In 2018 it was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the category of Promoting Opportunity, for its social value work.