Supporting Interserve to deliver community benefits for Prince Charles Hospital

Y Prentis are working in partnership with Interserve to deliver community benefits within the Merthyr Tydfil area as part of the Prince Charles Hospital development.

The Prince Charles Hospital development in Merthyr Tydfil is a £25 million project which forms part of Cwm Taf University Health Board's £36 million redevelopment of the hospital. Interserve were appointed last year to build a brand-new pharmacy department, a new kitchen and dining area, new staff changing area within the courtyard, refurbish the first-floor main switch rooms, build a new car park and carry out other external infrastructure works.

Y Prentis has been supporting the development by acting as a first point of contact for a range of stakeholders, including Merthyr Tydfil CBC, NHS Designed for Life Framework, Merthyr Tydfil College, local training providers and welfare to work agents. They have also been delivering a number of community engagement events to ensure that local people are fully engaged with the development and the work that Interserve are carrying out.

Activities that have already been undertaken in order to ensure the community benefit KPIs, set out within the Designed for Life framework, are being fulfilled by Interserve at Prince Charles Hospital include:

• The creation of eight-week work placement opportunities on site. This has involved working closely with Merthyr’s Job Centre Plus, Merthyr Valley Homes and Communities Into Work + Merthyr to recruit suitable candidates.
• Providing asbestos awareness and CSCS training for work placement participants.
• Delivering presentations with local construction college learners to highlight the employment routes in the construction industry.
• Working with local colleges to offer work experience or shadowing placements to Level 1 construction students.
• Engaging with local schools to organise “careers in construction” events throughout the duration of the project.
• Attending local information events to promote the development and the work placement opportunities to local people.

Meet the apprentice

 

Travis Bedgood is a groundworks apprentice that is currently working on the development. Employed directly by Y Prentis and placed with site sub-contractor Darlow Lloyd, Travis spends four days on site and one day a week at ARC Academy’s training centre in Treforest. He is studying towards a Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Construction Operations and Civil Engineering Services and a BTEC Level 2 Diplomas in Construction Occupations.

In his recent blog post with Y Prentis, Travis said, “I’m learning a lot on site. I’ve learnt ground working techniques, like how to lay curbs and path edgings, and key skills for my job from master tradesmen who have been doing the job for at least 20 years. Seeing how well they’re doing makes me excited to start my career. Every day, I use communication and social skills as good team work is really important. I enjoy meeting new people and get on well with everyone on site - we have already planned our Christmas party!”

You can read Travis’s blog post here.

Work experience opportunities

During the development of this project, additional eight-week work experience placements will be created for local people to find out what it’s like to work on a multimillion-pound project. The experience will cover a range of activities and give an individual the opportunity to get a taste of what it’s like to work in the construction industry.

If you would like to find out more about these work experience placements, email Robyn.Marshall@yprentis.co.uk