Oxford North, has teamed up with Careys Construction Campus to create an onsite training camp for construction workers.

Under the pilot project a three-week training course will be available to people aged 17 years and over who have been a resident in the UK for the last three years and live in England.

The campus, which is due to open at the end of March, will train between 12 to 15 people in curbing, block paving, drainage and finishing.

The training will give students a Level 2 credit in ground operative skills which will help them progress to further training and gain a CSCS card, which serves as proof of appropriate training and qualifications to work on a construction site.

Careys, which has worked with Oxford North since 2022, carried out groundworks to support construction of the site’s two-acre Fallaize Park, which is due to open in autumn 2025.

Tom Wraight, regional director of Careys, who has spearheaded the campus at Oxford North, said: “There is a skills crisis in construction, and we are addressing this head-on through our Construction Campus model giving opportunities for people to be trained for free in the exciting environment of a major construction site.

“We are thrilled to be piloting our second campus at Oxford North – a really well-connected place on the bus networks to encourage as many people as possible looking to get into our great industry to gain free and excellent training.

He added: “We would like to stress that while this is an initiative supported by Oxford North and us, the campus is open to other construction companies to boost the whole industry and get people into jobs.

“We are willing to work together to help set-up similar campuses on their projects to train more people. We’re all in this together to support the future of our industry and we can’t wait to see the pilot results at Oxford North.”

Simon Ruck, managing director of Oxford North Ventures, said: “The construction industry is vital for the economy in creating jobs and opportunities as well as places to live, work and visit. We are proud to be hosting Careys Construction Campus at Oxford North as part of our continued strategy to ensure the project has a positive impact on people’s lives by creating jobs and opportunities.

“People who take advantage of the free training will experience a vibrant construction site as we head towards opening later this year. Such training will be invaluable in not only giving local people the skills they need but building their confidence to pursue a career in construction. We look forward to welcoming the first cohort on-site.”

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