Wates begins hiring apprentices at Erith development

Wates Residential have hired the first local apprentices for the regeneration of the East Park site in Erith, part of the London Borough of Bexley, through their Building Futures training programme.

Apprentices will assist in the delivery of some 320 properties by Wates Residential, in partnership with Orbit Homes South, as part of the £95M project which aims for a proportion of 80 per cent of these homes to fall under the status of affordable housing.

Wates and Orbit have now begun the process of creating training opportunities for local people by hiring at least 31 apprentices and at least 25 full time employees who will take on preliminary demolition responsibilities such as the removal of internal fittings and the organisation of waste material ahead of recycling.

The Operations Director from Wates Residential, Glen Roberts stated: “As the project progresses, we look forward to welcoming more apprentices on site as we continue our work to deliver hundreds of high quality new homes for Erith.”

The Head of Regeneration for Obit Homes South, Caroline Field added: “We are delighted that the Park East regeneration is benefitting the wider community through providing great new opportunities for local people to embark upon rewarding careers.”

The Leader of the London Borough of Bexley, Councillor Teresa O’Neill OBE concluded: “The partnership pledge to support local people by providing training opportunities and routes into the workplace is a fantastic part of this new development in Erith. The people receiving their certificates were a credit to the ‘Building Futures’ programme.

“I hope that their time spent at Park East will encourage them to go on to build on their new skills. My congratulations also go to the two young people who have been hired as apprentices. They will play a key role in a major development in their own borough.”

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