VIDEO | Morgan Sindall teams up with PlanBEE for National Apprenticeship Week

Students were invited to Hammerstone Depot in Manchester to learn how the construction company is transforming the former train hub into offices and workshops.

The visit was part of Morgan Sindall Construction’s celebration of National Apprenticeship Week. The contractor is one of several companies supporting PlanBEE Manchester, a higher apprenticeship programme in design, construction, and management. PlanBEE Manchester was developed by Manchester City Council, Manchester Life, Ryder Architecture, and Gateshead College.

In the programme, apprentices rotate every four months between companies, getting a sense of all the dynamic jobs available to those in the built environment. Morgan Sindall is working with six students over the course of two years as part of PlanBEE.

The Hammerstone Depot visit was a chance for 14 of the PlanBEE students to see the Gorton construction site in person. They were able to gain insight into how Morgan Sindall is changing the old 107,000 sq ft locomotive shed into a series of offices, while still prioritising sustainability.

The contractor is working to retain much of the original building and to reduce construction waste. This includes using a cathodic protection system, which allows Morgan Sindall to control the corrosion of existing steel columns using low levels of electrical current. Through this method, the columns can retain their structural integrity.

Mark Harrison, senior project manager at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome apprentices from PlanBEE to our work at Hammerstone as part of National Apprenticeship Week.

“This year’s theme is ‘Skills for Life’, and it was inspirational to see how the apprentices who joined us on site were passionate about developing their skillsets in order to develop a rewarding career and to support the long-term future of our industry,” Harrison said.

“It was great to catch up with Felix Palin who recently undertook his four-month placement with us at Hammerstone. He was a huge asset to our team and is now on placement with Manchester City Council, visiting our project again from our customer’s perspective. The future of construction is in safe hands!”

You can see a snapshot of the apprentices’ visit to Hammerstone in the video at the top of this article. You can also find the video on the Place North West YouTube channel.