Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, visited the site of the new Chapel House Medical Centre in her constituency on Friday (27th September), as part of Open Doors Weekend, a UK-wide project that saw over 100 construction sites open up their doors to children and young adults.
The weekend, organised by the UK Contractors Group in partnership with the Scottish Contractors Group, Considerate Constructors Scheme, CIOB, CITB and Construction News, was aimed at highlighting the breadth and diversity of the construction industry to young people and to show that there is something in it for everyone, regardless of their interests.
During her tour, Catherine met the team from construction firm Galliford Try who are creating the new Chapel House Medical Centre and accompanied a group of trainee electricians from Newcastle College around the site.
The group received an overview of the company’s projects in the North East and across the country, as well as a talk on the wider construction industry and the career opportunities available. Catherine also joined the group on a tour round the extensive Chapel House site to see how the centre is progressing.
By the end of this year, the new medical centre will provide state-of-the-art space for the existing Parkway and Holmside GP practices, a pharmacy and self-contained rooms for other healthcare providers.
Catherine said:
‘Tackling youth unemployment is an important challenge in the North East and it is events like Open Doors Weekend that help to show how young people can get into the world of skilled work. The team at Galliford Try were fantastic and really brought the industry to life, discussing the variety of skills involved in running a successful construction project. It was a great site visit and I really look forward to seeing the medical centre when it is completed.’
Stephen McCoy, Managing Director with Galliford Try Partnerships North, added:
‘This was a great chance to show the public what kind of employment opportunities the construction industry has to offer and hopefully open doors to work in our sector. There are real signs that there are busy times ahead and employers will undoubtedly be looking for people with the aptitude and skills to join their workforces.’
