MORE than 50 jobs have been created for unemployed people from the Vale of Glamorgan during the construction phase of Penarth Learning Community.

When complete, Penarth Learning Community will comprise two new schools in a single building on the site of St Cyres School.

Contractor Leadbitter, a subsidiary of Bouygues UK, has partnered with ‘welfare to work’ provider Working Links to deliver training to local unemployed people and match jobs on the project with their skills.

It has also promised hundreds more opportunities for work, building on the Welsh Government’s desire that such capital projects support the local economy.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council included clauses within the contract to underline its commitment to this and in turn Leadbitter has committed to provide more than 5,000 ’person weeks’ of employment on the £39.4 million project.

Since November 2012, 53 people have been given work by Leadbitter’s supply chain at the project and are working as trainee engineers, labourers, catering staff, security personnel and plant operators. Some suppliers have also employed local people to help manufacture the school’s steel frame and roof cladding.

Matthew Scully-Hicks, employer account manager at Working Links Wales, said: “We are working towards the target of 5,385 ‘new entrant’ person weeks, which will mean hundreds more job opportunities.”

Rob Bradley, managing director of Leadbitter’s Western Division, said: “This initiative has been very successful so far and we are exceeding our monthly targets. Our partnership with Working Links is just one of the ways in which we are working with the Vale of Glamorgan Council to provide training, work experience and jobs that will help bring long term benefits to the local area.”

As well as providing a new building for St Cyres, the project will create a new Special Educational Needs (SEN) school, Ysgol y Deri, alongside. This will accommodate pupils from three SEN schools in the area: Ysgol Erw’r Delyn, Ysgol Maes Dyfan and Ashgrove School. Leadbitter is also building a respite centre for SEN pupils and their parents next to the school.

Construction will be carried out in two phases, with the new schools built on the St Cyres playing fields during phase one. There will then be a phased occupation of the two schools, with St Cyres School moving in during October 2014 and Ysgol y Deri being occupied from December 2014.

Phase two of the works will see the demolition of the St Cyres School, Ashgrove School and Ysgol Erw’r Delyn, followed by the construction of new sporting facilities, including two gyms and an all-weather artificial turf pitch. Outside teaching spaces, including a wildlife garden and allotments, will also be established in this phase.

Leadbitter and the rest of the project team – HLM Architects, Arup and Davis Langdon –is working closely with the Vale of Glamorgan and teachers, governors, pupils and parents from all four schools, as well as the local community throughout the project. This will help ensure the new schools provide the best possible education, social welfare and healthcare for all pupils.

Ysgol y Deri has been designed in close collaboration with the three existing SEN schools to create an environment that is suitable for the wide range of needs of its pupils. As well as regular updates to pupils, Leadbitter is arranging site visits, providing teaching materials and organising work experience for older children.