Treasury Minister praises Islington apprentices at regeneration scheme

A high-profile politician visited one of Islington’s biggest construction sites to pledge his support for young people working in apprenticeships.

Lord Newby, the government deputy chief whip for the Liberal Democrats and the government's treasury spokesman in the House of Lords, met four of Rydon’s apprentices at the Packington Estate on Friday 19th July.

One of the apprentices is currently training as a Site Manager on Rydon’s regeneration of the estate. Two others are following apprenticeships as Multi-Trade Operatives for Rydon’s housing maintenance business at their Islington North office based in the Omnibus Business Centre. The fourth is in a similar role at their offices in Harrow.

During his visit, Lord Newby spent time asking each of the young people about their apprenticeship programme and was keen to explore what Government might be able to do to further promote these opportunities. This was followed by a tour of the regeneration scheme, on which Rydon is working in partnership with The Hyde Group to replace 538 structurally defective flats with 791 mixed-tenure houses and flats.

Lord Newby said:

“I was delighted to visit the Packington Estate and see Rydon’s apprenticeship programme up close. It is a real shining example of how a good-quality apprenticeship can give a young person a career for life.

“Economic recovery depends on getting our young people into high-quality jobs with a future. That’s why I was so impressed with Rydon’s record on providing such opportunities for apprentices, and why Liberal Democrats are campaigning to double the number of workplaces which offer apprenticeships in the UK – from 100,000 to 200,000.”

Mark Mitchener, MD of Rydon Construction, added:

“Apprenticeships are an important and incredibly valuable way of training the next generation of skilled staff in our industry. Rydon is committed to providing the best apprenticeships and training that we can for young people. That is why we have been so actively supporting organisations like The Prince’s Trust to create these opportunities”

Standing left to right in the photo is: Mickey Deeney, Rydon apprentice; Joe Bailey-Moses, Rydon apprentice; Mark Mitchener, Managing Director of Rydon Construction; Lord Newby; Peter Robertson, Group Strategy & Business Development Director of Rydon; Fabian Ray, Rydon apprentice and Alicia Harfield, Rydon apprentice.

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