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28th June 2001
BARNSLEY COMMUNITY BUILD LAYS THE FOUNDATIONS FOR SUCCESS
More new jobs on the horizon for Barnsley, and an end to ‘builders from hell’
Barnsley’s newest and perhaps most innovative community enterprise, Barnsley Community Build (BCB), is now off the ground, and Mark Hanks has been appointed as project manager to drive the Barnsley Development Agency (BDA) funded project forward.
The concept of BCB is simple; there is a national skills gap in the construction industry which BCB aims to fill at a local level. The company has charitable status and aspires to become a sustainable enterprise in its own right in the future, providing training and development opportunities encouraging local people to enter the construction industry. In turn, the trading company will be able to offer high quality construction services to the local market in Barnsley, at competitive prices.
There are three elements to the range of services offered by BCB: construction and re-furbishment; energy efficiency; and small maintenance and property repair. Companies and residents alike can be confident that any works carried out by BCB will be to a high professional standard, and competitively priced. BCB already has the support of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, who have put BCB on its approved contractor list.
Mark Hanks, from Hemingfield near Wombwell, Barnsley, joins BCB from Mclean Homes, where he was assistant site manager, promoted to site manager after only 18 months. Prior to that, he served a five year joinery apprenticeship with Watfords of Wombwell, before going self-employed as a joiner and sub-contracting to Henry Boot and other contractors.
Throughout Mark’s career to date, he has consistently striven to gain further knowledge and qualifications, and his appointment to this senior role clearly demonstrates what is possible for local people thinking about starting their career or considering re-training for a new one. Mark has a City & Guilds in joinery; an ONC in building studies; an HNC in building studies, all from Barnsley College, and he is currently studying at Leeds College of Building for his Chartered Institute of Building qualification (equivalent to an honours degree in building) - which he hopes to acquire in the summer. Not satisfied with that, Mark then plans to apply for a Masters in Construction Management course, and has already started approaching colleges about that.
Commenting on his new role, Mark said: “I’m delighted to be working with BCB on what is a valuable community project for the whole area. Not only will local people benefit from the job opportunities that will be created in the future, but the local construction trade will have a reliable, affordable source of quality construction workers on its doorstep, saving considerably on hiring people in from out of the area.”
Janet Bibby, Team Leader for Barnsley Development’s CERT Team, said: “Mark is a shining example of what can be achieved when someone is dedicated and committed to ongoing professional development, and we hope that many local people will realise that they too are capable of achieving their ambitions. BCB will provide a great platform for the training and developing of construction staff in Barnsley, which will help to fill the serious skills gap in the industry locally – which also affects the whole of the region and the country.”
One of Mark’s first tasks is to appoint two trainees and two skilled and experienced bricklayers, bringing BCB’s complement of staff up to eight. BCB already employs three energy efficiency trainees who are working for training providers in the Dearne Valley.
In the future, BCB will create as many jobs as it can commercially sustain. The message to Barnsley is clear - if you need any construction or repair work doing, why not call BCB, and you’ll be contributing to the regeneration and future prosperity of Barnsley. Anyone interested in getting a quote for any construction project from Barnsley Community Build - no matter how big or small - should contact Mark Hanks at BCB on (01226) 784444.
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Barnsley Development Agency
Beevor Court, Pontefract Road, Barnsley S71 1HG
Telephone: +44 (0)1226 784444
© 2001