Work on campus to create jobs and apprenticeships

SCORES of jobs, apprenticeships and placements will be created under plans to build the latest part of Cardiff University’s hi-tech £300m “Innovation Campus”.

The university has awarded the contract to start construction on the site at Maindy Park to Bouygues UK Limited.

The move, announced yesterday, will create more than 60 jobs, apprenticeships and placements.

Cardiff Innovation Campus (CIC) will be home to hundreds of academic researchers, students and university staff working alongside the private, public and third sectors to exploit new ideas. It will feature two massive new buildings – including Innovation Central.

It is the third phase of development at Maindy Park following the Hadyn Ellis Building which opened in 2013 and the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre opened by the Queen in 2016.

Professor Colin Riordan, the university’s president and vice-chancellor, said: “Cardiff Innovation Campus is right at the heart of our long-term commitment to build social and economic prosperity in Wales for the benefit of all. We are delighted to be working with Bouygues UK to create a ‘home of innovation’ that unlocks the power of research.”

CIC has already attracted substantial co-funding including £17m from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund, £13m from the Welsh European Funding Office and £12m from Welsh Government.

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: “I am determined that Wales will exploit the emerging technologies that will be based in these state-of-the-art facilities and am confident that the Cardiff Innovation Campus will help private and public sector partnerships to flourish, will create a range of high-quality jobs and will develop exciting new products and services that can be used in Wales and throughout the world.”

Bouygues UK has worked on higher education developments across Wales, the UK and globally.

Rob Bradley, regional MD for Bouygues UK, said: “This is a significant development for Cardiff University, which will see us use our strong technical team to deliver a state-of-the-art project providing significant economic benefits to the university and the wider Cardiff Capital Region.

“Our commitment to the region will ensure that this project contributes to increasing local skills, development and employment in Wales.

“We will provide a minimum of 30 work placements, create over 35 new job and apprentice opportunities, and deliver in excess of 1,685 training weeks. We will also facilitate placements for students studying architecture and ensure we work closely with the local community throughout the duration of the scheme.”

The Kier Group was expected to be awarded the contract. The firm carried out preparatory work, and it was believed it would proceed to the second phase. It is not clear why Kier has not proceeded to the more lucrative second contract.

Last week, a university spokesman said: “Cardiff University would like to thank Kier for its work on the first stage of the project and looks forward to opportunities to work together in future.”

A Kier spokesman said: “We’ve successfully completed the first phase of the latest Innovation Campus development and have really enjoyed working with Cardiff University on the project. We wish them all the best with the completion of the second phase of this exciting development.”

The Innovation Campus aims to be ready for occupancy in 2019.