Gareth Davies MP Meets Apprentices at Oriel

18/03/2024

We were so honoured to welcome Gareth Davies MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, to our Oriel site last week. The Minister was keen to meet some of our current and former apprentices to hear about why they chose their apprenticeships, how they were introduced to them, and what they were getting out of them.

The visit included a tour of the site where we are building a new eye care, research and education centre in Camden. The integrated centre will be the new home to Oriel partners: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity. Bouygues UK is the leading contractor who will build the centre which is due to open in 2027.

At Oriel, we have pledged to take on over 100 apprentices, work placements and work experience opportunities while Bouygues UK is on site until 2027. This summer, the site team welcomed 12 apprentices, placement students and graduates across a number of roles, each playing an integral role in the project, with more to join in the coming months.

Gareth Davies MP, whose responsibilities cover Growth, productivity and investment said,

It was great to visit the Bouygues UK site yesterday which is taking on over 100 apprentices, work placements and work experience opportunities. This is how we build a skilled, future-ready workforce.

During the visit, the Minister spoke with two of our current apprentices Halimo Addow and Kullathida Brophy, and two former apprentices now in established roles at Bouygues UK; Adam Patel and Perry Price.

Halimo Addow, a Social Value Apprentice based at Oriel said,

It was brilliant to meet Gareth Davies MP and talk about my apprenticeship with Bouygues UK. He asked me a lot of questions about how I was finding it and how we can better promote these opportunities to children in schools. I’m so proud to be working on a project which is taking on so many apprentices throughout the duration of the scheme.

Bouygues UK