Our latest recruit is laying foundations for his future, after joining as an apprentice groundworker on Brent Cross Town.

Himnish Bhudia, who lives in Brent, was recruited by our partner Galldris after finding out about the role through the Local Village Network which links young people to jobs and other opportunities.

And he has quickly made himself a valued member of the team, despite admitting to being a “complete novice” when he began his initial two-week work trial.

He said: “My first days on site consisted of me shadowing other experienced groundworkers and learning some simple but effective site hacks – things like gripping polypipes in a certain way to avoid back pain.

“I am being well supported with my apprenticeship. And if I don’t understand something on site, I can always go to my training centre tutor for help and get a better understanding.”

19-year-old Himnish was drawn to the practical elements of advancing his career with an apprenticeship which allows him to earn whilst he learns. At the same time as helping to build Brent Cross Town he is studying for a Level 2 Groundworker Apprenticeship at The Skills Centre based in Southwark, and after that aims to go onto the Level 3 Technician Engineering Apprenticeship.

“Eventually I want to become a fully qualified civil engineer,” he added.

Brent Cross Town will be a brand new park town in north London, with up to 6,700 new homes in the town centre alone. It is part of the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme, one of the most ambitious redevelopment schemes in Europe, which will create around 27,000 new jobs, as well as leisure opportunities, new and enhanced green spaces, and a new train station Brent Cross West.

Himnish’s recruitment is part of a commitment across the programme to create new opportunities. These include apprenticeships, Kickstart roles, and working with the organisation Women Into Construction to have a more diverse workforce.

Galldris Apprenticeship Manager David Wake and the Galldris apprentices did a series of talks with the Local Village Network, as part of the ‘Power Hour’, which led to Himnish’s application and initial work placement.

David said: “Everybody was impressed with Himnish during his work trial, so now he’s joined us as a full-time employee.

“From his first day he was proactive, he engaged with what we are doing, and he worked hard. That’s the way to get on when you’re on a work placement.”

If you are interested in finding out more about apprenticeships with us, contact Cali Ibrahim on skills@barnet.gov.uk

If you are interested in opportunities with Galldris, visit www.galldris.co.uk/apprenticeship-programme