Making an impact at The Clarendon Works
“It’s opened my eyes to what else is achievable.” The first people to begin working in The Clarendon Works won’t have been the first to embark on an exciting new chapter in their careers.
By the time this best-in-class office space is complete, there will have been nearly 100 graduates of the Regal London Real Estate Academy in Watford, over the course of nine cohorts. These people who come from all walks of life, with many of them calling Watford or a nearby town home, will have gained valuable new skills, experience and contacts that may have changed the course of their careers (and, in some cases, their lives).
Why has an office development embarked on a scheme like this? Read on to find out more.
The Regal London Real Estate Academy
Run by Regal London, the developer behind The Clarendon Works, alongside Building Heroes, a charity that supports military veterans transition into the civilian workforce through a career in construction, the Regal London Real Estate Academy equips its participants with a range of skills over the five-week course.
In an exclusive relationship with Building Heroes, Regal London has established the training academies at some of its developments to support and give back to the local communities in which it operates.
Making use of Building Heroes’ expertise to deliver the programme to military veterans and combining that with Regal London’s ongoing work with local councils to help disadvantaged and underrepresented groups seeking to secure employment, a cohort of 12 veterans and civilians undertakes a five-week programme. Over the five weeks, the attendees will secure a Level 1 Diploma in construction skills, a Level 1 Health & Safety Award, and a CSCS Card.
Why are schemes like these so important?
Schemes like the Real Estate Academy are specifically focused on military veterans, as well as disadvantaged and underrepresented groups, in order to provide a route into (civilian) employment.
Some veterans and people who have been unemployed or under-employed for some time can struggle with low self-esteem and find it challenging to adjust to employment as a result. Programmes like the Real Estate Academy therefore provide not only practical skills, but also day-to-day support from mentors alongside peers who are on similar journeys. It is a deliberate goal of the scheme to increase the confidence of participants and empower individuals to feel a renewed sense of purpose following a fundamental shift in their lives. Our partner, Building Heroes, has the capacity to train up to 1,000 personnel per year, which delivers £30 million worth of social value.
Given one of the primary goals of the academies is to build the construction workforce, for a developer like Regal London which has an in-house construction team, it is therefore an authentic way that it can make an impact that is directly connected to its work. By sharing the skills and knowledge of its team directly with people who will benefit from it, the firm can embed social value into how the business is run.
Regal London’s Real Estate Academy is part of the residential-led mixed-use developer’s sustainability strategy, through which it has set out its vision of making sure it creates a positive impact on the economy, society and environment, both locally and farther afield.
With the increasing prominence of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues as priorities for businesses and organisations across the private and public sector, Regal London is pursuing this scheme not only to deliver on what it sees as its responsibility to its communities, but in recognition that future teams working out of The Clarendon Works will want to know that their new workplace has made a deeply positive impact on the Watford community, both in its construction and soon in its operation as an economic hub for this town that is a short distance from central London via Euston.
The rise of social impact in real estate
The built environment has a significant impact on individuals and communities. From the homes that we grow up and live in and the places where we spend our leisure hours to those where we work and that enable our 21st century-style of living, real estate as an industry has a tangible impact on our health, wellbeing and the quality of our human experience.
While the ‘environmental’ aspect of ESG is frequently covered (and you can read more about The Clarendon Works’ environmental credentials on our sustainability page), the ‘social’ element is increasingly important. It looks at how companies are supporting their communities, including employees and the supply chain, as well as people who live, work and shop near their places of operation.
And at The Clarendon Works we are working hard ensuring that our social impact is positive and enduring. We don’t only want to build Watford’s best workplace – we want also to be a great neighbour and responsible member of the Watford community.
Schemes like the Real Estate Academy are specifically focused on military veterans, as well as disadvantaged and underrepresented groups, in order to provide a route into (civilian) employment.
