Knowledge Quad to deliver skills and training boost in Salford
Morgan Sindall Construction is bringing its award-winning Knowledge Quad back to Salford as part of the latest large scale residential scheme it is delivering for the developer English Cities Fund (ECF) in the city.
The Knowledge Quad is a multi-purpose training and learning facility located within a live Morgan Sindall Construction site. It helps people outside the industry understand what jobs in construction mean today and delivers social value through focusing skills, education, employment and discovery.
The site in question, known as Plot C2 of Salford’s New Bailey development, is based around a 23-storey residential building that will feature 196 apartments. It is being constructed on the banks of the River Irwell between the Slate Yard Phase 3 and Novella residential developments, both of which were built by Morgan Sindall for ECF. The new building will also feature 3,800 sq ft of internal amenity space, including a gym, co-living and working space, and a 1,850 sq ft roof terrace on the twenty-second floor. Taken together, the three riverside residential buildings will comprise more than 800 new homes.
To mark the introduction of the Knowledge Quad, the project team gathered at the C2 site in Salford, where Morgan Sindall, ECF, Build Salford, Salford Employment Hub, CBRE, Renaissance and Hawkins Brown held a commissioning event to discuss each partners ideas and hopes for the facility.
Steven Gregory, Morgan Sindall’s North West Area Director, said:
The construction industry offers incredible opportunities for people from all backgrounds, and we’re committed to helping local communities access these and upskill the next generation. Our Knowledge Quad provides a hands-on, real-world approach to understanding the modern construction environment. It enables individuals to engage with staff and the supply chain safely and effectively. With facilities for classroom, digital, outdoor, and site-based learning, we cultivate a wide range of skills that promote both personal and professional growth. Although this facility is located at one of our projects in central Salford, it serves the entire Salford region, making a significant impact on the community.
He also spoke of the commitment to inclusivity behind the Knowledge Quad project, which offers a range of activities designed to support individuals furthest from the labour market and to introduce construction careers to underrepresented groups.
Central to this mission is the introduction of 'Your Space,' a dedicated wellbeing room on the project site, said Steven Gregory.
The ‘Your Space' element offers a sanctuary for anyone needing a moment of respite, whether due to feeling overwhelmed, needing a place to pray or meditate, or simply taking a break. This initiative underscores our dedication to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all.
On behalf of ECF, Sarah Chicken, Development Manager at Muse said:
Social impact is key to everything we are doing around the country and our approach is already delivering positive change in Salford. We’re proud to be creating skills, training and ultimately employment opportunities for local people and delighted to see Morgan Sindall’s Knowledge Quad on site and highlighting careers in the built environment.
Local people interested in what a job in construction means previously benefited from the approach when Morgan Sindall introduced a Knowledge Quad during the construction phase of the Science, Engineering and Environmental (SEE) Building at the University of Salford, which was completed in 2022.
On that occasion the facility was used as a base to host two employment courses for Build Salford, a consortium of construction employers, social housing providers and key support agencies, which offers training opportunities for Salford residents. By engaging with Build Salford, Morgan Sindall was able to assist 24 local young people in securing long-term employment through a more hands-on and vocational approach.
Kat Healey, Partnerships Manager at Build Salford, said:
Morgan Sindall have been a long-term partner of Build Salford for a number of years. They’ve worked alongside us on delivering multiple Build Salford traineeship programmes and they continue to work with us to really advise on the opportunities that are created and removing barriers to education and training. We look forward to working with Morgan Sindall and utilising its new Salford Knowledge Quad to continue to create opportunities for local people.
Morgan Sindall’s Knowledge Quad has already been acknowledged with industry awards for its use on other sites. Constructing Excellence, for instance, highlighted that the Knowledge Quad can help raise standards and prevent future skills gaps and unemployment through training, upskilling, and building confidence at entering the labour market. The approach is also a means of creating industry-academia partnerships which help to make students ‘work ready’ and more employable upon completion of their education.