Construction Skills Fund at Battersea Power Station

08/04/21

Last year, Michael Lonsdale employee Phil Starr-Mees worked with the Construction Industry Training Board, Battersea Power Station Development Company and Wandsworth Council, in order to create a film about the training he completed while working on the Battersea Power Station project.

Disclaimer: The filming of the video took place before the coronavirus pandemic.

How Phil started at MJL?

When Phil found himself out of work, he struggled to find a job, but then he found out about the Construction Skills Fund Construction Gateway Training Project from a friend. Phil had very limited knowledge of the construction industry and was somewhat reluctant to work in it before he started the programme. On the Contractor Day, Phil started talking to Panny Hadjioannou, Group Director at Michael J Lonsdale. This conversation then led to Panny offering Phil an interview, which led to Phil being offered a job. Phil has now been training as a 3D Survey Technician for almost two years and is enjoying the responsibility he has. He has been working on many different sites, including Battersea Power Station, and is really enjoying his job.

Phil said: “I don’t just feel like I am going to work; I feel like I am part of a family. No matter what the situation, there are others to help me to get training and complete my work.”

Phil also spoke about the adjustments that the Construction Industry Training Board made in order to make allowances for his autism such as giving him extra time to complete the course.

He has been enjoying working at Michael Lonsdale, learning about a new industry, and meeting lots of new people. Phil is hoping to get the training to be a full 3D CAD technician in the future.

Michael Lonsdale’s work at Battersea

Working on the Battersea Power Station project, Michael Lonsdale is taking part in phase two of the scheme which is the restoration of the iconic power station building to create new homes, offices, retail and leisure facilities. Working with Mace, we undertook the installation of the main heating and mechanical cooling pipework infrastructure. The package included the provision of 60 modular plate heat exchanger units and extensive use of prefabricated pipework modules.