Education + Training

1992 Education + Training

doi: 10.1108/eb055183

While the central role of the Barnsley Partnership is to generate jobs and link them to the right people in Barnsley, the Partnership is seeking quality rather than quantity in its early stages. In the face of severe recession in the construction industry, the Partnership is attempting to provide a model of good practice in which training can provide a workforce for longterm economic development in the Barnsley region.

1992 Education + Training

doi: 10.1108/eb055182

It is Costain's policy to promote partnerships with schools, and links have been established with a number throughout the UK. The main elements of the company's policy are

1992 Education + Training

doi: 10.1108/eb055181

The proposal for partnership with Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and its community was made by Costain Group plc, with the goal of creating approximately 10,000 additional jobs, to be achieved by sustained and progressive economic and environmental renewal of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough.

1992 Education + Training

doi: 10.1108/eb055186

The Barnsley Partnership started from the premiss that urban regeneration is more than mere property development and that it demands true partnership between the private sector, local government and community groups. This requires an understanding of local culture and of the needs of local people, so that those people can be genuinely involved in the process of regeneration.

1992 Education + Training

doi: 10.1108/eb055184

The Barnsley Partnership's commitment to involvement in the local community attempts to raise awareness of the role of the Partnership, and also to discover the key issues of importance to local people. This enables the Partnership to learn and understand the culture of local communities, to identify local education and training needs and those areas in which the Partnership can effectively add value. On the basis of no cash injection, the Partnership hopes to ensure selfreliance and empowerment rather than dependence.

Wesson, Will; Gold, Jeffrey

1992 Education + Training

doi: 10.1108/00400919210021533

Reviews the Barnsley Partnership, a joint venture involvingBarnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and a subsidiary of Costain, andtheir tenyear agreement to develop land local to Barnsley, attractinvestment and create approximately 10,000 jobs. Emphasizes the need foreducation and training to ensure that these jobs are filled by localpeople. Equally this will demand that the current nationally centralizedtraining focus be adapted to local requirements in an attempt to widenskills and prevent a recurrence of the total dependence on a singleliving, previously enforced by the mining industry. Focuses on Costainsapproach to community involvement, mainly in education, the environmentand urban regeneration. Sees the main objectives of the Partnership aswinning the confidence and commitment of the community and changing theoutside perception of Barnsley and its surroundings, identifyingtraining as the chief requirement for this regeneration. Places emphasison apprenticeship training visvis the recentshortcomings of Employment Training ET and the proven quality of theConstruction Industry Training Board CITBs model schemes. Examinesthe Barnsley Partnerships commitment to involvement in the localcommunity, epitomized by the Grimethorpe Activity Zone. Deals withBarnsleys bid for funding to attack current problems. Points up thewidening of the premiss of urban regeneration from mere propertydevelopment to a time partnership of private, local government andcommunity groups. Only through genuinely involving local people willtime regeneration be achieved. Concludes that, after two years, a reviewis needed in order to move into a new phase of development and produce acoherent strategy.

Wesson, Will

1992 Education + Training

doi: 10.1108/eb055180

We should never underestimate the role that industry can play in education and the communities in which it operates. I am a firm believer in the importance of the contributions the Costain Group can make, in a variety of ways, across the educational spectrum and also believe that the involvement of employees is crucial. It is not enough, however, for companies simply to say these words. Such beliefs must be followed up with actions the hard evidence of any written or spoken commitment. It is encouraging to see the extent of our activities across the country, involving a diverse spread of Group business. But it's important to note that these activities are very strongly centred on the work we do and geographical areas in which we operate.

1992 Education + Training

doi: 10.1108/eb055185

The success of Barnsley's bid for funding, under the Government's second round of the City Challenge projects, represents the latest tangible outcome of the synergy of partnership in action. Even more impressive is the fact that this was Barnsley's second successful bid the town had already been awarded funding, with Doncaster and Rotherham councils, in the first round for the development of the Deame Valley Park. Barnsley, therefore, became the only urban area to win in both rounds of funding something that was thought to be impossible in the early preparations for the bid.