The challenge

The aim of this study was to produce a robust assessment of the training and employment requirements arising from the Kings Cross Central development. The study was undertaken during a period of increasing construction activity in London coupled with growing capacity concerns.

The Kings Cross area is one of the largest brownfield construction sites in Europe and it is envisaged that upwards of 25,000 construction jobs will be created during the development’s lifetime.

The analysis included desktop research and interviews with key informants to provide estimates of specific labour and training requirements likely to be created by the development through to 2019.

The result

The approach involved forecasting the likely cash flow for the development, and from this the team was able to produce estimates of the employment and training requirements that would be generated by the development and compare these estimates to current labour availability and training provision.

The report also produced estimates of the requirement by trade for the duration of the project. In addition, the research indicated that it should be possible to fill some of the requirement with local labour via the establishment of local training initiatives.