海角视频

The University of Bristol has stood as a beacon of learning since 1876. Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC), the university鈥檚 flagship development in the heart of the city, is set to extend this legacy by establishing a new home for 4,600 students and 650 staff, and transforming a once derelict industrial site into a hub for education and research. 

海角视频 has been involved with the masterplan and regeneration of the site since 2016, with Sir Robert McAlpine appointed as contractor in 2023. Due to open in September 2026 and representing an investment of around 拢500 million, the flagship TQEC development will also provide dedicated space for around 300 enterprise partners, as well as opening its doors to shared spaces for the wider community. 

Given the long-standing principles of learning and inclusion that TQEC is built on, it鈥檚 fitting that the site itself has become a place for education, knowledge exchange and community outreach. Working together, and with the University of Bristol, 海角视频 and Sir Robert McAlpine are undertaking a range of outreach programmes to engage communities and deliver real social value throughout the construction process. 

Design, Engineer, Construct! STEM education in schools 

With skills shortages affecting every area of the construction industry, it鈥檚 vital that young people feel involved with the projects taking place across our cities. This means engaging students at the earliest opportunity so they can understand the range of careers on offer in the built environment, and experience the satisfaction that comes in shaping our world. 

Thanks to a partnership with the University of Bristol, Sir Robert McAlpine is working with local secondary school IKB Academy over three years as part of the innovative Design, Engineer, Construct! (DEC) education programme. Sponsored by the 海角视频 Foundation and pursued using Building Bristol (an initiative by Bristol City Council), the DEC is an accredited learning programme for students aged 13-18 that incorporates practical experience and culminates in a GCSE, with options to continue to A or T level. 

鈥淎s an industry, we don鈥檛 get to the potential workforce at an early enough stage,鈥� says Peter Munn, TQEC Project Director at Sir Robert McAlpine. 鈥淭his programme means we can get students interested in the sector at Year 10 and help them understand the wide range of careers that the sector supports.鈥� 

As well as gaining expert tuition from the Sir Robert McAlpine team, students from IKB Academy are able to visit the TQEC site for hands-on experience, enjoy sessions delivered by University of Bristol faculty members, and build links with providers across the region who offer varied pathways into further education and careers. 

Educating and upskilling apprentices, graduates and beyond 

Apprentices, interns and new graduates from 海角视频鈥檚 Bath office are also invited to TQEC as part of a regular site visit programme. Aiming to educate, upskill and inspire the next generation, young engineers from across structures, civils and building services get the chance to see the project develop, experience different parts of the design and construction process, and gain practical understanding of work flow across disciplines and teams on site. 

鈥淭he great thing with a local project like this is that people can return to site a number of times to see it evolve,鈥� says Jane Pengelly, Associate Structural Engineer at 海角视频, who oversees the site visit programme. 鈥淭he site is constantly changing, so each visit offers the opportunity to experience completely different elements in the building process 鈥� from getting reinforcements in place, to pouring the concrete frame, to the installation of MEP.鈥� 

A number of non-technical teams have also enjoyed site visits. Departments from HR to document control have all been invited to TQEC to experience the work of engineers, and the wider project team, in action. 海角视频 and Sir Robert McAlpine have further worked together to host site visits for interested local groups, including the Bristol ICE early careers network, local built environment charity Design West, and students from the University of Bath and the University of Bristol.  

鈥淚 feel strongly that if we can bring people to site we should,鈥� says Jane. 鈥淲e鈥檝e really appreciated the openness and willingness of Sir Robert McAlpine to open the site, and the opportunity this has given us to work together to give a variety of groups a greater understanding of the construction process, and our built environment.鈥� 

Engineer exchange: a new perspective on the industry 

Both 海角视频 and Sir Robert McAlpine recognise the importance of collaboration in successful project outcomes. They also understand that it takes real appreciation and understanding across teams to achieve this. To support a culture that enables open communication to thrive, they embarked on an 鈥榚ngineer exchange鈥� programme at TQEC which saw two building services engineers swap roles.  

Joss Lumby from Sir Robert McAlpine and Lucy Allen from 海角视频 were seconded to each other鈥檚 team for three months. Over this time, they were able to share their skills, collaborate with new team members, and experience life on the other side of project design and construction. 

鈥淭he experience has been really useful, because it鈥檚 given me the opportunity to spend time at a design consultancy,鈥� says Joss. 鈥淭his has helped me gain an appreciation for all the elements of the design that feed into what I鈥檓 delivering on site day-to-day. 

鈥淭he most interesting thing I learnt is how different MEP is on site to some of the initial design concepts. What I get the honour of delivering on site might just be one product of a hundred brilliant ideas that are thought of in the early concept stages.鈥� 

Likewise, Lucy found real value in being able to spend more time on site. 鈥淚 really enjoyed the secondment,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been very interesting to see the sheer number of trades on site and the coordination required between them, as well as the knock-on impact of one element on another. 

鈥淚t will also help with my chartership, both in relation to the QA side of things and health and safety. As part of a weekly walk around on site, I became aware of health and safety concerns both in the areas I鈥檝e been directly supervising, and in other areas on site.鈥� 

By 鈥榳alking in a day鈥� in each other鈥檚 shoes as part of the engineer exchange at TQEC, both Joss and Lucy have been able to gain invaluable insight and understanding into other roles early on in their careers. It鈥檚 the first step in fostering open, collaborative and fruitful working partnerships for the future. 

Laying firm foundations in social value 

The initiatives run at TQEC by 海角视频 and Sir Robert McAlpine, in partnership with the University of Bristol, demonstrate how education and engagement can be built into projects at every stage. From programmes such as DEC and early career site visits that inspire the next generation, to welcoming non-technical teams and local interest groups on site, we can invite everyone in to play an active role in shaping our built environment.  

On a wider scale, the social value built into TQEC through forging connections between the university and the city, fostering innovation in the heart of the city, and transforming a long-derelict site into a space for social interaction and cultural enrichment, sets a standard for the wider 135-hectare Bristol Temple Quarter development. As the UK鈥檚 largest regeneration project, Bristol Temple Quarter aims to deliver 22,000 new jobs and 10,000 new homes, alongside new public realm, and a 拢1.6 billion annual boost to the regional economy.