(From left) Leader of Wandsworth Council Cllr Ravi Govindia, Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC) ceo Simon Murphy, Minister For London Jo Johnson MP, BPSDC chairman Datuk Wong and BPSDC director Richard Ng Picture by Ben Stevens / i-Images

ARA DAMANSARA - Battersea Power Station site in Wandsworth was visited recently by Minister for London Jo Johnson to mark the 1000th person placed into work through the borough's Work Match scheme.

He also visited the site of the new London Underground extension – to extend the Northern Line to Battersea. It is backed by government investment through a £1 billion loan to the Greater London Authority.

Two new stations are currently being built - Nine Elms and Battersea, with work targeted for completion in 2020.

Minister for London Jo Johnson said, “It is exciting to see first-hand the work for the regeneration project at Battersea – this London landmark is being put to excellent use to ensure existing neighbourhoods flourish while attracting a wealth of new businesses to the area.

“The Northern Line extension is a key part of this – we have to be ambitious for London in the decades to come, and this will bring new jobs and opportunities to the area," he said.

This comes alongside the government’s drive to create three million quality apprenticeships – set to change the lives of young people and the prospects of businesses.”

In total 150 apprentices have worked in construction as part of the Battersea project – in jobs ranging from crane drivers to carpenters – with more than half coming from the local community.

Wandsworth Council initiated the Work Match scheme in 2013 to aid residents into the workforce. The council struck up a partnership with Battersea Power Station Development Company to match local people to job vacancies.

The leader of Wandsworth Council, Cllr Ravi Govindia said, “We are incredibly proud of what the team at Work Match has done for our residents - to have put 1,000 Wandsworth people into employment is an incredible achievement.

“As the range of jobs available in the Nine Elms area grows and changes with new shops and hospitality businesses opening up, we have found that businesses trust Work Match to provide them with excellent candidates.”

Transport for London's (TfL) director of major projects Stuart Harvey said, “The Northern Line Extension will bring Battersea and surrounding areas to within 15 minutes of the West End and City.

"Not only will it provide better transport connections to this part of south London but it will also enable the regeneration of the area, spurring economic growth by supporting around 25,000 new jobs and more than 20,000 new homes.”

Jo Johnson MP meeting Omar Waite, an apprentice working at Battersea Power Station.
Picture by Ben Stevens / i-Images

The Minister was accompanied during the visit by Richard Graham MP, Special Envoy to Malaysia – to discuss Malaysian investment in the project. The Power Station site is owned by a consortium of Malaysian investors, demonstrating that the UK is open for business despite leaving the EU.

Datuk Wong, Chairman of Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC), said, “We were delighted to welcome Jo Johnson MP and Richard Graham MP to Battersea Power Station and show them the significant progress made on creating a new town centre for London.

“Providing opportunities for local people is ingrained in Malaysian culture and therefore a massive priority for us, hence our involvement with Wandsworth’s Work Match programme and the establishment of the Battersea Academy of Skills Excellence (BASE).

"This will remain a key focus throughout the lifetime of this project and long after the regeneration of the area has completed.

“This is such an iconic landmark that Malaysians are very proud to have invested in. Not only are we entrusted to restore the Power Station to its former glory but we are also committed to delivering a world-class destination for all to enjoy.”

Battersea Academy of Skills Excellence (BASE) - a jobs and training service created for people living locally was launched in 2016. It aims to match people with jobs at Battersea as well as providing training relevant to the work needed to make the development a reality.

"The government is working to create three million quality apprenticeships that will change the lives of apprentices and the prospects of businesses. We are making apprenticeships longer, with more off-the-job training and proper assessment at the end.