Oxford North celebrates National Apprenticeship Week 2026

Oxford North is proud to confirm that 64 apprentices have been employed as part of our major masterplan project delivering Oxford’s flagship new innovation district.

In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week, we are celebrating the vital role apprentices play and the positive impact high-quality training and development opportunities have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

Supporting career development at Oxford North

We recognise that apprenticeships are a powerful route into long-term, fulfilling careers, offering hands-on experience alongside structured learning, guidance and progression.

This approach reflects our commitment to innovation, inclusiveness and impact, as set out in our six ESG pillars and Social Value Charter.

At Oxford North, apprenticeships are designed as structured pathways into sustained employment, rather than isolated placements. Opportunities were developed through skills gap analysis and labour forecasting, ensuring that roles aligned with genuine contractor demand and long-term workforce needs.

A defining feature of construction apprentices at Oxford North is the opportunity to gain experience on a large-scale, mixed-use development. Apprentices have developed practical, transferable skills while contributing to the delivery of new homes, offices and laboratory space, alongside major infrastructure works, amenity spaces, landscaping and public realm.

This breadth of experience reflects the diverse nature of the Oxford North project and provides apprentices with a strong foundation across multiple disciplines to transfer to future projects and to bolster their career progress.

Working in partnership

We partnered with key stakeholders including Oxford City Council, Enterprise Oxfordshire, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with JobCentrePlus, training providers and our construction partners.

This evidence-based workforce planning and supply chain integration ensured the apprenticeship opportunities reflected real industry demand and delivered meaningful outcomes.

We are particularly grateful for the support of our construction companies - Careys, Laing O’Rouke, Mace, Maylim and The Hill Group – all of which took on apprentices at Oxford North.

Creating opportunities for local people

In total, 64 apprentices worked in construction roles on Phase One of the development. We are proud to have facilitated this level of opportunity which exceeded our original target of delivering 61 apprenticeships. The project has created more than 2,000 construction jobs of which 28% are people who live locally.

These outcomes represent shared success for the apprentices themselves, our construction partners, the wider construction industry, Oxford North and the economy.

Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2026

We are delighted to be again sponsoring the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2026, organised by Enterprise Oxfordshire, with this year marking their tenth birthday and our involvement for the fifth consecutive year.

The awards celebrate and recognise the achievements of apprentices, businesses, schools and training providers across the county, while also supporting employers who are looking to start or expand apprenticeship programmes.

The winners will be announced on 21 May 2026 at University of Oxford’s Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities.

Creating opportunity for the future

Simon Ruck, Managing Director, Oxford North said: “Creating apprenticeship opportunities during both our construction stages and now operational phase is a core part of our strategy.

“We are proud to have supported 64 apprentices so far and thank our key stakeholders and particularly our construction partners, who have played a vital role in encouraging and supporting people into the industry.

“Our focus, since launching in September 2025, is on future apprenticeship opportunities that sit within the estate management team, future construction phases, and with our science and technology occupiers.

“Together, these roles will help support long-term economic growth while creating accessible, high-quality career opportunities for local people.

“Apprenticeships are essential in providing skills and experience people need to build fulfilling, long-term careers. They are a great way to train, upskill and improve access to career opportunities. We are pleased to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week and highlight the many benefits apprenticeships provide.”