Construction and Infrastructure company, Morgan Sindall, and the University of Salford have today announced a new collaborative partnership to help students enter the employment market in a more ‘work ready’ state.

Focused on enhancing the employability credentials of undergraduates, the partnership builds on work already undertaken with the university to combine leading academic insight with real world experience and learning.

Central to its commitment to develop a ‘future-fit’ workforce, Morgan Sindall is using its growing portfolio of projects in the Salford area to provide onsite experience to undergraduates as well as supporting PhD students by providing research opportunities within the company.

Members of the team will also continue to undertake regular lectures at the University’s School of the Built Environment (SoBE), as well as offering regular site visits, workshops and experience in preparing project proposals for design, planning, costing and development to SoBE multi-disciplinary student teams.

Karen Fairhurst, Project Manager at Morgan Sindall, said: “Morgan Sindall is focused on developing work ready graduates and the partnership with Salford University is a fantastic opportunity to work with and nurture some really talented individuals. We aim to use our projects as a textbook in construction, providing real world examples which will enhance their understanding of the pertinent challenges within our industry.

“In turn Morgan Sindall will benefit from working alongside the enthusiastic and talented people who will undoubtedly play a part in encouraging innovation in the construction world of the future.”

Sam Grogan, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience at the University of Salford added: “Producing students who are fully equipped for the demands of the modern workplace is the key aim of the University of Salford.

“The best way to do this is to work as closely as possible with industry to co create and co-deliver flexible, agile outward facing courses and to provide our students with the work experiences that will give them with the skills required. This partnership with Morgan Sindall will do just that for many of our students and it is one I’m very excited about.”

Morgan Sindall currently employs 18 University of Salford alumni in its North West region and has eight staff members currently studying there.

Based on the latest publicly available data, the University of Salford can boast that 92.1% of its UK 1^st degree graduates are employed or engaged in further study six months after leaving.

The partnership sits as one initiative within the University of Salford’s Industry Collaboration Zones (ICZs). These innovative zones facilitate students, academics and industry partners to work together on cutting edge industry facing projects and ideas which bring together world leading research and future facing teaching and learning to offer unique opportunities that better prepare students for life after university.

This is part of the University of Salford’s long term vision playing out over the next two decades to link the campus with local industry, culture and residential communities to help drive the local and regional economy.

The Manchester office of national law firm, Shoosmiths is growing its construction team, with the appointment of five legal advisors, all previously with Weightmans.

The new hires come in response to increased client demand for expert construction advice and support in the region, and will bolster the existing construction team, working alongside Shoosmiths Manchester’s award-winning real estate practice to deliver all construction related work for clients across the region.

As part of Shoosmiths’ national construction practice, the Manchester team also works nationally with the firm’s construction teams based in Birmingham, Leeds and London, to support clients wherever required. The team works across all areas of the construction industry, acting for developers, funders, buyers, tenants, public sector clients, contractors, consultants and specialist sub-contractors.

Joining the Shoosmiths team from Weightmans are partner, John Cleaveley, senior associate Stephanie MacPherson, associate, Adam Stead and paralegal Katie O’Leary. Solicitor, Gareth Noonan will also join the team in September.

Expert construction partner, John Cleaveley was previously head of construction for Weightmans and has over 25 years’ experience of working in and with the construction industry. His career has encompassed in-house roles at Mowlem plc and Bovis Lend Lease. He was also General Counsel for the Fulcrum Group, a leading utilities business.

John has worked on a broad range of regional projects, including Salford Media City, Manchester Spinningfields and several large PFI schemes. As well as providing strategic advice to clients on construction issues and disputes, John advises developers, funders, purchasers, tenants, contractors and consultants on standard form and bespoke building contracts, appointments, frameworks, warranties, security documents and subcontracts for a wide range of projects. He also advises on construction and distribution contracts, along with regulatory issues in the gas and electricity sectors.

Stephanie MacPherson, senior associate, is a construction dispute specialist but also advises clients on the non-contentious contractual aspects of construction projects. She acts for parties at all stages of the contract chain including employers, developers, contractors, subcontractors and consultants. Stephanie has worked for several universities and on higher educational disputes. Her public sector experience includes work for NHS trust clients.

Associate, Adam Stead brings to the team substantial experience of negotiating standard forms of construction contracts and drafting bespoke consultant appointments, warranties and novations. His role also involves ongoing project advisory services to clients before, during and after the construction phase along with the provision of construction support for the sale, purchase and financing of developments.

Specialist construction and engineering solicitor, Gareth Noonan, has worked on a variety of contentious and non-contentious and has several years of commercial dispute and insolvency experience.

Talking about the team expansion, John Cleaveley said, “Shoosmiths has carved out a leading reputation in the North West real estate sector and having a strong construction offering is key to maintaining that, complementing the very successful property and planning practices at the Manchester office. The team are very much looking forward to helping deliver specialist construction advice in line with the firm’s people-centric and client focused approach.”

Vaqas Farooq, the head of the Manchester office commented, “This is an exciting opportunity for us to further strengthen Shoosmiths’ full service offering. We are confident the enhanced construction team will help grow our presence in the North West development market even further and make a significant impact on our ambition to be one of the leading UK Real Estate teams.”

Shoosmiths currently holds the Legal 500 Regional Real Estate Firm of the Year title and has been shortlisted as ‘Property Team of the Year’ at this year’s Estates Gazette Awards.

MC Construction has completed a £450,000 upgrade to a 48,000 sq ft hangar at Manchester Airport which is used to service vehicles used on the airfield, such as passenger buses, aircraft tugs and baggage trucks.

The 15-week project was the Salford-based company’s first under a new Manchester Airport building services framework.

MC Construction undertook below-ground preparatory works before refurbishing the entrance to Hangar 4 in the Western Maintenance Area with a new steel frame, insulated cladding and automated roller shutter doors.

The company also created a new pedestrian walkway in the hangar.

Much of the work went on out-of-hours to avoid disrupting day-to-day operations at the hangar. The building is used by Manchester Airport’s Motor Transport division for airfield vehicle maintenance. Around 30 staff work there.

Jacobs was the principle design and structural engineer for the project.

Michelle Richardson, operations director at MC Construction said: “This was our first project under this exciting new framework and we are delighted to have assisted Manchester Airport in ensuring the creation of a modern façade for this hangar, without disrupting the day-to-day operations.”

The three-year framework covers airside and landside building works as well as fit-outs to retail, office and commercial properties.

Matthew Gillett, project manager for capital delivery schemes at Manchester Airport, said: “The project was complicated given the live working environment, but our key project milestones were met and it was a pleasure working with MC Construction on the programme.

“We look forward to working with the team again in the future.”