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News story MILESTONE FOR MULTIBILLION POUND PROJECT AS APPRENTICES MEET MINISTER FOR LONDON Minister Jo Johnson visits £9 billion Battersea Power Station regeneration project and Northern

Line extension to celebrate boost for business in the area. This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government Apprentices taking part in a scheme set to boost the economy

in south west London met Minister for London Jo Johnson today, 31 October 2018. The minister spoke to apprentices working at the Battersea Power Station site in Wandsworth, to mark the

1000th person placed into work through the borough’s successful work match scheme. He also visited the site of the new London Underground extension – where tunnelling works are now complete

ready to extend the Northern Line to Battersea, previously backed by government investment through a £1 billion loan to the Greater London Authority. Two new stations are being built, at

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 that is going on as part > of 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. >  > I enjoyed meeting some of the people who have found work through > Wandsworth’s scheme, and wish them continued success in the > future. This comes alongside the 

government’s drive to create 3 > 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 set up the work

match scheme in 2013 to help get local residents into work, and struck up a partnership with Battersea Power Station Development Company to match local people to job vacancies. 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 great progress being made > on creating a new town centre for London. >  > Providing opportunities for local people is ingrained in Malaysian > culture and therefore a huge 

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. 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 really trust work match to provide them > with excellent candidates. Stuart Harvey, TfL’s Director of Major Projects, 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. 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 as we leave the EU. During the visit, the minister also heard about the Battersea Academy of Skills Excellence (BASE), a

jobs and training service created for people living locally, which was launched in 2016. It is focused on matching 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 3 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. News desk enquiries Media enquiries 0300 7777 878 Switchboard 0300 330 3000

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