Woodbourne backs BKQ student scheme
City developer Woodbourne Group has launched a two-year programme to boost employment opportunities on the £4bn BKQ scheme.
Under the scheme, Birmingham Metropolitan College students will gain direct exposure to major developments within the city’s Knowledge Quarter development, including Birmingham BioCity, a £90m life-sciences development launched at last month’s MIPIM conference.
Over the next two years, students will engage in live briefs, site visits, work placements and industry-led sessions, offering insight into real working environments and future career opportunities.
Woodbourne Group will contribute funding, workshops and site access, while the college embeds activity into its curriculum, creating what organisers say will be a structured pathway from education into employment, supporting long-term economic growth in Birmingham.
Tani Dulay, chief executive of Edgbaston-based Woodbourne Group, said: “Birmingham Knowledge Quarter will now link students directly to live developments, real work environments and clear pathways into employment. This will turn investment into outcomes that matter at a city level.
“BKQ is about strengthening Birmingham’s economic base, not just delivering new space. This partnership helps ensure that growth is inclusive and that the city’s young, diversified and talented are part of Birmingham’s future.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, added: “Creating clear pathways into good jobs is central to our ambitions for the region. Partnerships like this between BMet and Woodbourne Group bring education and industry together in a practical way, helping young people gain the skills, experience and confidence they need to succeed, while supporting the continued growth of our economy.”
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