Persimmon welcomed Wales' Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Jayne Bryant MS, to its Construction Academy in Llanilid this week.

The visit, which included a tour of the facility and a nearby Morgans Walk site, was led by Persimmon's chairman in Wales, Stephen Cleveley, along with managing directors Stuart Phillips and Lee Hawker of the West Wales and East Wales businesses.

During the tour, Cabinet Secretary Bryant MS met with apprentices poised to form the future workforce of Wales' construction sector before even taking on some bricklaying herself. The Academy, run in partnership with Bridgend College and supported by Welsh Government apprenticeship funding, has created more than 150 job opportunities for people in Wales over the last five years.

Students begin their journey with a foundation course at Bridgend College and, after 12 months, progress into a three-year apprenticeship with Persimmon. In addition, the Academy offers training for junior apprentices aged 14-16, providing hands-on learning at its live construction site in Llanilid, Rhondda Cynon Taf. The site is set to deliver more than 1,700 homes to the area, making homeownership accessible to hundreds of local families with the majority of customers coming from the local area.

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Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant MS, said: "It was inspiring to meet with some of our future housebuilders and see first-hand the training and support they're receiving at the Academy.

"Delivering more homes now and into the future is a priority for the Welsh Government. That’s why I'm pleased to see investment in construction apprenticeships to help maximise the opportunities available to young people within the construction sector.

"We will continue working with our partners to ensure we have the skills we need to deliver more homes across Wales."

Stephen Cleveley, Chair of Persimmon in Wales, added: "We were delighted to welcome the Cabinet Secretary to our Llanilid development and showcase both our housebuilding and apprenticeship initiatives.

"The housing sector in Wales brings significant benefits – not only in providing much-needed homes but also in creating local jobs, supporting economic growth, and enhancing communities.

"With the help of key government initiatives like Help to Buy – Wales, we are committed to making homeownership more accessible for local families while ensuring our developments leave a positive and lasting legacy for future generations.

"Our partnership with Bridgend College is a great example – helping to train the next generation of skilled tradespeople and directly supporting the Welsh Government’s wider housing and skills agenda."