Bathgate Group to support LJMU degree apprentices with £250,000 donation
Pictured: Professor Mike Riley, Director of the School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment; LJMU Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Mark Power; Pro-Vice-Chancellor for External Engagement and Partnerships, Dr Aileen Jones; and Rod Walker, Founder and Chairman of the Bathgate Group.
The Bathgate Group has pledged £250,000 to support degree apprenticeship learners at LJMU who are striving to forge successful careers in the construction industry.
Over the next five years, the Bathgate Early Career Launchpad Fund will boost the opportunities available for aspiring and current degree apprentices studying with the university’s School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment.
From small grants for equipment, to bridge funding as apprentices graduate from their studies, the fund will enhance the support already on offer from LJMU for degree apprentices.
Focused on learners from challenged groups, this additional support will help to remove barriers to early career experience and broaden access to roles within the construction sector for individuals who might not otherwise be able to access them.
We are proud to support the Early Career Launchpad Fund at Liverpool John Moores University. This initiative aligns with our joint commitment to foster opportunities for students from challenged backgrounds, helping them build successful careers in construction and beyond. By investing in their education and training, we are investing in the future of our industry and our community.
Rod Walker, Founder and Chairman of the Bathgate Group, also a former Chair of Governors at LJMU and Honorary Fellow
Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of LJMU, Professor Mark Power, said: “This is a generous gift to support and invest in our students’ futures from the Bathgate Group. The additional financial support will have a profound impact on our ability to create early career experiences for our construction-focused degree apprentices, making a difference to the lives and career prospects of those who need it most.”
Powering the construction sector
Since the founding of the College of Building in 1951, the university has developed its programmes with industry to train the civil engineers, surveyors, designers and project managers that power the construction sector in the Liverpool City Region, across the UK and around the world.
Degree apprenticeships at LJMU
LJMU has been delivering degree apprenticeships since 2016 and currently offers a range of courses in the sector including building design engineering, chartered surveying, civil engineering, quantity surveying and construction site supervision and management. Degree apprentices, sponsored by their employers, earn their degree alongside practical skills developed in the workplace.
More about the Bathgate Group and its support of LJMU
The Bathgate Group comprises a range of companies including Bathgate Silica Sand, Arclid Transport, Bathgate Flooring and Bathgate Business Finance. Each Bathgate company shares a common objective to provide customers with the highest level of trust and confidence in all of their products and services.
Beyond business success, the group believe in making a positive impact on the communities it serves. Founder, Rod Walker, the Bathgate Group, and all of the individual companies are committed to supporting various charitable initiatives and organisations in the local and wider areas.
The group has previously supported LJMU students through the Bathgate Start-up Fund and most recently the Bathgate Boost Award, offering grants to students and alumni starting a business in the Liverpool City Region or North West area.
