London’s second most popular airport, Gatwick, is currently planning a £1 billion makeover.  Sources from the airport have announced plans to hand out construction contracts worth around £15 million each to 25 different construction firms in the London area.  

This is a huge bonus to London based construction workers who have felt the effects of the recession in the last few months as it has been predicted that thousands of construction jobs will become available in the area.

Gatwick’s Makeover

The makeover is expected to take two years to complete and will involve a comprehensive redesign of the aging facilities.  The hope is to bring Gatwick into the 21st century with a complete renovation.  A multi million pound extension is also set to take place on the airport’s North terminal.  The hope is that the expensive redevelopment will encourage customers who prefer to fly from more sophisticated airports such as Heathrow to return to flying from Gatwick.

How Can You Get Involved?

Due to the large number of construction companies being hired to complete work on Gatwick airport it is clear that there will be a large number of construction companies hiring new employees in the city.  The best thing to do is make sure you are prepared now by being in possession of a CSCS card.  With most companies now not accepting new employees without a CSCS card in London it is a good idea to study, take and pass a CSCS health, safety & environment test in London so you can show your new employer that you are fully aware of the construction health and safety guidelines.

If you are not currently based in London but would still like the chance to be involved in this project you can complete a CSCS health, safety & environment test in another part of the UK.  Once you are in ownership of a CSCS card in London you can then start applying for work with the numerous construction companies that this project will be awarded to.  Although the contracts have not been handed out to specific companies yet, this is expected to happen in the next few months.

Other Opportunities in the Area

If you don’t manage to get a job working on the construction makeover at Gatwick airport, don’t worry too much as there are plenty more opportunities for people in possession of a CSCS card in London.  Heathrow airport is also currently investing in a revamp, and construction in the city centre has increased by over 137% in the last six months.