F+A backs Olympic academy to inspire next generation of QSs

One of the consortia shortlisted to manage the 2012 Olympics building programme is supporting the launch of a special construction training academy.

The Legacy consortium, which includes Capita Symonds and Franklin + Andrews, is advocating the academy as part of its bid for the role of Olympic delivery partner. The proposed school will form part of Legacy's pitch when it attends a series of meetings with the Olympic Delivery Authority in line with the "competitive dialogue process" set down by the EU. The first meeting was held this week.

Legacy, which also includes Bovis Lend Lease and Kellog Brown & Root, is among four companies that the ODA has shortlisted for the "delivery partner" role.

The academy would use public interest in the Olympics to promote the building industry. It would target two sets of people: junior school pupils and trainees within the building industry.

Andrew Williams, managing director at F+A, said "the Olympics can get people excited about building, we want to use that potential to engage with the local education process".

At the trainee level the school would aim to directly employ young people. Andrews said: "We would put one or two young trainees from F+A a year on Olympic projects. They would learn about the project management process, security issues, stakeholder management, as well as basic QSing." He added that he was currently looking around his firm for potential candidates and had identified one already.

We want to use the potential of the Olympics to engage with local education

Andrew Williams, F+A

In junior schools in the Southeast, the academy would present talks to children by "inspirational" people from within the industry in the hope of encouraging them to pursue careers in construction. "We need the QS equivalent of Daley Thompson," said Andrews.

The academy would aim to leave behind its own legacy of skills, said Williams.

He said he had spoken to a number of organisations that had expressed enthusiasm for the venture, including the RICS, the Institute of Civil Engineers, London Borough of Newham and an unnamed university. The university was keen to manage the faculty that would run the academy. This faculty would produce a range of courses, including their teaching syllabuses and the people to deliver them.

Williams said the emphasis on creating a skills base met the demand from the ODA and the International Olympic Committee for the 2012 Games to leave a legacy. "There is an understanding that the bid was won effectively on the principle of leaving something behind of great value for the country, for the youth, for London and for sport."

• Franklin + Andrews is targeting two markets overseas: the Middle East and South Africa.