Villiers Park and Beard Partner to Inspire Future Talent Across Swindon and Wiltshire

The new partnership between social mobility charity, Villiers Park, and innovative construction company Beard, will support young people from under-represented backgrounds across Swindon and Wiltshire, helping them to develop essential employability skills, explore a wide range of career pathways, and gain a greater understanding of apprenticeship opportunities available to them. 

Throughout the 2026/27 academic year, Beard will play an important role in supporting Villiers Park's Future Leaders Programme, with a particular focus on Leadership Challenge. This social action project enables students to identify an issue within their local community and develop a solution, building valuable transferable skills including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking, and leadership. 

For many students on the Future Leaders Programme, opportunities to participate in enrichment activities are limited, making experiences such as Leadership Challenge especially valuable. Not only do these projects help young people make a meaningful difference in their communities, but they also provide tangible achievements that can strengthen CVs, applications and future educational and career aspirations. 

As part of the partnership, Beard colleagues will work directly with students, sharing their expertise and providing insight into the construction industry, its diverse career opportunities and the routes available into the sector. Through practical support and guidance, Beard will help equip young people with the knowledge and confidence to take their next steps towards successful futures. 

Jamie Harwood, Beard's Swindon Director, said: 

"We're passionate about creating opportunities for the next generation and helping young people realise their potential. This partnership with Villiers Park reflects our commitment to supporting social mobility and investing in the communities where we work. 

"The construction industry offers a wide range of rewarding careers. We want to help young people understand the pathways available to them, the opportunities that the sector offers, and the skills they can develop through challenging themselves. By working alongside students on the Future Leaders Programme, we're looking forward to sharing our experiences, building confidence and inspiring them to develop the skills they'll need for their future careers, whatever path they may choose." 

Gaby Sumner, Villiers Park Chief Executive: 

"We are incredibly grateful to Beard for their commitment to supporting young people from under-represented backgrounds. Meaningful employer partnerships are vital in helping young people connect their education to future opportunities.” 

Karen Kingston, Villiers Park Programme Coordinator for Swindon: 

“We are thrilled that Beard are committed to supporting young people in Swindon develop their skills and offering valuable insights into future career opportunities.” 

We would like to thank Beard for their support of this exciting partnership. Collaboration like this is vital to our work, enabling us to reach more young people from under-represented backgrounds with the support, experiences and networks they need to succeed. We are always looking to work with organisations that share our mission and values. 

If you would like to discuss how you can partner with us to support young people in communities across the UK, please get in touch.