We were proud to recently host The King’s Trust alongside representatives from Hampshire Constabulary at Havant Thicket Reservoir for a packed and practical insight into life on a live construction site.
The King’s Trust is a UK charity that supports young people aged 16–30 by helping them build confidence, develop practical skills, and access training and employment opportunities. This work is vital in giving young people the tools, direction, and support they need to build positive, independent futures.
The day began just like any real site day, with a morning briefing, toolbox talk, and a session on RAMS (Risk Assessments and Method Statements), led by our Health & Safety team. It was a great opportunity to show how safety is embedded in everything we do and remains fundamental to every activity on site.
From there, the group took part in a full site tour, experiencing the scale and complexity of the reservoir project firsthand. We also showcased the wide range of plant equipment in use and explored potential career pathways in plant operations, including the importance of CSCS cards and specialist machine tickets.
One of the highlights was concrete cubing, where participants saw how we test material strength, followed by a session with our subcontractor SOCOTEC, who demonstrated testing processes for sand, concrete, and clay.
Throughout the visit, the group discovered the diverse range of careers within construction, from engineering and environmental management to commercial roles, quality assurance, health & safety, and skilled trades. We also highlighted how these roles contribute to the delivery of Portsmouth Water’s Havant Thicket Reservoir and the opportunities for progression within the industry.
Following the visit, Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said:
“I am grateful to the Future Water team for giving these young people a genuine, hands-on look at what a future in construction can offer. For many, it opened their eyes to real careers they can aspire to, careers that build confidence, skills and stability. Opportunities like this are vital in helping young people choose a positive path, away from crime and towards a more secure future.”
A representative from Hampshire Constabulary also reflected on the day, adding:
“We are very grateful to the site team at Future Water for offering hands-on insight into construction for a group of local young people. The experience of this visit helped our group to see new possibilities for the future in the construction industry and was an important step towards building skills, confidence and ultimately employment opportunities. We were very impressed with the project and the staff and thank them very much for this visit.”
We’re proud to support initiatives like this as part of our commitment to giving back to the communities we work in. Creating opportunities for young people in the local area is important to us, helping them build confidence, develop skills, and access positive pathways into employment.
Experiences like this show the value of collaboration between industry and community partners in shaping the future workforce.