Diversity in action at Sacyr UK’s new Velindre Cancer Centre project

When it comes to diversity at the new Velindre Cancer Centre project, the team is a living example of what can be achieved, bucking national trends across the board.

Thirty percent of the project management team are female - double the national average of other construction projects. 

Five percent of the site team, those working on actually building the nVCC, are female – while the national average for construction projects is 1%. 

We also have a very diverse age range working on site here in Whitchurch, with people from four generations working on site and in our offices. 

There are also 12 different nationalities working on the project, from as far afield as Philippines and Columbia to those people who live just a few miles away. 

And these are just our statistics for people who work directly for Sacyr UK, the main contractor that is building the Centre, and Acorn, the consortium that has financially backed the project. It does not include any of the hundreds of people who work for the tens of sub-contractor companies who are also employed on the project. 

Katie Hathaway, Sacyr UK’s stakeholder engagement and community benefits manager at nVCC, said: “It is great to see our diversity policy in action here at the new Velindre Cance Centre. We actively encourage people from all backgrounds and ages to come and work for us as a diverse workforce, as doing so boosts our innovation and attracts new talent into our industry. 

“We have recently spoken about one of our sub-contractors’ crane operators, Barry who is now 73 and still working here on site. The experience and knowledge he brings to the project, as well as to his colleagues at MPS is second to none.”

Katie added: “Many people believe that initiatives such as Women in Construction Week aren’t worth promoting, but here at Sacyr UK and the nVCC we are feeling the benefits of having a diverse workforce every day and long may it continue.”