Brent Cross Town Connect offers face-to-face employment and training support
Local organisations are invited to apply for the Brent Cross Town Community Fund, now in its eighth year
Brent Cross Town Connect, a new jobs and skills hub, has opened at Brent Cross Town, the £8bn regeneration project being delivered by Related Argent and Barnet Council, giving local people a place to get face-to-face help finding work, training, volunteering or a new career.
With the nearest alternative employment and training service around 30 minutes away by public transport, Brent Cross Town Connect brings employment, skills and training support closer to home for residents in the surrounding neighbourhoods.
At Brent Cross Town Connect, service users can speak directly to the on-site team about vacancies, training opportunities and the practical steps they can take to support their career, with opportunities across Brent Cross Town and the wider Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration scheme, including opportunities across retail, hospitality and construction.
The hub will also bring employers, recruiters, training providers and welfare-to-work organisations together, helping create a clear route into work for local people.
Through partnerships with construction contractors, employers, tenants, occupiers and retailers, it will provide tailored support including job matching, skills development and volunteering opportunities.
Based in a dedicated retail unit at the heart of Brent Cross Town, the service is open to residents of Barnet, Brent and Camden, accessed either by appointment or by walking in. The team is available from Monday to Friday between 10am and 3pm.
The development of a permanent hub builds on work already underway to help local people access opportunities created by the regeneration. To date:
- 688 local workers from Barnet, Brent and Camden have found work at Brent Cross Town, including 356 Barnet residents
- 84 apprentices have worked on the development
- 1,026 students and jobseekers have taken part in career insight events
Abdullah Ally from Barnet was studying for a Level 3 qualification in electrical installations and maintenance when he heard about the service through his college tutor. He was introduced to an apprenticeship opportunity and supported throughout the application process, securing a Level 3 apprenticeship as a trainee electrician.
Two months into the role, Abdullah is applying the theory he learnt at college on site and gaining practical experience. The apprenticeship will allow him to complete his NVQ portfolio and work towards becoming a fully qualified electrician.
Abdullah Ally said: “I was supported throughout the application process and constantly kept updated. It was always made clear that if there was anything I needed, the team was there to help.
“This apprenticeship means I can work towards completing my NVQ portfolio and becoming a fully qualified electrician. Every day I am learning something new and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity and the people around me.”
Brent Cross Town Connect also helped Mark Edwards, who lives in Brent, move into a completely new career after he was made redundant from his role as an LG Sales Ambassador. Despite having no previous landscaping experience, Mark was able to draw on the communication, customer service and problem-solving skills he had developed in his previous role.
After approaching the team for advice, Mark secured a position as a Landscape Maintenance Operative with Willerby Landscapes in May 2026. He is now building experience in lawn care, pruning, planting, weeding and grounds maintenance at Brent Cross Town, as well as learning about the health and safety requirements of the role.
Mark Edwards said: “The Connect team took the time to understand my situation and gave me the chance to move into a completely new field. That made a huge difference compared with other agencies I have worked with.
“I cannot recommend the service enough. If you show a willingness to learn, they will guide you along the way, even if the role is new to you or outside your previous field of work.”
Alongside the opening of Brent Cross Town Connect, Brent Cross Town is launching the next round of its Community Fund, with a further £50,000 available in grants valued between £3,000 and £10,000 to projects across the London Borough of Barnet. The fund is looking to support projects that focus on education, employment, skills and training and individuals, local organisations and community groups are invited to apply through ActionFunder by 26th October.
Now in its eighth year, the fund has made around £330,000 available to grassroots projects, supporting 69 projects and reaching over 17,000 people since 2019.
Its previous £50,000 round, delivered alongside energy partner Vattenfall, supported six organisations across Barnet, including projects helping disabled people into employment and giving young people hands-on experience in construction, technology, horticulture and the creative industries.
Together, the Community Fund and Brent Cross Town Connect are designed to ensure more local people benefit from the opportunities being created at Brent Cross Town – both by supporting organisations already working in the community and by giving residents a permanent place to speak to someone about jobs and training.
Commenting on the success of the employment and skills programme, Davin Chaggar, Social Value Manager at Related Argent, said: “We’re already seeing local people successfully access jobs, apprenticeships and training across the development and beyond, and Brent Cross Town Connect gives us a permanent home for that support – helping even more people benefit from the opportunities being created at the development in a visible and accessible way.
“At the same time, our Community Fund continues to provide vital resources for organisations that know their communities and understand where support can make the biggest difference. With another £50,000 now available, we would encourage local groups with ideas for their communities to come forward and apply.”
Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Strategic Partnerships, Economy, and Effective Council Party, Councillor Barry Rawlings, added: “As Brent Cross Town continues to grow, the launch of Brent Cross Town Connect demonstrates our commitment to ensuring local people benefit from the opportunities being created in the area. It will help residents access employment, skills, training and support, while strengthening links between communities, businesses and local partners.”
Mark Shearer, Co-Founder and CEO, ActionFunder, said: “Eight years of the Community Fund shows the value of sustained investment in organisations that know their communities. By placing local voices at the centre of funding decisions, Brent Cross Town has helped resources reach projects that can make a meaningful difference.
“With a further £50,000 now available, we’re looking forward to hearing from local organisations about the ideas and initiatives they want to take forward and the difference that funding could make.”