Winchester: Lakesmere Group highlights role of skilled immigrants in property sector
Winchester-based Lakesmere Group, the specialist construction contractor, recently found it necessary to employ 20 skilled façade engineers from India and the Philippines to work from its offices in Northern Ireland, Reading and Cannock to enable construction projects to happen. Southampton-based legal firm DC Employment helped the company comply with the myriad of fast-changing business immigration rules.
Despite the expertise of Lakesmere’s team, which includes many apprentices and graduates, it had faced a time-critical need for hard-to-find, specialist engineering skills for UK projects when market testing in this country failed to solve the skills shortage.
Gill Dredge, Lakesmere’s head of group HR, said: “All of our applications to employ foreign nationals have been successful with the advice and support of DC Employment. Its input has been really important. If freedom of movement in the EU stops because of Brexit, all overseas labour will need a certificate of sponsorship to work in the UK. That’s something DC Employment advised on for our Indian and Philippines labour and we would look for similar help within the EU if required.”
Laurence Dunn, director of DC Employment Solicitors, and his team have been advising and acting on workplace issues for the Lakesmere Group for 20 years.
He said: “We’re proud that our advice and support has helped with Lakesmere’s strong growth over the past 20 years and continues to do so.”
Lakesmere, which designs, manufactures and installs exterior features such as glazing, cladding and roofing, has grown to employ 550 people in the UK and another 350 in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and China.
Projects here include the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, the London Aquatics Centre, the O2 Arena, the Aintree racecourse grandstand and the new Cambridge head office of software giant ARM.
Lakesmere’s latest pre-tax profit was £3.5 million on an annual turnover of £118.5m.
