At Thames Freeport, long term regeneration is taking shape across Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Thurrock. The region is expected to attract around £4.5 billion in investment and create more than 21,000 jobs. This creates jobs and training opportunities for local people.
That growth is visible across sites such as London Gateway and the Port of Tilbury. But one question matters. Who fills those roles.
Demand is rising across construction, clean energy, logistics, food production and digital sectors. These sectors will require a local workforce with the right skills. The Thames Freeport’s investment into young people is vital for the whole area.
This is already happening on the ground.
Construction is underway for Thurrock’s new Youth Zone. This will give thousands of young people access to a safe space, skills development and support. The Thames Freeport is investing £3m of Government backed seed funding into this fantastic project.
In November we asked young people in the area Frame the Future . On the 26 March at the Onside Future Youth Zone in Dagenham we held a fantastic event showcasing the entries and announcing the winner.
At that event, young people also took part in a competition called the Living Energy workshop. Participants built simple devices using living microorganisms to generate electricity. They tested results in real time and saw how energy connects to science and industry .
You are also seeing impact through the Future Food Skills programme, funded by the Thames Freeport Community Skills Fund. Delivered with London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and partners including Billingsgate Seafood Training School and Be Inclusive Hospitality, the programme gives young people direct insight into the food industry.
So far, over 1,300 pupils have taken part. Teachers have also been trained to embed this learning into lessons over time.
Through this programme, young people learn:
- where food comes from
- how it is prepared and processed
- the range of careers across the sector
These projects link investment directly to local skills and access to jobs.
Growth needs to work for local people
You are seeing growth across logistics, manufacturing, construction, clean energy, food and technology. These sectors will shape the local economy.
Infrastructure alone does not deliver local benefit. People need skills, confidence and awareness to access jobs.
Thames Freeport focuses on this link. The approach connects investment, skills and access to opportunity.
For young people, this means:
- understanding what jobs exist locally
- seeing how school links to real careers
- knowing what skills employers need
Career decisions start early and if an industry feels distant, young people wont engage.
Thames Freeport works with schools and youth programmes and it’s partners already doing fantastic work to change this.
Programmes such as Frame the Future, the Smart City Schools Competition and Future Food Skills give students the chance to explore real industries and understand how they operate.
These programmes build confidence. They help young people see a role for themselves in the future of their area.
Hands on learning helps young people understand how industries work.
Workshops such as Living Energy show how energy systems operate in practice. Young people build and test simple systems and see results in real time.
Programmes like Future Food Skills show how food connects to large scale industries and careers.
This sits alongside:
- site visits to major employers
- classroom sessions with industry partners
- competitions linked to real challenges
Thames Freeport has already worked with schools and over 1,300 students across the region. This work will expand further.
Investment in young people strengthens local communities.
The new Youth Zone in Thurrock will give young people a place to go, access to support and structured activity.
Events at Future Youth Zone in Dagenham show how this works in practice. Young people take part, share ideas and build confidence.
When young people engage, you see:
- stronger links between schools and employers
- higher awareness of local opportunities
- more confidence in future pathways
Making growth work for local people
Thames Freeport links global investment with local opportunity.
This means focusing on people as well as infrastructure. It means making sure young people see a future in the industries growing around them.
You can see this through:
- the start of the Thurrock Youth Zone
- the ideas shared through Frame the Future
- hands on learning through Living Energy
- skills development through Future Food Skills
Growth works when young people are part of it.
