About
Opportunity Cambridge
Connecting Cambridge residents with local employment, training and skills opportunities
Local Impact
Real Local Benefits
When new developments come to a borough, they bring real opportunities for local people - jobs, apprenticeships, training and community engagement.
The Pearl Yard development in Bermondsey includes significant employment and skills commitments, with the developer and contractors providing jobs, apprenticeships, training and community engagement for Southwark residents.
Local people get first sight of opportunities, with on-the-ground support to help them apply.
Purpose
Our Mission
We believe local development should mean local jobs. Opportunity Platform exists because in boroughs like Southwark, where unemployment sits at 6.2 percent and climbing (Trust for London, April 2026), the jobs and apprenticeships created by new developments should land with the people whose streets are changing, not travel to outsiders with better networks.
We work borough by borough, pairing every listing with resident-facing support from local partners so Cambridge residents are first in line where they live.
How It Works
The Delivery Model
A replicable partnership model connecting developers, councils, and communities
Strategy
Storey Consulting designs the local employment and skills strategy for each development
Platform
Opportunity Platform lists local opportunities and connects them with the right candidates
Delivery
Local delivery partners provide resident-facing support: pre-employment training, mentoring, and welfare advice
Outcomes
Real impact for residents - jobs started, apprenticeships placed, training completed
Delivery Partner
Big Local Works
Big Local Works is a Bermondsey-based charity (No: 1182561) and the on-the-ground delivery partner for the Opportunity Platform. Founded in 2017 as a legacy of the Big Local South Bermondsey Partnership, they provide the resident-facing support that turns platform listings into real outcomes.
- Free 1-to-1 job search support and mentoring (16+)
- Pre-employment courses run in partnership with Pearl Yard (Fizzy Bermondsey consortium, managed by Greystar Group)
- Future Forward programme: youth employment for NEET 16-30 year-olds
- Enterprise support and market stall placements with Southwark Council
- Welfare and benefits advice including tribunal representation
4 Market Place, Bermondsey, London SE16 3UQ • biglocalworks.org.uk
Pearl Yard Results
Impact to Date
107
Residents employed
27
Apprenticeships placed
19
Short courses delivered
397
Construction jobs (199 min)
98
New apprenticeships
158
End-use jobs committed
Commitments
Key Local Commitments
- Minimum 50 local employment opportunities during the construction phase
- 15 apprenticeship placements across a range of trades
- Pre-employment training programmes for Southwark residents
- School engagement activities with local secondary schools
- Work placement opportunities for residents furthest from the job market
- End-use employment opportunities prioritised for local residents
- Regular community engagement events throughout the development
- Supply chain opportunities for local small businesses
Our Community
Get Involved
Whether you are a resident, an employer or a training provider - we would love to connect with you.