Community partners

Leighton Holdings targets its community investment to support key long term partners which build skills through education, provide practical solutions to Australia’s environmental challenges and foster excellence through arts and culture. 

Over the past 50 years the University of New South Wales has grown into one of Australia's leading tertiary institutions. It has been the training ground for some of Leighton's and the nation's most successful engineers.

Sourcing experienced and capable professional engineers and sub-contractors to meet the growth in the infrastructure and resources markets is a significant challenge for the construction industry.  Our long-term strategic alliance with UNSW enables Leighton to actively support education and training for future generations of young Australians.

In 2004, we established the Leighton Holdings Limited Engineering Rural Scholarship to support students from country Australia as they undertake their studies and professional training.  We offer two scholarships a year in the Bachelor of Engineering program in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UNSW and provide the successful students with vacation on-the-job training through our operating companies.  We currently support seven students.

Leighton also recognised its close ties with UNSW with a five-year $2 million investment in the Scientia appeal to provide the University with new infrastructure.  Built to celebrate the University’s 50th anniversary, the John Niland Scientia Building has become the communal heart of UNSW. 

Primary Science Matters is training primary teachers around New South Wales to teach science with specially designed “Science in a Box” resources.  Leighton Holdings’ sponsorship has allowed the equipment to be provided free of charge to 12 schools in and around the New England region. 

Research has shown that improving science and technology teaching in primary and secondary schools is part of the long term solution to the national skills shortage in science and engineering. 

In 2002, Leighton Holdings sponsored ‘The Teaching of Science and Technology in Australian Primary Schools: A Cause for Concern’ report by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) in 2002.  It found there was inadequate investment by schools in teacher training, facilities, equipment, kits, and tools and in the supply of consumables for science and technology teaching. 
  
We believe that improving science and technology teaching in primary and secondary schools as a part of the long term solution to the skills shortage in science and engineering.  Whilst primary schools are not the places where children learn the skills needed for a scientific or technological career they are places where children are most easily influenced. 

Our sponsorship of Primary Science Matters is part of our commitment to building Australia’s future skills base. 

Landcare is an Australian partnership between the community, government and business to provide practical solutions for protecting and repairing our environment.  Leighton Holdings has supported Landcare since 1999, focusing its efforts on tackling dryland salinity in rural and regional communities through the Leighton Salinity Assault program.

Salinity not only degrades agricultural land, but also damages urban infrastructure such as roads, railways, buildings, underground services and pipelines.  It can also contaminate drinking water – a major concern as Australia seeks to conserve its water supply. 

Leighton Holdings is committed to protecting the environment.  Our partnership with Landcare provides practical support to local communities to fight salinity in badly degraded areas around Australia, repairing the environment and preserving the infrastructure we have built for future generations. 

To date Leighton has financially supported more than 18 local Landcare groups around Australia in their fight against salinity. 

We also sponsor Landcare Australia's national awards. The Leighton Holdings Local Government Landcare Partnerships Award is made to an outstanding local government organisation which is:

• Working with the local community to preserve and manage its local environment and natural resources; 
• Encouraging a landcare ethic and action in the local community; and
• Cooperating on landcare issues and projects with neighbouring organisations, businesses, other councils and landowners.

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra strives to secure its future and the future of young musicians by identifying emerging young professional orchestral players to become part of its internationally recognised artist development program. 

Leighton Holdings has supported the musical education of young people since 2002 through our sponsorship of the Sydney Sinfonia. The Sinfonia offers talented tertiary music students throughout Australia the opportunity to be mentored by Sydney Symphony musicians in Sydney and regional New South Wales.

The Sinfonia performs around 50 concerts a year, with a strong educational focus, including performances specially crafted for school students and members of the public. The Sinfonia also offers fellowships and professional development programs for aspiring musicians.

Supporting the youth wing of the Sydney Symphony complements Leighton’s commitment to fostering educational and training opportunities for young Australians.

In 1997 Leighton made a strategic decision to support a fledgling research body at the Westmead Children’s Hospital dedicated to improving chronically ill children’s access to education.

Since that time, the Children's Hospital Education Research Institute (CHERI), has become an innovative, world class children’s health research, teaching and clinical organisation. 

Leighton is delighted to support the ongoing work of CHERI researchers and doctors who conduct research into the educational and psychosocial aspects of children with learning problems. 

Our partnership also supports the work of the CHERI team as they assess the academic progress, development and school and family support needs of children with the genetic disorders neurofibromatosis type 1 and velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS), or language impairments.  Many families could not afford to attend these clinics without our support.