The month of November saw our National participating Framework partners focus on helping 16-25’s into employment as part of Procure Partnerships twelve ‘key monthly themes’ collaborative working group outcomes for non-project specific social value.
This month’s theme saw groups facilitate site tours and give talks about working in construction. Our Contractors also interpreted this theme by assisting with interview clothes and attending careers fairs to promote the potential opportunities for their organisations.
London: Morgan Sindall Group & Overbury
Morgan Sindall Construction & Overbury each dedicated time to offer what they could to give young people experiences towards careers in construction including; a range of student tours of a project, work experience leading to opportunities on-site, students tours and a talk at one of Procure Partnerships projects.
MSG and Overbury have been working in partnership with Camden Council, Westminster Kingsway College and Construction Youth Trust to deliver a range of engagements with local students designed to promote careers in the construction sector, to support Gatsby regulations for participant education establishments and to raise aspiration of participants, particularly disadvantaged groups, At-Risk of NEET and students.
Westminster Kingsway College is a construction college with a campus in Camden and Construction Youth Trust is a charity organisation set up specifically to encourage young people into the sector by improving young people’s access to the world of work, raise achievement levels and enhance their future career prospects and lives.
Bedford Passage
A site visit was arranged for two groups at Morgan Sindall Construction’s Bedford Passage site in Fitzrovia. Both groups were given insight into what it’s like on a construction site. The talk was delivered by Daniel Mayger, a current site manager apprentice. This was important for representation, so that the students could see someone of a similar age doing what they hope to do themselves.
Following a briefing on the site and a very busy Q&A session, Dan and Freddie Thomas (a year out QS graduate) led each group on a tour around site. They met a groundworks contractor and got to experience first-hand what a site is like.
Following on from the two group site visits, four students were selected for a more intensive weeks’ worth of work experience.
Alongside numerous walks around site, shadowing Dan and Freddie, students were also involved in:
• Insulation pricing activity with a grad QS
• Going through RAMS with a site manager
• Sat in a meeting on forms of contract so an insight into legal and commercial aspects
• Spent time with site engineer to look at site surveys and looked at noise pollution measurements and vibrations
Overbury arranged for a group of 17 Level 1 Painting & Decorating students to visit site via the Construction Youth Trust. The students were from Lewisham College and Sedgehill Academy. Most were young people as well as a few a few adult learners in the group. Many of the group had never visited a site before. The group were interested in other trades as well as painting and decorating so this was a great learning experience for them. Overbury arranged for a decorating contractor on the project to present to the group, and a Contracts Manager presented on the project lifecycle from bid, preconstruction though to delivery and close out. There was also a focus on how we can drive the sustainability and social value agenda through our projects.
Testimonials:
Ronnie, Bedford Passage Site Visit ‘would like to look into something at a management level. I’m interested in being a quantity surveyor as I really like maths and working with numbers, it’s a challenge. Being on site has opened my eyes to what a construction environment is really like. You get to see if for yourself, it’s not stuff you can learn in a book. It’s not as straightforward as the trades like bricklayers and groundworkers. There are trades on site you wouldn’t even have heard of, but it makes sense when you think about it.’
Frankie, Bedford Passage Site Visit ‘I’m on an electrical course and I’d like to be hands-on with a trade on a construction site. I’m definitely more of a practical learner, that’s how my brain works best so being here on site and seeing things for myself has been brilliant. Work experience like this is a really good opportunity to make sure this is the career route you want to pursue. I will definitely be looking into apprenticeship opportunities because I learn better when I can be hands on. being on site has shown me how much more goes on here; all the deliveries and organising trades, etc. It’s not something you think about when you’re sitting in the classroom.
Quote from student site visit Daniel Mayger was a real inspiration as he’s an apprentice at Morgan Sindall just starting out on the same career path a lot of us want to follow. It was nice to see someone our age as you can relate to them much more – it feels like it’s more achievable.’
Freddie Thomas, MSC year-out graduate ‘Having Ronnie and Frankie here at Bedford Passage has been a good learning experience for me. It wasn’t that long ago I was in a similar position and deciding where I wanted to take my own career. I get to show them all the aspects of a construction site I remember knowing nothing about at first and also making them aware of all the opportunities there are here.’
Quote from Daniel Mayger, MSC apprentice site manager ‘As an apprentice site manager, I’ve been able to tell Ronnie and Frankie what to expect and what their day to day jobs would be if they took the same route as me. I feel really privileged to work for a company like Morgan Sindall where I gain experience, get my qualifications, all whilst earning a wage.’
East & West Midlands: Harper Group and Speller Metcalfe
Speller Metcalfe and Harper & Sons attended a careers fair at Tenbury High Ormiston Academy where they provided students with an overview of the construction industry, detailed handouts discussing the range of roles available to them within the industry and advised them of the routes they can take to get there.
This was a useful chance for students about to choose GCSE’s and A-levels to think about their possibilities for the future and open their minds to roles they may not have previously considered.
The pupils were from Year 6 upwards and discussed their favourite subjects, interests outside of school and whether they had any ideas of what they would like to do in the future. Speller Metcalfe & Harper Group representatives then discussed the possible careers within construction which may align with those interests and the different ways in which they could explore routes into construction.
Both companies worked together to ensure that the careers fair was valuable for pupils. Speller Metcalfe made initial contact with the school to confirm joint attendance at the fair. J. Harper & Sons and Speller Metcalfe then liaised about the materials that would be provided to students between the two companies to ensure that a clear overview of the construction industry was given.
The event took place on 10th November whereby the framework partners attended the school discussing the opportunities presented by the construction industry with pupils from Year 6 upwards together with their families.
Testimonial:
Caroline Palethorpe, Career Lead and Adviser ‘We would like to thank Speller Metcalfe and Harper Group for attending. The academy does not have a sixth form, so all year 11 pupils transfer to a variety of post 16 providers including sixth forms, vocational colleges and some pursue apprenticeships and traineeships. To have representation from local businesses is so helpful, ensuring our young people have access to discussions regarding future opportunities to raise their aspirations further. Thank you!’
Northwest: Seddon, Vinci, Sir Robert McAlpine
Contractors in the Northwest including Vinci, Seddon and Sir Robert McAlpine gave their time and expertise in attending Tameside Councils’ Young Person’s Job Fair. Framework partners promoted careers in the construction industry and gave young people advice and guidance on how to apply for apprenticeships and other pathways into the industry.
This has led to greater collaborative working outcomes in that; IHP; the joint venture between Vinci Construction and Sir Robert McAlpine will offer local NEETs opportunities to gain experience on the Tameside Hospital Emergency and Urgent Care redevelopment project.
Yorkshire: Tilbury Douglas and Sewell (I&G)
Tilbury Douglas and Sewell (I&G) took this month’s theme and decided to concentrate on one student each. The aim was to help a young person into the ‘world of work’, by setting them the task of creating a CV, assessing them during the interview process and providing some funds to help with ‘interview clothing’. TD and I&G agreed to obtain two students from Wakefield College and to donate monies to each student to aid in purchasing interview clothes.
Tilbury Douglas helped Millie, who was sent to Doncaster Royal Infirmary for a work placement. This helped Millie decide she would like to pursue a career path in architecture. Tilbury Douglas then donated £100 to Millie. I & G have plans in place to help another young person within their locality in the coming weeks.
SOCIAL VALUE ADD
A collective £2.89K Social Value Add has been generated as a result of November activities that are non-project specific from sub-groups of Contractors across our national framework.
Learn More About Our Social Value Offering Here
Twitter
Linkedin
Faye Dolan, an esteemed professional and Framework Director at Procure Partnerships, boasts a rich and diverse career spanning seven years in the construction industry. Faye’s journey within Procure Partnerships began in 2018 as a Key Account Manager, initially overseeing the North West region and later extending her purview to the entire North.
