Students at The Stephen Longfellow Academy were given the amazing opportunity to visit the Hough Top construction site in Pudsey. They were able to experience the construction of a new social housing estate led by Wilmott Dixon.
The aim of the visit was to raise awareness of construction roles and provide students with a real site experience. On arrival, students were checked in and entered the site office. First, they were given a health and safety brief and then were asked to dress in the Personnel Protective Equipment required to gain access to the full site.
Students then undertook a guided of tour of the site led by the site manager who explained in detail the different works that were ongoing. Students also met with several trades men who were working on site and were given the opportunity to ask any questions about their roles and what its like to work on a construction site.
Students also learned about green construction, which include seeing the installation of vehicle charging points and air sourced heat pumps. The Site Manager also discussed his personal journey into construction. Students also learned about the importance of attendance, punctuality and about having a “can do attitude” will enable them to be successful in the construction industry.
Student feedback about the visit was positive. Results showed that students had learned about new construction roles such as ground workers, architects, quantity surveyors, site managers, heat pump engineers and general trades. All students said the visit had inspired them about jobs in construction and would recommend the visit to other students.
We will continue to work with Willmott Dixon to support our careers programme and inspire our students about the world of work.
Raj Gill (Careers Officer)