Lindum Contract Manager John Gledhill has been inspiring tomorrow’s construction workers with a series of talks to students about the industry.

Our York division is building a £2.6m extension to the sixth form block at Temple Moor High School and Sixth Form, in Leeds, which will see improved facilities and provision for more post-16 places from October 2024.

As part of our social value commitment to leave a legacy in communities we work in, John engaged with five groups of Years 9 and 10 students (up to 25 students per group) about working in construction.

John explained entry routes into the industry, qualifications required, the broad range of job roles including bricklaying, joinery, architecture, estimating, quantity surveying, health and safety and site and project management, and opportunities for career progression.

He showed the teenagers, who study a module in construction, drawings of the new extension, before giving them a guided tour of our site.

“In addition to  building the extension to the sixth form block, we are aiming to leave a positive legacy in terms of encouraging local young people into training and employment in construction, to the benefit the local economy and community,” John said.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to talk to the students about careers in construction and I hope I have inspired them to enter the industry.

“When you work in construction, it’s always a new day. One of the best things I’ve always liked is that you learn something new every day.”

John, who started out as an apprentice plumber aged 16, continued to train and study to gain experience and qualifications, including a BSc in Building Surveying, and worked his way up to running building sites and contracts management, added: “There are a lot of people my age in construction and we need a new generation coming through.”

Student Dan Squires, 15, who wants to study A Levels and an L2 apprenticeship in civil engineering, said: “Talking to John has given me a better idea of what the different construction trades do on site.

“It’s been inspirational and it’s helped me realise what I want to do as a career and what I need to study to get there.”

Rowan Carter, Programme Lead of Design Technology at the school, said: “John’s talks were very beneficial for the students. He gave a true and accurate depiction of the construction industry through his first-hand experiences and gave the students an in-depth look into what it consists of and the different elements of it.

“It has led to quite a few students to now start looking into possible routes for post 16 study in construction.

“John has been great when delivering his talks to our construction groups. The students have engaged well throughout, asked good questions and shown an interest to the industry.

“The students enjoyed learning about John’s career and where this has taken him over the years and the experiences he has had. The students enjoyed going outside and hearing about how the sixth form build is coming along.

“John talked them through materials and pre-ground works which will help the students in their theory lessons.”

Find out more about Lindum’s work in the education centre here.