Hundreds of school children were given an insight into life in the construction industry during this year’s Lincolnshire Construction Week.
Pupils from across the county descended on the Lincolnshire Showground for the three-day event, where they tried their hands at tasks such as surveying, bricklaying, plastering and 3D modelling.
Organised by The Lincoln Group Training Association (LGTA) in partnership with The EBP and Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the event took place from the 2nd to the 4th of October.
Paula Bailey, Delivery Manager at The EBP said: “The event continues to grow and this year we hosted 35 schools with a total of 1,012 young people over the three days. It is a fantastic opportunity for young people to learn real skills and take part in activities that give a flavour of what a career in the construction industry could be like and for the schools to build contacts with local employers.”
With the construction industry taking up around 7 per cent of employment in the East Midlands, it provides a large amount of opportunity for young people. All the activities are designed to give the students a taster into the varied careers that are available whilst also giving them a better understanding of the construction industry.
The event is free for schools to attend and is directed at young people between Year 6 and Year 13. There is also an extra session for people who are not in education, employment or training.
During the day, participants are guided through the activities by professionals working in the Industry and have the chance to try out different disciplines, while talking to the group leaders about how they got into the industry and what it is like on a day to day basis.
It was supported by 33 local businesses, including Lindum, which established the first event in 2003 ago and is still heavily involved today.
Lindum Training Manager Sara Hobson said it was important for businesses to advocate the career opportunities available in the construction industry.
“It’s well known that we are facing a skills shortage and we have to do what we can to promote the many job options available across a range of sectors in construction.
“This week offers us an unprecedented opportunity to get in front of hundreds of young people – many of whom could be potential future employees.
“Over the years, the week has grown in popularity and it now provides exciting, engaging activities which we hope will go some way towards inspiring the next generation of construction workers.”
Lindum Bids and Marketing Coordinator Dan Clark says he remembers attending the event when he was a Year 8 pupil at Welton’s William Farr School. This year, he gave a talk to the attendees to explain how the week sparked his interest in the construction sector.
Jo Holmes from the LGTA said: “The support we get from all the organisations involved is incredible, without the hard work of The EBP we wouldn’t be able to provide such a positive showcase for our industry.
“From heritage skills to virtual reality, the students will get a chance to see there really is something for everyone within the construction industry.”
