More than 200 Year 8 students at Bluecoat Wollaton Academy explored the wide range of careers available in construction during a Construction Careers Speed Networking Event hosted by Lindum.

The initiative brought together professionals from Nottingham City Council, Pick Everard, Chord Consult, Nottingham Trent University  and Lindum to help inspire the next generation of building industry talent.

The careers activity took place alongside Lindum’s work at the school to deliver a three-court sports hall with changing facilities, PE storage and 12 new classrooms for up to 300 additional pupils.

Designed to challenge perceptions of the industry and raise aspirations, the speed networking format saw students rotate between ten career stations in small groups.

At each station, they spent around ten minutes speaking with a professional and asking questions about job roles, career pathways, day-to-day responsibilities and personal experiences of working in construction.

Students learnt that construction offers far more than traditional site-based roles. Careers discussed included project management, quantity surveying, architecture and design, engineering, health and safety, law, marketing and site management.

The event also highlighted the variety of routes into the industry, including apprenticeships, further education and university. Students embraced the opportunity enthusiastically, asking thoughtful questions and engaging with professionals throughout the activity.

Feedback from students was positive, with many saying the activity broadened their understanding of construction careers and gave them a valuable chance to speak directly with professionals about future options.

Hayley Cowell, Social Value Lead at Lindum Group, said: “Events like this play an important role in connecting young people with industry professionals, helping them to see the breadth of careers available and understand the different routes into construction, whether through apprenticeships, further education or university.

“A huge thank you to Bluecoat Wollaton Academy for hosting us, and to all of our partners and volunteers from Nottingham City Council, Pick Everard, Chord Consult and Nottingham Trent University for giving their time and sharing their experiences. Together, we hope we’ve inspired some of the construction professionals of tomorrow.”