Students try their hand at building

Sep 5 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

A GROUP of students are coming to the end of a construction course that has tested their hand at everything from bricklaying to cement mixing.

The students, aged between 16 and 21, took part in the six-week course through their summer holidays, which provided intensive training in carpentry, joinery, brickwork and tiling.

The course, based at Newcastle College, is the second to be held by industry body ConstructionSkills and will award the youngsters with a B Tech Introduction to Construction qualification.

Sarah Fenton, a regional manager for ConstructionSkills Apprenticeships, said: “Not only is it a great opportunity to get extra training, but it will also enable businesses to see the work that these students are capable of and seriously consider taking on apprentices.

“ConstructionSkills hopes to encourage opportunities within the construction industry, by increasing the number of female apprentices.”

The course is structured not only to give the apprentices a good background in the practical elements of the construction industry, but also to offer support and training in employability skills.

The students, from schools including Churchill Community College, Wallsend, Newcastle and St Thomas More in North Shields, are currently taking part in work experience as part of the course and are working with firms including Newcastle-based Ezee Scaffolding.