Dalziel pupils laying future career path

The 14 fourth year students are visiting the site every Wednesday for the next few months where they’ll spend time learning about careers in the construction industry and gaining new skills to prepare them for employment.

Topics covered so far include health and safety on site, NHBC standards for house building, the build programme for the site and many different roles and pathways into the industry.

The group were also introduced to their special project plot, a four-bedroom Pinehurst family home. During the course of the programme they will visit the plot every week to see and report on the different stages of building a home, starting with the foundations and drainage.

Site manager Mark Deviney said: “The pupils were all a bit shy at first but they seem to be enjoying seeing behind the scenes of a working building site, I wish I had been given an opportunity like that when I was their age!”

The visits are part of an education/business partnership between Bellway and Dalziel High. Along with work experience one lucky sixth year pupil will be mentored by the company through a construction management course, with plans for Bellway to sponsor the pupil through a construction course at college.

Bellway will also attend Career Fairs and Developing the Young Workforce events to highlight the opportunities available within the construction industry.

Dalziel High rector Robert Birch said: “We are excited about the new opportunities and experiences that this partnership will offer our pupils, we really appreciate the way Bellway are supporting our school and our community.”

Andy Borland, head of Construction (West Scotland) for Bellway, added: “The construction industry offers so many great career opportunities, but there is still a real skills shortage and it is important that we help foster the next generation of site managers, brick-layers, planners, land buyers and all the other great roles available within this important sector of the economy.”