Two built environment students from Bradford College have experienced life on a construction site as part of a new collaboration with Yorkshire-based contractor, Priestley Construction.
The award-winning business is forging strong links with Bradford College to supplement its construction students’ traditional classroom-based learning with valuable on-site training.
Mohammed Awais, 18, and Maciek Rola, 19, both in their second year, are studying towards a BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Construction in the Built Environment. Priestley Construction welcomed the two students for a week to give them valuable insight into the industry.
Both Mohammed and Maciek put their skills into practice and assisted on the company’s live construction site for its redevelopment of Bradford’s grade-II listed Conditioning House into 133 new apartments. They also worked at the Elland Road headquarters alongside the company’s in-house estimating, quantity surveying and design teams, to gain a full picture of what a role in construction entails.
Rob Pell, head of construction at Priestley Construction, said: “Getting construction education right from the start is vital if our industry wants to tackle its huge skills gap. Working closely with local schools and colleges is the key for construction businesses like ourselves that want to unlock the masses of potential in the next generation. We are honoured to be working with Bradford College to give students like Mohammed and Maciek the invaluable experience of working on a live construction project. No amount of classroom learning can replace being on-site to see first-hand just how much effort goes into bringing an ambitious development to life. We’re looking forward to welcoming more students to our team.”
Katie Rothery, work placement consultant at Bradford College, said: “At Bradford College we work closely with employers to arrange professional placement and work experience opportunities for more than 1,600 students every year as we recognise the immense value of hands-on experience.
“This excellent opportunity that Priestley Construction has provided for Mohammed and Maciek will make a positive impact on their educational journey. Both students have taken part in hands-on tasks, including surveying, shadowing projects managers and getting involved with the day-to-day running of a construction site, and this has provided them with a beneficial insight into this specialist industry. The college would like to say a huge thank you to Priestley Construction and Rob Pell for providing this experience to the two students and we hope to continue this productive working relationship.”
