Students visit £18.6 million site for partnership project with GRAHAM Construction
A GROUP of construction students from New College Lanarkshire have taken part in a visit to a showpiece site operated by leading UK and Ireland company, GRAHAM Construction.
The visit to the firm’s £18.6 million, 416-bed student accommodation project at St. James Road in Glasgow was arranged as part of the company’s pledge to support the College’s pre-apprentice training programme for people looking to work in the sector.
GRAHAM’s partnership agreement with New College Lanarkshire is one of several operated by the College to:
As part of its partnership agreement, GRAHAM staff also provide employability support and regularly visit the Motherwell campus to give career talks and advice.
One of the GRAHAM Pre-Apprentice Course students taking part in the visit, Shannon Docherty, 16, from Pather in Wishaw, said: “I found the site tour really useful. I’m interested in becoming a painter and decorator, so it was fascinating to see the various states of finish on each floor of the building.
“The project manager took us on a tour of each floor. I didn’t realise that in a building like this the interior work is done from the top floor down.
“Today’s visit gave us a real insight into how it all works.”
Debbie Rutherford, GRAHAM’s regional community benefits advisor who helped set up the course, said: “It’s fantastic to be working in partnership with New College Lanarkshire supporting young people to help realise their potential and the various career options within the construction industry.
“GRAHAM Construction fully supports the ‘Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce’ agenda to improve skills, knowledge and prospects for young people and will continue to provide these opportunities in the coming years.”
Martyn Campbell, Curriculum and Quality Leader in Construction at New College Lanarkshire added: “The construction team is delighted to be working in partnership with GRAHAM. The value to our students that this opportunity presents cannot be overstated.
“This opportunity will allow students to consolidate their learning in real world, large scale environments that learning establishments simply cannot facilitate alone.
“Debbie and the whole team from GRAHAM Construction have thrown their full support behind this partnership and it is our students who now stand to gain from their hard work and dedication.
“On behalf of all of the students who are included in this partnership I would like to extend a heartfelt and genuine thank you to Debbie and the team.”
GRAHAM is one of a number of companies which will be offering six-week work placements to New College Lanarkshire Pre Apprentice Construction students covering various trades from early May.
The GRAHAM cohort will be based on different sites as part of the HFS2 Lanarkshire framework and St. James’s Road project.
To find out more about working with Graham Construction visit: www.graham.co.uk/careers
For further information on construction courses at New College Lanarkshire visit: www.nclanarkshire.ac.uk