GRAHAM Construction has teamed up with St John’s Primary School in a bid to encourage more children to consider construction as a future career option, as part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week.
More than 150 primary five to seven pupils, attended the event on Wednesday, hosted by four members of the GRAHAM Construction team. The ‘My World of Work’ event was made up of workshops and activities designed to teach the students about the various roles within the industry.
The team was made up of an Apprentice Engineer, a Planner, a Quantity Surveyor and a Community Benefits Advisor– each giving the students an overview of their role and outlining the importance of these position when building a school.
The pupils, in groups of 12, made their way through each activity, working closely with the GRAHAM employees, asking questions about the industry along the way.
The new two-storey St John’s Primary School is being built on the site of the former Portobello High School in Edinburgh, and will provide accommodation for 15 purpose-built classrooms, a general purpose classroom, social space and excellent sporting facilities.
The £10M project which started last June is planned to complete this summer.
GRAHAM Construction was successfully appointed to Lots 7 and 8 of the four-year framework in December 2016. The City of Edinburgh Council awarded GRAHAM Construction the first project to be announced within Lot 8 of the Council’s £223M Contractor Works Framework.
Later in the month, GRAHAM Construction is set to sponsor Waid Academy in Fife, to take part in the Go4Set project, a scheme that aims to inspire secondary school pupils to pursue vital careers in STEM subjects.
As part of this challenge, a team of pupils will work together to design a model for a sustainability project. The students will also attend an industry visit to the University of St. Andrews, where GRAHAM Construction is refurbishing the University’s Andrew Melville Hall.
Gary Holmes, Regional Managing Director at GRAHAM Construction said: “It’s important that we work with our local schools and colleges to highlight the great opportunities that are available within the construction industry and the number of different job roles that are needed throughout a project.
“Apprenticeships are a vital part of growing our workforce and building a team with great skills and experience.
“Scottish Apprenticeship Week gives us the chance to celebrate the past and existing young people at GRAHAM Construction that continue to develop and work their way through the company, while encouraging apprentices of the future to choose a career within the industry.”
GRAHAM is a member of the “5% Club”, an organisation consisting of companies committed to ensuring 5% of their workforce over the next five years is comprised of young people on structured learning schemes. The company employs over 300 people in Scotland and has managed over 150 apprenticeships.
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