September 29, 2015 2.03 pm This story is over 101 months old

Lincolnshire students pave the way to a career in construction

Future building blocks: Around 1,000 school pupils are benefiting from valuable hands-on construction experience at the Lincolnshire Showground this week.

Around 1,000 school pupils are benefiting from valuable hands-on construction experience at the Lincolnshire Showground this week.

National Construction Week, a three day event hosted by the Lincoln Group Training Association, has been organised alongside the Lincolnshire Education Business Partnership and Lincoln College.

Youngsters are getting stuck in with a variety of workshops and activities in brickwork, joinery, painting and decorating, plumbing and motor vehicle maintenance between September 29 and October 1.

Visitors from primary schools in Lincolnshire were welcomed on the first day of the event by Lincoln College CEO Gary Headland.

A representative from Siemens and Lincoln’s MP Karl McCartney will meet secondary school attendees on the second and third day respectively.

Kevin Davey, Head of Construction at Lincoln College, said: “The college helped set up the first Construction Week 13 years ago and we’re always keen to support the initiative.

“We want to show just how wide the range of career opportunities within the construction industry is, and how it is complemented by the high demand for qualified staff from builders to plumbers.

“There are always opportunities for progression which has been demonstrated by our very own students. They have gone on to become very successful, with some even starting their own business.

“Something we’re trying to maintain is the recent rise in the number of female applicants, as the industry has previously been heavily dominated by men.

“This year we are delighted that one of our female students in painting and decorating has been nominated for a National Constructions Skills Award.

“National Construction Week is a great interactive way of introducing both girls and boys to the college and its facilities, and to a multi-faceted career choice many of them won’t have considered.”