Helping young people to start a career in construction
Welcoming local young people to the construction industry is hugely important to the process of building the next generation of talent and innovation, and helps to build a workforce that better reflects the communities in which we live and work. This philosophy is something we have prioritised during our time working alongside the council to deliver the BEPS Framework.
As revealed in our social value report earlier this year, we’re proud to have welcomed 15 new apprentices to the industry last year through local businesses across our projects with Cornwall Council. A further 16 work placements have been facilitated and we have delivered 45 careers events to help inspire the next generation who want to help shape and provide an improved built and natural environment for the county.
Another goal of our awareness, work placement and apprenticeship programmes is to help to dispel the myth that to have a promising career you have to leave Cornwall for the city. Construction is one of the highest-paying industries in the county and offers some fantastic and exciting opportunities.
To reach the next generation of talent we have been delivering a series of in-school speaking events, career fairs, apprenticeships, and through a close relationship with colleges and universities. We’re pleased to be able to offer so many students, many of which are still unsure of what they want to do, the opportunity to take their first steps toward a fantastic career in construction.
Year 10 Mounts Bay student Ivy Kirk is one of those who has engaged with the scheme. Ivy recently joined us for a week-long work placement, learning skills like cost management, project management, and design. She discovered the opportunity after an in-school presentation by our team, which helped to challenge the preconceptions about the construction industry being male-dominated and limited to on-site roles.
Another student, Alice Taylor, joined us at WWA in July as a project management apprentice. She found her start in project management after volunteering at a Covid-19 testing centre, and quickly progressed to leading teams and helping with the mobilisation and demobilisation of sites across the South West as a Roaming Deputy Manager. She now works supporting WWA across various projects in Plymouth and with MWJV on our carbon impact and reduction programmes across Cornwall.
“My time within the Covid-19 testing programme gave me a wealth of experience in management and a huge boost in confidence. It was also important to me that I was helping to make a difference during the pandemic. The experience gave me an insight into project management and confirmed that this was something I wanted to pursue.
”I wanted to continue academic studies alongside employment, and a degree apprenticeship seemed like a fantastic opportunity for me. Thanks to WWA, I am on a five-year apprenticeship scheme, working towards gaining a BSc in Construction Management and aspiring to become chartered. I am very grateful to WWA for providing me with a wealth of opportunities and experience in project management within the built environment, as well as the chance to work on some great initiatives like the carbon reduction programme to support our B Corp status.”
We are also excited to welcome our newest addition, 17-year-old Tobi Crowther, who began his T-Level apprenticeship with WWA this month in Truro as part of his Design, Surveying, and Planning course at Truro & Penwith College. He has already been able to get involved in practical and large-scale community projects like the Boscawen Park development as part of the Truro Town Deal with MWJV.
Looking forward, in January 2023, trainee Sam Currell will join us as a Level 7 quantity surveying apprentice, putting him on the path to becoming a chartered surveyor.
We are proud to be helping the next generation of construction professionals, and we look forward to seeing the impact they will have on the built and natural environment in Cornwall and beyond.