Construction
Youth Trust, together with Mace Foundation, delivered a three-day Engineering
and construction course in Stratford where three NewVIc students Mohammed
Safran Sadik, Gabriela Silva and Asif Sadequee were awarded certificates for
successfully completing their Construction Professions 1 Credit Level 2.
Working
closely with Construction Youth Trust, NewVIc has, to date, placed an
impressive 150 students on the Open College Network London accredited course ‘Budding
Brunels’. Its purpose is to increase awareness of different careers
available in the sector and to develop employability skills; thereby raising
aspirations and academic performance.
The
course was made up of 18 students, 3 of whom were NewVIc students. Based in the
East Village development in Stratford and taught over three days, the first day
focused on students networking with volunteers, giving them the opportunity to
learn about roles and responsibilities. The second day was based at the
University of East London, where students developed their understanding of the
complexity of planning and delivering a construction project. The third and
final day saw students present their ideas to a panel of volunteers including
Mace’s Business Unit Director for Public Estates, Research, Education, Arts and
Culture and Healthcare, Terry Spraggett.
Naomi
Ryan, Schools & FE Coordinator, Construction Youth said “The aim of this
course was to not only give students the opportunity to see the range of
careers in construction, but to also see how new developments in technology are
changing the face of construction and opening up even more potential career
paths for young people. The students on
this course were a pleasure to work with over the three days especially those
from NewVIc who threw themselves into all the activities and are a credit to
the college.”
Gabriela
Silva, 19, studying A level Maths, Chemistry and Physics, said ‘’It was really impressive;
we did everything from project management, to presenting our finished work. I
loved the physics aspect of the course, for example examining the problem of
too much tension on a wall and then finding a solution to divert the tension.’’
Gabriela
and Asif have both been accepted on a week’s Civil Engineering placement with
Mace. Both students performed really well on the course and at their interviews.
NewVIc’s
Work Related Curriculum AdviserJane
Nugent said “Students really benefit from the course, it opens their minds to
the variety of job positions within the construction field, it improves their
confidence and presentation skills which impacts all areas of their lives.
Watching these students progress is not just inspirational to other students
but to staff too’’.