VolkerWessels UK's sites open their doors to the next generation
VolkerWessels UK’s businesses welcomed students onto several of their sites across the country as part of Build UK’s annual Open Doors initiative last week.
Open Doors takes visitors behind the site hoardings to showcase the fantastic range of careers available in construction. This year’s event ran from 13-18 March and welcomed more than 4,500 visitors to over 230 sites across Britain.
VolkerFitzpatrick
The team at VolkerFitzpatrick’s Eastbrook Studios site in London, welcomed visitors from the local Brook Sixth Form and Academy and Barking and Dagenham college. They were given an insight into the project which highlighted the variety of career paths available in the construction industry. The students then headed out for a site tour and were able to view live construction works taking place, as well as plant demonstrations.
The A328(M) Tame Valley Viaduct project team hosted 42 students who were given an introduction to VolkerFitzpatrick and a brief overview of the project by watching a 3D flyover video.
The students and their teachers then visited the site and were given a talk from one of our supply chain partners followed by a careers discussion.
VolkerHighways
At our VolkerHighways Medway highways term maintenance contract site in Kent, we welcomed a number of 13-18 year old students to help them gain skills for employment. The visit was organised via a local charity called Think Forward that works to empower young people in the UK through long-term coaching, equipping young people with the skills and experience they need to move into work or further education after school.
Following a presentation about the industry and a quiz, the group was taken to a live site where they were able to watch a team resurfacing a footway. At the end of the session, the team was approached by one of the female attendees who expressed a very keen interest in applying for a vacancy we have for an apprentice!
Members of VolkerHighways’ Oxfordshire street lighting term maintenance contract and a representative of our electric vehicle charging division delivered a careers presentation to Year 9 students at John Mason School in Abingdon.
VolkerRail
At the VolkerRail Plant site in Scunthorpe, nine post-16 students from Harrison College, along with 19 students from Engineering UTC Northern Lincolnshire, were given a tour of the depot, where they got to go inside a B 66 Tamper, MEWP’s and a Kirow crane, and had the opportunity to talk about careers in construction.
VolkerStevin
The team at our West Kirby Flood Alleviation scheme welcomed students from Hilbre High School and from West Kirby Residential School and College for students with special needs.
The visitors were shown a video about flooding in the area and learned how the project will protect local residents and businesses when completed.
The group took a promenade site tour, where they heard more about the project and were able to see the workforce team at work and the site vehicles and diggers in operation.
We are proud to support this fantastic initiative and look forward to welcoming some of the students back in the future – perhaps as new employees.
