College students showcase their skills to Norfolk construction firms

25th October 2024 – Tags: Apprenticeships, Bricklaying, Carpentry, Construction, Electrical installation, Plumbing and heating

Representatives from local construction firms have seen the next generation of tradespeople in action in the workshops at City College Norwich, at an event organised by City College in conjunction with Lovell.

The event on Wednesday 23rd October provided an opportunity for the college’s Level 1 and Level 2 students in carpentry, bricklaying, electrical installation, and plumbing to demonstrate their skills to potential future employers.

With many of the students aiming to move on to apprenticeships as the next step in their training, they were keen to impress the employers and find out more about the career opportunities available.

One of those students was Level 2 Bricklaying student, Alfie Topley, who said:

I’m thinking about an apprenticeship after this, then going on site full-time, and eventually having my own business. It’s quite hard to find an apprenticeship, so to have employers coming in who are looking for an apprentice is quite helpful.

The event also gave the employers a chance to meet construction lecturers and to see the outstanding training facilities at the college, including an early look at the new £4.4m Construction Skills Centre which is nearing completion.

There was also the chance for employers to refresh their knowledge of what is involved in employing an apprentice and to have their questions answered by the college’s apprenticeships team.

Lovell, who support the benefits of apprenticeship training, invited sub-contractors to attend the event and meet with the students at the college.

Lovell was named ‘Large Employer of the Year’ at the City College Norwich’s 2024 Apprenticeship Awards, where the Norwich based company was praised for being an exemplary supporter of apprenticeships and for the outstanding support it provides to its apprentices.

Trevor Haystead, Regional Operations Director at Lovell, commented:

At Lovell, we are dedicated to supporting young people in their pursuit of a career in the construction industry through apprenticeships. It was a pleasure to be a part of this event and to support by engaging with our supply chain to introduce more employers to the students training at the college.

Liv Bradley, Head of Construction, City College Norwich, commented:

We’ve got 700 learners on construction courses who want to get into the industry and employers who are crying out for skilled people. So, the aim of today was to bring the two together. It’s provided an opportunity for employers to see what our students are learning, the facilities we have, and to find out more about the qualifications we offer.

 

We want to encourage more subcontractors and tradespeople to take on apprentices, as well as to engage with our students in other ways such as by offering work experience. It all helps our students as they work towards their future careers in the industry.