St. Modwen organised and hosted the second Kingsgrove ‘Open Doors’ event on Thursday 16th March. This supported the nationwide industry initiative and was a chance to promote careers in construction and development. St. Modwen is committed to investing in improved awareness of the industry and possible career opportunities as well as ensuring that construction becomes a more inclusive and accessible industry to forge a career in.
Students from King Alfred’s Academy, UTC Oxfordshire and Abingdon and Witney College were all invited and hosted in the Wantage Primary Academy where students could find information on the various careers available in the industry, and through six site tours.
St. Modwen worked with its development partners at Kingsgrove Taylor Wimpey, CALA Homes, Bellway and Care UK, Lawrence Baker and ACS to lead the site tours. The tours gave the visitors a chance to understand the development and construction process. These included tours focussing on the housebuilding sector as well as a wider site tour with a focus on planning and infrastructure delivery. The groups met a variety of on-site professionals including Site Managers, Apprenticeship Managers, Health and Safety Advisors, Marketing and Sales Team Members, Early Careers Advisors and Apprentices. Visitors had a chance to ask them all about their experiences and for any advice.
Dinny Shaw, Strategic Land Head of Planning at St. Modwen said, “I was very pleased to see so many happy and engaged people in attendance. I hope we inspired the next generation of construction professionals and demonstrated to students the wide array of careers in this sector, and the various routes that can be taken to forge a career in this industry.”
When asked for their experience of the day, students said it was an eye-opening experience and very insightful into the options in the world of construction, stating that it was good to get onto a site to see and experience the environment. Some said they especially enjoyed seeing the houses at different stages of development, watching the plastering and the electrics being installed and comparing that to the finished homes.
Their tutors that attended also commented that they feel their students now have a better understanding of the careers available within the construction industry and that this onsite experience has prompted discussion points that can be pursued when they return to school or college.
