Moray youngsters build skill sets at construction day
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SCORES of local pupils have been building up skills through construction workshops as the industry is forecast to grow faster than any other in Moray.
Developed by Moray Skills Pathway in partnership with its construction sector group, the workshops at Moray College UHI follow last year’s successful Constructing Your Future event, the first of its kind in the region.
Young people can meet local employers at the event and learn more about the diverse range of careers within construction.
Some 120 secondary schools pupils were invited to take part in four interactive workshops – out of a series of 10 – delivered by specialist employers from across the region.
These included workshops on the role of solar power in construction, the use of virtual reality in Building Information Modelling (BIM), the opportunity to experience a plant simulator and learn more about civil engineering, project planning, quantity surveying, joinery, plumbing, bricklaying and electrical engineering.
The event is a key part of the Moray Skills Pathway, an initiative that forms part of Moray Council’s education strategy, which fosters collaboration between education bodies and industry to offer curriculum support and practical application for young people.
Frank Reid, managing director of Robertson Northern, said: "The construction industry is expected to grow faster than any other industry in Moray and through the Constructing Your Future event we want to demonstrate to young people the huge variety of roles available within the sector.
"It was fantastic for us to see so many pupils interested in exploring a career in construction and we hope this event has given them a taster of the exciting opportunities available to them."
Robertson chairs the construction sector group. The firm works alongside the Construction Industry Training Board, Springfield Properties, AES Solar Ltd, Balfour Beatty, Morrison Construction, Moray Council, McDonald and Munro, and Moray College.
Each of these local partners has pledged commitment to the young people of Moray, aged three to 24, in a scheme that will bring future job opportunities and continued development to local schoolchildren and young people.
The project has identified eight key growth sectors in Moray, which include construction, learning and childcare, health and life sciences, engineering and manufacturing, and food and drink. Every child in Moray will have a minimum of four experiences in these fields before making their final subject choices.
Maxine Garson, education support officer at the council, said: "The Constructing your Future event is one in a series of sector days to support S3 pupils to make more informed choices about their future pathways.
"With it being led by industry it has key employability messages on the broad range of careers and the importance of transferable skills to access the opportunities locally and further afield. They also outline the fast-moving developments for future jobs in the sector.
"The feedback from the pupils has been fantastic and they really value the opportunity to speak to the employers face to face."
