Initially set up during the COVID-19 pandemic, the week-long workshop provides young people with an insight into the housebuilding industry; the varied roles we offer, career paths and the skills required.
In our latest programme seven, first- and second-year engineering students from a local London college spent a week with our teams. Tasked with designing a two-bedroom apartment, the students were split into two groups and given a mix of physical and virtual work experience to learn more about the skills and work required to help them complete their task. The students visited one of our current construction developments and saw first-hand the many different positions and skills required on site. They met with experts across various departments of the business and attended online workshops with Lovell staff.
Each candidate was given a different job role, from quantity surveyor to project manager and even sustainability co-ordinator. On the final day of the programme the two teams presented their works to Lovell and Construction Youth Trust Colleagues who then rated their submission.
Feedback from the programme has been extremely positive with candidates commenting “I loved that I was put on the spot, I experienced work under pressure like a real employee.” With another adding “The best part of the placement was the people and the support we received. We got to understand the job role better.”
A success from all perspectives, Lovell Community Engagement Manager Alexandra Robins summed up the week by saying: “It was great to see how engaged and involved in the work experience the students were. They really got a taste for what a career in the industry is like and the roles and opportunities available. Whilst still a relatively new initiative for us, the programme has already proved a real success and we are looking forward to running similar initiatives during 2023.”
