Careers talk at Outwood Academy Bydales

With work on the Kirkleatham Walled Garden due to begin in the historic Kirkleatham Estate, our Senior Operations Manager, Lee Kirk, took the time to visit a local school to help pupils understand what a career in construction is really like.

Having started his career as an apprentice, and recently winning the award for ‘Mentor of the year’ at the Generation 4 Change awards for his commitment to our future workforce, Lee is the perfect person to discuss the routes into the industry and provide advice to keep going, even after setbacks.

Alongside discussing how pupils could obtain a career in construction, whether that be via an apprenticeship or university, Lee also provided practical advice and discussed the interview questions pupils should anticipate when entering the world of employment.

The CCS has recently reported how 35% of careers advisors state a career in construction is unattractive, with 4 in 10 parents stating they would not encourage their children to join the industry. With the construction industry currently under intense pressure due to a skills shortage, our team work hard to try and reduce the stigma and engage the young minds of our generation.

With all of our projects, we always aim to get involved and inspire the local community, with just some examples of this including our team working closely with Backworth Park Primary School when building their new school, and engaging pupils from Oasis Woodview Primary School in teamwork when building a care home nearby.