Acton Gardens workshop gives local students an insight into construction careers
The fourth annual Acton Gardens construction event has taken place at Countryside and L&Q’s £800m regeneration of the South Acton Estate, giving local young students a hands-on introduction to the construction industry.
42 students from three local schools, Twyford Secondary School in Acton, Ealing Alternative Provision in West Ealing and West Thames College in Feltham were given a unique insight into the construction industry through several interactive workshops run by Countryside and its supply chain partners. The students were treated to nine workshops covering a variety of trades from within the industry, comprising carpentry, tiling, plumbing, electrical, drylining, bricklaying, formwork, architecture and construction planning.
The various pathways into the industry were explained to the students, from apprenticeships through Joe Brennan Training and Martyn Price MBE (who manages the OHOB Construction Training Academy), to Destiny, Countryside’s free virtual work experience programme, for which applications are currently open.
The event also involved a construction tour of Acton Gardens, giving the students behind-the-scenes access to one of the largest regeneration schemes in west London, with more than 3,400 homes and community facilities being delivered across the 52-acre site. The students had the opportunity to see the full construction process, with the event taking place at Phase 8.2, where the construction of 175 new homes is currently underway.
Daniel King, Managing Director, West London & Thames Valley, Countryside, said: “Construction is an industry that has so much to offer young people, with a range of exciting career opportunities that allow you to make a difference. At Countryside we are committed to developing future talent and investing our time and efforts into the workforce of tomorrow, and the annual Acton Gardens construction event is a key part of this. As we continue in our efforts to inspire the next generation into the sector, we are looking forward to welcoming even more students next year.”
