SWG has always had a commitment to training and helping young people prepare for a career in the construction industry - but now we have taken that one step further!
The start of a new academic year has seen the launch of a partnership which should further our ambitions of providing future construction workers. We are working with Ysgol Llanfyllin to give students the opportunity of receiving hands-on experience in the industry.
A learning curve
The partnership will see us provide monthly tuition from our experts as part of the GCSE Level ½ Award in Constructing and the Built Environment. It’s the first step on the road to encouraging students into the industry through what is an extremely rare partnership between a school and construction firm. Students will receive tuition in:
- Woodworking
- Plumbing
- Electrics
- Plastering
- Tiling
- Fix joinery
- Bricklaying
- Health and safety
They will also be given the opportunity of work placements and to get involved in community projects.
Our team will be focussing on different areas of the industry within the framework of the GCSE course syllabus while involvement in a work environment will prove invaluable in expanding experience.
The partnership with Ysgol Llanfyllin is an exciting move for us here at SWG Group and we are really looking forward to working with the staff and students in a project which we are sure will prove very beneficial for all concerned.
We are totally committed to the local community and helping whenever we can, but this is something totally new for us - an innovative way that we can pass on our expertise to benefit others.
"Extremely pleased"
Robi Wood, director of learning for technology at Ysgol Llanfyllin, told us: “Here at Ysgol Llanfyllin we are constantly looking for ways to provide new opportunities for our students.
“Developing improved links with industry has been a real focus for us as a school and I am extremely pleased that we as a technology department have managed to work with SWG to create the SWG Construction Academy, a forward thinking and innovative way to deliver the curriculum.
“As a result of the Academy being formed, we are now able to offer a broader Key Stage 4 option choice with learning opportunities in a 'real life' setting.”
It’s certainly a great opportunity for children at the school to gain the practical skills which could lead to a career in construction and will complement the work we are doing through our successful apprenticeship programme.
It’s important that we do everything we can to encourage future workers and if this partnership proves successful, we are hopeful about rolling the scheme out to other schools.
