EDINBURGH primary school pupils are being encouraged to consider construction as a future career option.
Graham Construction has teamed up with St John’s Primary School as part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2018.
More than 150 primary five to seven pupils attended the My World of Work event on Wednesday.
The event included workshops and activities designed to teach the students about the various roles within the industry.
The team was made up of an apprentice engineer, a planner, a quantity surveyor and a community benefits advisor – each giving the students an overview of their role and outlining the importance of these positions when building a school.
The new two-storey St John’s Primary School is being built on the site of the former Portobello High School in Edinburgh, and will provide accommodation for 15 purpose-built classrooms, a general purpose classroom, social space and sporting facilities.
The £10 million project which started in June 2017 is planned to be completed this summer.
Graham was one of 15 contractors to get places on the City of Edinburgh Council’s £223m Contractor Works framework in December 2016.
Under the four-year framework, firms will deliver construction, maintenance and repair programmes for the local authority. The majority of works will be funded by the council’s Capital Works budget.
Later in the month, Graham Construction is set to sponsor Waid Academy in Fife, to take part in the Go4Set project, a scheme that aims to inspire secondary school pupils to pursue vital careers in STEM subjects.
As part of this challenge, a team of pupils will work together to design a model for a sustainability project.
The students will also attend an industry visit to St Andrews University, where Graham Construction is refurbishing the university’s Andrew Melville Hall.
Gary Holmes, regional managing director at Graham Construction said: “It’s important that we work with our local schools and colleges
to highlight the great opportunities that are available within the construction industry and the number of different job roles that are needed throughout a project.
“Apprenticeships are a vital part of growing our workforce and building a team with great skills and experience.
“Scottish Apprenticeship Week gives us the chance to celebrate the past and existing young people at Graham Construction that continue to develop and work their way through the company, while encouraging apprentices of the future to choose a career within the industry.”
Graham is a member of the 5% Club, an organisation consisting of companies committed to ensuring five per cent of their workforce over the next five years.
Graham employs more than 300 people in Scotland and has managed more than 150 apprenticeships.
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