ASHFORD STUDENTS GAIN THE BUILDING BLOCKS TO A CAREER AT CONSTRUCTION SITE VISIT

With the squeeze on construction labour staffing expected to continue throughout 2023 and rise in 2024[1], local housebuilder Barratt Homes has welcomed a number of local Ashford College students to its Chilmington Green development on Parkland Drive, as part of its ongoing commitment to promoting the construction industry to the next generation of builders. This site visit follows on from a careers session held at the college earlier on in the year, where Barratt Kent discussed the array of opportunities in construction and the skills needed to succeed.

Upon arrival, students from across the College's Building Services department met site manager Mark Fairman, and were invited to don their hard hats, safety boots and high vis vests and take part in a guided tour of the development and live construction site. The pupils learned all about the build programme at Chilmington Green, alongside the careers available within the construction industry, and were invited to put their thinking caps on to learn about the management elements of what goes into a site, from first and second fixes to the finished product of a show home.

Natalie Perry, Sales and Marketing Director for Barratt Kent, comments: “At Barratt Kent we believe that it is extremely important to educate the next generation on the exciting careers available in construction. By on-site visits are the best way to teach students about the diverse range of roles within the industry, and we hope the learners from Ashford College enjoyed their visit with us.”

Ashford College’s Principal, Susan Bonett, added: “We have been working with Barratt Kent since their inspirational presentation at our college in January, so it was fantastic for our students to be able to follow up with their learning through an on-site visit and step outside of the classroom too. We’d like to thank Barratt Kent for making the students a part of the construction process at Chilmington. The visit was an invaluable learning experience, and a key opportunity to find out first-hand about what happens on a building site.”

Barratt Kent is currently building a range of three and four-bedroom homes at its Chilmington Green. Prices start at £377,995 for a three-bedroom home.

To find out more about Barratt Kent, call 0333 355 8502 or visit www.barratthomes.co.uk.

[1] https://www.recruiteasy.co.uk/blog/construction-industry-predicts-continued-labour-shortage-for-2023