PUPILS at Douglas Academy in Milngavie have taken part in a dedicated construction and property programme.
Designed to highlight how young people can pursue a career in construction, East Dunbartonshire Council teamed up with the Association of Women in Property and McLaughlin & Harvey to educate pupils on the wide variety of roles available within the sector.
Over an eight-week period, 28 S2 pupils gained a ‘unique’ glimpse into the key stages of the design and pre-construction process whilst hearing from experts in architecture, town planning, engineering, design, quantity surveying, sustainability, and project management.
Across the programme, which was created by Women in Property, pupils worked with individuals with different occupations from across the industry and through workshops learned what their job roles entail on a day-to-day basis.
The pupils were also tasked with designing a primary school and presented their finals plans and gained a certificate at a special prize giving.
Councillor Lynda Williamson, education committee convenor, said, “It was fantastic not only to hear what the pupils had learned over the last two months but to see their enthusiasm and appreciation of the property and construction industry. It is so important that we demonstrate to all young people in our schools, and beyond, that no career or industry is off-limits because of gender and that there are opportunities and role models out there.”
McLaughlin & Harvey design manager and member of Women in Property, Caroline McIlwraith, said, “It’s been a great experience meeting all the pupils and introducing them to the various roles within the construction industry. They were enthusiastic and engaging, particularly in relation to sustainability and designing buildings for the future, which is a credit to their generation.
“I’ve worked in the construction industry for over 25 years where opportunities to meet female role models has been limited; hopefully this programme has changed any perception they had that the construction industry is only for men working on a muddy site.”
Laura Banks, schools outreach co-ordinator and director at PMP added, “This schools outreach programme has been an inspirational experience, thanks to the level of engagement of all parties involved, in particular from the Douglas Academy pupils. We work in a diverse and ever-changing industry and it has been an absolute pleasure working with Douglas Academy to promote the opportunities available to them. I really hope to see some of the pupils on a construction project team in the coming years!”
