Skills by the Sea: ThinkForward Career Insight Day at Folkestone Seafront site!
Date: August 2022
As part of our ongoing commitment to nurturing young talent and addressing the critical skills agenda to safeguard the construction industry for future generations, Jenner were delighted to engage with the team at ThinkForward to host a Career Insight Day on site at our Folkestone Seafront Development.
ThinkForward is a cross-sector national initiative that provides long-term coaching and hands-on workplace experience to better prepare young people for the world of work. Focusing on developing the key skills they will need to succeed whilst helping them to overcome life challenges the initiative broadens the horizons of so many young people inspiring them to go on and achieve great things.
Welcoming eleven young people aging from 14-18 years from local schools Hartsdown Academy and The Marsh Academy on Tuesday 16th August, the site team prepared and delivered a variety of engaging workshops to ensure the students gained hands-on experience and essential insight into a variety of construction trades, whilst learning about the many and varied professional and technical roles on offer in the construction industry too.
The Jenner team were ably assisted by many of their local supply-chain engaged on the main project to deliver the workshops. Dover-based E.W Gee, who have nurtured countless apprentices gave insight into the career of an electrician whilst Folkestone-based Reina group prepared an engaging plumbing workshop. Alongside the mechanical and electrical stations subcontractor Anslow showcased carpentry skills and were supported by East Kent College T’ Level student Lewis Wade who is on site with Jenner one day per week as his work placement for his course. The fourth station and reported to be the most favoured by the students was for bricklaying where the students were shown how to build a wall of the specialist white-glazed bricks being used on the scheme by Ashford-based GMA Brickwork.
Whilst the workstations focused on four of the most prevalent trades within the industry the students were also given time with trained Architectural Technician and the Technical Manager for Jenner on the build, Ben Thornby who gave an overview of the 186 differing career options within the industry and the key professions in design, project and cost management should the student choses to take a more academic path into construction as an alternative route to the vocational trades.
The day was rounded off by a guided tour of the impressive build which showed the students around the two 7 storey apartment blocks that house 60 apartments including two penthouses and the 24 central townhouses, all of which offer spectacular views over the English Channel.
Senior Project Manager for Jenner Chris Page who led the day said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to host the ThinkForward day here on such a flagship building that is pushing the boundaries in construction and offers such a great opportunity to inspire the young people attending today to consider a highly-rewarding career in construction. It certainly makes my job all the more worthwhile!”
Feedback gathered from the day was incredibly positive from both the young people and their coaches who scored the day 9.3 (out of 10) with all the workshops offering good or excellent levels of engagement and enjoyment and they found it interesting seeing and experiencing the variety of different construction trades. Further feedback stated the following:
“The Jenner staff were so engaging with the young people.” (Coach)
“I really enjoyed the practical workshops.” (Young Person)
“I liked the tour and learning about how buildings are constructed.” (Young Person)
“Appreciated the time taken by the Site Manager to explain and answer our questions.” (Coach)
