Students dig project

A four-day project has brought together 40 construction and archaeology students with the local community, culminating in an archaeological dig at the Pineapple in Airth.

Construction students from Forth Valley College and Archaeology students from the University of Stirling enjoyed two days of specialist training followed by a twoday excavation as part of the pioneering Building History project with the SFC-funded Construction Scotland Innovation Centre and Dig It 2017.

Held in the Month of Archaeology and the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, the project aims to build links between colleges, universities, students and industry to enrich and develop new courses.

Students will gain new skills as well as practical experience of working together exploring the remains of the Pineapple glasshouses.

The experience is aimed at better equipping the students for their future careers and partnership working on construction sites.

John Kemp, interim chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “Bringing together university and college students on a real life site is an inventive way to new build skills and connections.

“Building History will provide new ideas for current courses as well as help to shape new ones, making sure that students are prepared for all aspects of their future work.”