Students build on skills with pensioner’s wall project
MICHAEL GETS REBUILD AFTER REACHING OUT TO COLLEGE BRICK-LAYERS
CONSTRUCTION students have been building on their skills by helping rebuild a pensioner’s garden wall.
The North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College students got to cement their status as “great college ambassadors” when Michael Adams, from Oadby, contacted tutors about the project.
Pensioner Michael, who is disabled, used to work in education for adults with special educational needs and disabilities, and knew the college supports community projects so contacted the team at its Wigston Campus.
Bricklaying tutors Alan Creighton and Geoff Aldridge offered the services of six students on the college’s construction programme and they worked to dismantle and reassemble the gardwall around Michael’s bungalow, putting the skills they are learning in the workshop into practice.
Alan said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity for our construction students to showcase their skills in a live environment, working outdoors in all weathers to a set timescale.
“Real-life work opportunities help students to tackle the sorts of problems they will be faced with when they join the industry. It helps them to become work-ready and more employable at the end of their course.
“As a college that operates at the heart of its community, we are happy to help individuals and organisations where we can.”
Michael said: “The students have been great, very polite, and well organised. They are great ambassadors for the college.
“Getting my wall rebuilt has made an enormous difference to our lives and given me peace of mind.”
Marion Plant, principal and chief executive of the college, said: “Colleges make such a difference in their local communities including by helping out with projects like this.
“The college is proud to be one of 130 colleges that participate in the ‘Good for Me, Good for FE’ campaign which has generated more than £4 million of social value over the last two years.”
The college offers bricklaying courses in college from Level 1 to Level 3 and anyone interested can find out more online or in person at the next open event at Wigston Campus on June 17.