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Willmott Dixon
Two Willmott Dixon apprentices joined forces with shadow housing minister and Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds to inspire hundreds of pupils to think about their future career choices.
Shea Considine and Nathan Strait spent a day speaking to students of Our Lady and St Chad Catholic College at a careers convention arranged by Emma Reynolds to provide an insight into the many opportunities for working within the construction industry. It comes at a time of skills shortages within the industry as the market continues to grow for construction work.
Shea and Nathan joined a Willmott Dixon team invited to represent the construction industry as several large local companies showcased potential careers to pupils in Years 7-12, plus younger pupils from St Mary’s School.
Shea, 17 and from Great Barr, is undertaking a building maintenance apprenticeship with Willmott Dixon and said: “I remember being at school and not having a clue about which career path to take – the opportunities were quite daunting. Events like these are important as they help students to realise the doors that are open to them.”
Jhen-Nel Swanston, Willmott Dixon’s customer liaison officer, who also attended, said: “We had a great response from pupils – they really engaged with our apprentices and asked a lot of questions about what work was like and the route into the various careers on offer through Willmott Dixon.
“Businesses like ours present so many opportunities locally – the construction business isn’t just about building – there are a variety of jobs from quantity surveyors to electricians and project managers. We hope our attendance at the convention served to open pupil’s eyes to the possibilities.”
Emma Reynolds MP was so impressed with the two Willmott Dixon apprentices that she interviewed them for a short film which will be used to showcase the event.
She said: "I was delighted that Willmott Dixon and their apprentices, Shea and Nathan, attended the careers fair I organised with Irwin Mitchell and one of my local schools, Our Lady and St Chad.
"Shea and Nathan both took time to speak to the young people at the careers fair. I was very impressed by their enthusiasm and knowledge and I am sure they helped encourage young people interested in the construction sector. Having a strong construction sector is vitally important to our economy."
Willmott Dixon recently won a Queens Award for Excellence for its proactive work in the community. It also has a large presence in the West Midlands, including being on the Constructing West Midlands Framework, which has an estimated value of £3 billion. The framework is available to all public sector bodies within the West Midlands. Willmott Dixon also repairs and maintains 60,000 properties owned by Birmingham City Council and employs over 1,000 people in the region.
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