Working on the site of a new college building has given construction student Archie Martin ambitions to build for his future in the sector.

The seventeen-year-old has spent hundreds of hours on site with contractor Clegg Construction as the company delivers the new £8.8m Future Tech Skills and Knowledge Exchange at West Nottinghamshire College.

It’s part of his T Level Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction course at the college and has given him a valuable insight into the construction sector – inspiring him in his future career plans.

T Levels are nationally-recognised qualifications equivalent to three A Levels or a Level 3 vocational programme and includes an industry placement with a reputable employer. These give students an opportunity to gain real-world experience at an external business, enhancing their technical skills ready to take into the workplace and creating relationships that could result in an apprenticeship or employment.

“It’s been good,” said Archie.

“I have enjoyed working with the staff. They have really assisted me and I’ve learned a lot. Sometimes it’s the little things, like the terminology for things on site is very different in practice…things like how you address people on site, the trades and what they do. Other times it’s much bigger things, like how quickly the site can progress in a week."

“It’s great to have been getting experience from people who have been doing this for years. It’s going to benefit me in many ways.”

After spending some time in Clegg Construction’s head office in Nottingham as well as on site in Mansfield, Archie will have completed 315 hours with the company – equivalent to 45 days. As he prepares for the second year of his course, he is contemplating the next stage of his studies and has been particularly inspired by project management and surveying.

“I really appreciate the work experience that has been given to me by Clegg Construction,” he said. “It’s not always easy for them to have me around with them, as well as what they have to do on the site. I can‘t thank them enough.”

His work on site has included helping with staff inductions and site permits, being involved in the weekly photos that are taken, learning more about CAD software, understanding how different tradespeople work in partnership and much more.

Just one of Archie’s takeouts is that the construction programme continues…whatever the weather.

He recalls snow being shovelled off the roof to allow the roofers to get working on site.

“You can’t control the weather. You have to work around it,” he said.

Archie was also particularly impressed by the speed at which the Future Tech Skills and Knowledge Exchange building, on the college’s Chesterfield Road campus in Mansfield, took shape.

“I started in October and saw the steel frame go up. That marks the start of things to come,” he explained. “It’s crazy how fast things can move on in a week. It’s how it is in construction, but it’s very impressive.”

Clegg Construction is committed to supporting the next generation of construction workers and has been happy to host Archie on site and at the company’s headquarters in The Lace Market.

Clegg Construction project manager Andy Turner said:

“Archie has proven to be a very positive addition to the team working on the West Notts College scheme. He has approached the placement with a good deal of maturity, blending in with the site team and involving himself in the day-to-day activities. The appreciation of the insight he’s been exposed to should hopefully complement his construction-related studies, something Clegg Construction is more than happy to promote and assist with."

“A scheme such as this, with the noted social value and close to our home in Nottingham, allows us to actively promote construction as a worthy career path and in doing so encourage the next generation of builders."

“Archie has shown commitment beyond his placement brief in organising attendance during college recess, which has further enhanced his experience on a live and busy construction site. He has been a pleasure to mentor.”

Kelly Hammond, work placement engagement advisor in the college’s construction department, said:

“I am delighted that Archie's industry placement has been such a resounding success and that he has learnt so much from being in this environment, seeing the reality of life on site and being supported by the construction team."

“This underlines the importance of this type of placement to support students in their learning and enabling them to put the theory into practice. We appreciate the hard work of the Clegg Construction team in aiding Archie’s supervision – the outcome is mutually-beneficial in supporting and nurturing the future workforce."

“Well done to Archie for grasping this opportunity and for making such a positive impression on the team. I really hope this has helped him to decide on his career pathway once he completes the course."

Gavin Peake, director of IT, estates and learning resources at the college, said:

“It is fantastic that one of our own students has had the opportunity to work with Clegg Construction to build this fabulous new facility. I’m sure this is a project Archie will have been proud to see come to fruition and it will be a permanent fixture in the college estate, serving the needs of future cohorts of learners."

“The skills and knowledge Archie has acquired during his placement will also be at his fingertips for every other project he works on going forward, and we wish him the very best in his construction career.”

Clegg Construction is a Midlands, East Anglia, and Yorkshire-based construction firm specialising in the delivery of public and private sector projects.

The Future Tech Skills and Knowledge Exchange will accommodate around 250 college students and will deliver qualifications at Level 3 and above, with a strong focus on innovation and technology subjects.

The building will provide 1,343 sq. m. of high-quality teaching space across two floors and be a focal delivery point for construction T Levels.

Funding for the new facility is through a £4.3m allocation from Mansfield District Council’s Towns Fund pot, £3.8m from the Education and Skills Funding Agency as part of the second phase of its Further Education Capital Transformation Fund, and £734,000 from the college and Nottingham Trent University.

Archie added: “It’s great to know that what I am doing now is going to benefit other young people down the line.”