Linden Homes welcomed school children, students and members of the public when it opened its doors to its Wilshere Park development in Welwyn Village last week.
The event was part of ‘Open Doors’ – an industry initiative to show the diverse range of career opportunities that the construction business has to offer.
Linden Homes was one of over 20 employers taking part in the Open Doors Weekend across England, Scotland and Wales.
The initiative is the result of a partnership of four leading industry bodies, UK Construction Group (UKCG), CITB-Construction Skills, The Considerate Constructors Scheme, Construction News and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).
Once the gates to Wilshere Park opened, the young visitors were taken on a tour of the site. They heard from Shawn Moore, one of the onsite experts, and were invited to join in with a question and answer session with other Linden Homes’ specialists. Councillor Mandy Perkins and Councillor Sandra Kyriakides were also in attendance to show their support of the initiative.
Justine Marcham, teacher from Onslow St Audrey’s School, said: “It has been very interesting hearing from the Linden Homes team on site who have provided our students with a positive insight in to working in the construction industry and the career doors that can be opened. The students have come away inspired, with some considering careers in the industry.
“Multiple aspects of the industry were covered and it has become apparent that construction is one of the most important and varied industries. The visit to Wilshere Park has been a rare and exciting chance for our students to see what goes on past the hoardings of a housing development site and meet the men and women who make it all happen.”
The CITB estimates that more than 180,000 construction jobs will be created over the next five years while nearly 20% of the current work force is over 55. According to a CITB survey entitled Educating the Educators, 35% of career advisors believe construction to be an unattractive career choice.
The Open Doors event has proved particularly useful for young people who might be considering a career in the building industry. Adrian Simms, managing director for Linden Homes’ Chiltern says there is a wide choice of roles to choose from:
“We don’t just employ engineers and builders at Linden Homes. There are many other careers available – such as land buying, design, marketing and sales. We have specialists overseeing every different stage of the building project – from planning experts to landscape gardeners and everything in between. We hope the Open Doors event has shown young people what a company like Linden Homes is all about – and shed light on the various professions that are involved.”
(To find out more about the Wilshere Park development, please call 0844 644 7573.)
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For further information, contact Claire Cathersides or Emma Cox at Remarkable Group on 01962 893893.
