The 19th – 24th March marked Open Doors week, a national initiative which encourages young people all over the country to go and see for themselves the many intricate details and practices that take place on a live construction site.
Leading housebuilder Linden Homes was pleased to open its doors to The Orchards site in Thornbury, which will deliver 125 new family homes to the community upon completion. Students from The Castle School and the Sheiling School were in attendance to find out more about the work that takes place behind the scenes to deliver the company’s award-winning homes.
The housebuilder was delighted to engage with The Castle School, with students from the sixth form and also with pupils aged 12 to 20 from Sheiling School. The groups enjoyed a tour of The Orchards site and heard from different members of the team in the process. Experts were on hand to show the students around, answer their questions and queries, and open their eyes to the many different opportunities available to them in the sector – wherever their strengths may lie.
Mick Arnold, construction director for Linden Homes, commented: “We had two great school visits and all the students who attended were enthusiastic and even got to try their hand at bricklaying, which is not as easy as it looks! It was fantastic to see them all so inspired and the site team loved showing everyone around.”
The Castle School is a thriving and successful school in Thornbury. Sarah Ockenden, acting head of post 16, said: “We have some budding engineers, architects and project managers who were keen to find out more about the different roles within the housebuilding industry. It’s wonderful to hear that some of our students are looking at the company’s trainee scheme and work experience options, as it will help them decide on their careers.”
The Sheiling School is an independent residential school for children and young people aged 6-20 with special educational needs. Laura Brookes, assistant teacher from the Sheiling School, said: “This was the best outing we’ve ever had! It was the perfect trip for our students – not only was it fun, but it was interactive and the housebuilding process fitted in well with our coding topic. We have one pupil that doesn’t like being the centre of attention, yet the setting meant he felt comfortable bricklaying in front of everyone, which was fantastic to see and a real accomplishment for him.”
Linden Homes is committed to encouraging more young talent into the sector, and ensuring young people have the opportunity to find their feet and discover their talents as part of the Linden Homes team. The housebuilder’s Management Trainee scheme allows school leavers to earn and learn simultaneously, gaining practical experience in their chosen department whilst working towards a relevant qualification. Open Doors Week gave aspiring young talent the perfect platform to find out more about the scheme and the opportunities available to them.
To find out more about Linden Homes and the career opportunities available across the business, visit www.lindenhomes.co.uk/careers.
For more details about The Castle School visit www.thecastleschool.org.uk and for the Sheiling School visit www.sheilingschool.org.uk
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Media can contact Emma Mackay on 077383 12960 or email emma.mackay@lindenhomes.co.uk for more information, images and interviews with Linden Homes.
