SUR hits a new milestone reaching out to 1,000s of young people in Slough

SUR has reached a significant milestone as it has now engaged with over 14,000 pupils since the start of its joint venture in Slough.

These interactions have ranged from participating in careers fairs to simulated careers guidance activities, careers Q&A sessions, site visits, speed networking careers events, sponsored taster days, BTEC training courses and work experience placements. Through these various initiatives SUR has helped to support young people in early careers planning, while providing them with an opportunity to get a real insight into the varied and exciting opportunities that a future career in construction can offer.

The community engagement team at Slough Urban Renewal (SUR) has been working closely with young people, this summer offering a series of work placements and opportunities to explore a career in construction.

Through its supply chain, SUR hosted five work experience placements over the six week school holidays. The students taking part ranged from those in Year 10 through to Sixth Form students and an undergraduate.

All of the students had the opportunity to work alongside team members across multiple disciplines with Morgan Sindall Construction. From quantity surveying through to design management, students were offered ample opportunity to learn about the many different management job roles available within the industry.

In addition to its ongoing commitment to delivering a series of work placements, SUR supported a number of Careers Information Advice & Guidance (CIAG) events over the summer term. These have included:

World of Work – SUR participated in a work session at Baylis Court School, where a group of Year 10 students were given the opportunity to put their questions to local employers. The session covered a range of topics from transferable skills to employer expectations and workplace behaviour.

Careers Q&As – one of SUR’s apprentices participated in a question and answer panel for Year 10 pupils at Baylis Court School. The panel was made up of apprentices from across a variety of industries and gave students an opportunity to hear first-hand about possible career paths and what their day to day jobs entail.

Women in Industry Speed Networking – A senior Commercial Manager from Morgan Sindall Construction took part in an industry, speed networking event. In total, 20 female role models from different industries hosted tables of 10 girls at a time, where they chatted to the students about their job roles and the opportunities available to them.

Job and work experience fair – SUR attended a Slough Job and Work Experience Fair, held at the Queensmere Shopping Centre.

Akzonobel supply chain partnership – a group of students from Wexham Secondary School recently took part in a careers focused day at the AkzoNobel Dulux Academy in Slough, as part of their BTEC Level 1 in Construction course (a two year BTEC course sponsored by SUR). The day was organised through SUR and gave the students the opportunity to get some hands-on painting and decorating experience, while completing a BTEC course unit.

Ged Humphries, Community Benefits Employment & Skills Coordinator for SUR said: “It has been fantastic to support young people in early careers planning, while providing them with an opportunity to get a real insight into the varied and exciting opportunities that a future career in construction can offer. In the past six months a range of office and site based staff from across the SUR supply chain have participated in numerous schools based initiatives in Slough, co-ordinated through SUR and we have had some great feedback from the schools as well as the pupils themselves.”

Through its development activity, Slough Urban Renewal (SUR) aims to make a difference to the residents of Slough by supporting community initiatives and events and providing additional employment, skills and training opportunities within the town. For more information, visit: https://www.slough-thinkingforward.co.uk/community/