Investing in the next generation is one of the most rewarding things we do. Recently, we were delighted to host work experience students from EACT-Merchants Academy, giving them a behind-the-scenes look at the diverse career paths available in the construction industry.
A huge thank you to our incredible team Grant, Katie, Ed, Paul, Helen, Greg and Will for taking the time to mentor them and show them the ropes.
Below, the students share their experience in their own words, covering everything from estimating and quantity surveying to marketing.
Discovering the World of Work: Our Week with B&S
By the students from Merchants Academy
Monday: Warm Welcomes & New Perspectives
Monday was our first day of work experience, and it was great. The team was so friendly and welcoming from the start, which definitely helped settle our nerves. We got stuck straight into our first tasks and did some fun construction quizzes that helped us learn more about how the industry works.
We also got to meet the great Grant Jefferies, who gave us a really good overview of the business and what they do, which was interesting. Another memorable part of the day was hearing him talk about the recent relegation of Portishead Town FC! It was a really fun and informative first day, and we were excited to see what the rest of the week had in store.
Tuesday: Careers & Site Visits
Katie gave us a really helpful session all about construction careers. Later on, we visited the Filwood site for a tour with Ed and Paul alongside Helen and Katie, which was cool to see in person.
Wednesday: Social Value in Action
We joined a social value meeting where we listened to professionals and took part in round-table discussions about the impact construction has on local communities.
Thursday: Estimating & Quantity Surveying
We met Greg for the first time and learned all about estimating and measurements. We also met Will, who explained what quantity Surveying is and showed us what a standard day in his job looks like.
Friday: The Power of Marketing
We caught up with Helen again and she talked to us about marketing and explained exactly why it's so important for every business to have a marketer.
In Conclusion: What We Learned
"Overall we had an amazing week and learned so much more about the construction industry than we expected. It was brilliant to see how all the different departments work together to get things done.
We want to say a big thank you to everyone who took the time out of their busy days to talk to us, show us around the office and site and answer all our questions. You made us feel like part of the team, and this experience has definitely given us a lot to think about for our future careers!"
Maxwell & Pharel
At Bray & Slaughter, we are committed to inspiring the next generation of construction professionals. Want to learn more about our school partnership programmes or career opportunities? Get in touch with us today.
