Students from The Wilnecote School recently visited PCE Ltd to discover the vast array of careers available within the construction industry. Through hands-on budgeting, design challenges, and expert presentations, our young people gained invaluable insights into roles spanning beyond the building site, from structural design to project management.

You might picture hard hats and muddy boots when you think of the construction industry. However, our students recently discovered there is so much more going on behind the scenes during an eye-opening visit to PCE Ltd.

Students learned that bringing a building to life requires a vast team of specialists. During the presentation students were shown the wide variety of departments at PCE, showing our students that the industry relies on experts in design, business development, commercial finance, and human resources. They were fascinated to see roles ranging from structural technicians and design managers to quantity surveyors and logistics coordinators.

Our students from Year 10 were then given a taste of the real working world. They were tasked with assigning themselves specific job roles to construct a model building.

Each group was handed a strict starting budget of £200 to purchase their materials. In a brilliant twist that mirrors modern industry challenges, teams that opted for eco-friendly materials were rewarded with additional funding to complete their structures.

After the building phase, the students had to stand up and pitch their final designs. They presented their structures and explained the thinking behind their material choices to a panel of industry experts.

Alex Johnson from PCE was full of praise for the groups, saying: “The students from The Wilnecote School were an absolute credit to themselves. Their creativity, teamwork, and the confident way they presented their eco-friendly designs to our panel was truly impressive to see.”

Miss Donald, our Senior Leader for Careers, was equally thrilled with the success of the day. She noted: “We are incredibly grateful to Elliot Hunt, Andy Swann, and Alex Johnson from PCE for giving up their time to inspire our students. Days like this expand horizons and show our young people the incredible pathways open to them. The students got so much out of the experience, returning with a real buzz about their future possibilities.”

We love seeing our students step up to these extraordinary opportunities throughout the year, safe in the knowledge they are getting an unparalleled chances in their secondary journey.